BMW 328i Touring

You can have your cake and eat it too, as Robert Barry discovered after a fast yet frugal week in the BMW 328i Touring M-Sport.

Don’t let the 328i designation fool you into thinking this is a sixcylinder powered BMW, for under the bonnet of this new Touring there is a new TwinPower 2-litre four-cylinder engine combining one twin-scroll turbocharger with valvetronic, double Vanos, and high precision injection technology.

BMW says the TwinPower engine produces 180kW, torque of 350NM and a zero to 100km/h sprint in just six seconds, but remarkably the car will return average fuel economy of 6.5L/100km and emit C02 of 152g/km.

Thanks to an eight-speed sport automatic transmission, with gearshift paddles on the steering wheel, it is remarkably easy for a driver to exploit the linear power delivery of the TwinPower engine, but equally the car has been set up to be as economical as possible, as well as being sporty and dynamic to drive.

BMW’s Efficient Dynamics package means the new 328i Touring comes as standard with an auto start-stop function, brake energy regeneration, and Eco Pro driving dynamic control function. This allows the driver to choose whether to drive in economic mode, comfort mode, sports mode or sports plus mode, the latter with minimal electronic intervention from the ESP and traction control units.

For the majority of our test drive, we left the car in the comfort setting, and we were very happy to report that we obtained average fuel consumption of 7.3L/100km on long distance driving, which rose to 9L/100km when returning to short urban distances.

Our test vehicle was fitted with the $ 5,500 M Sports package which included sports seats, sports suspension, leather-bound steering wheel, aerodynamics package, sports brake package, 19 inch star-spoke light alloy wheels, chrome exhaust tailpipes, door sill finishers, anthracite roof liner, sun protection glazing, and the BMW Individual high-gloss shadow line paint job.

The M Sport package really is the icing on the cake for the 3 Series Touring, because it adds more presence and panache to an already well-equipped vehicle.

Additionally, the 328i Touring on test was also fitted with front seat heaters ($ 800), variable sport steering ($ 500) Head-up display ($2,000) adaptive M suspension ($1,500) and black highlight trim finishers, the latter a no cost option. The options increased the driveaway price from $ 94,000 to $104,300.

As well as sitting the car 10mm lower to the ground, the sports suspension provides firmer springs and damping, as well as thicker antiroll bars, while electronicallycontrolled damping adjusts the damper mapping to the road surface and driving situation.

The driver can also use the driving dynamic control switch to vary the basic suspension tuning between more comfortable or sportier settings, according to individual preference. We found the ride quality overall was very good, and very compliant over local roads, despite the lower profile wheels and firmer suspension setup.

The electromechanical power steering system only operates when steering assistance is actually required. Not only is this system lighter and more fuel efficient than hydraulic systems, it offers a high level of steering precision.

Although the variable sports steering fitted to our test car provided different steering gear ratios depending on the angle of the steering wheel, it never felt odd or uncomfortably wieldy, unlike some adaptive electric power steering systems we have encountered. During our rain-soaked test week we never had to worry about braking performance. The M Sport brake option provides aluminium four-piston fixed callipers at the front and two-piston fixed callipers at the rear, along with generously sized brake discs, and would pull up very quickly even in the wettest conditions.

The new F31 3 Series Touring is the largest made so far by BMW – its 495 litre load area is 35 litres larger than the outgoing F91 model, and it can be expanded to 1,500 litres with the seats folded. The rear seats have a 40/20/40 split setup, meaning skis or snowboards can be stowed with four occupants in the car.

And if your hands are full of shopping or children, the powered tailgate will lift up at the touch of a button, and when in a narrow space, the tailgate glass is also hinged, allowing smaller items to be easily stowed without having to raise the entire unit.

The 328i Touring proves that practicality, economy, good looks and dynamic performance can be served up in a family-friendly wagon. For an executive it’s the automotive equivalent of having your cake and eating it, too!