Better to have loved?

This 3-series Touring had some extremely high hopes to live up to. By Ben Barry

Peugeot 508 SW GT 1.6 225 Month 9

The story so far

French estate is slowly charming us

+ Fuel consumption continues to improve

A bit posh in places, and then also a bit not in others

Logbook

Price £38,605 (£39,780 as tested) Performance 1598cc turbocharged four-cylinder, 221bhp, 7.3sec 0-62mph, 155mph E ciency 39.2mpg (o cial), 37.7mpg (tested), 124g/ km CO2 Energy cost 12.7p per mile Miles this month 767 Total miles

Our long-term 330i Touring arrived before 2020 imploded, and back then its 2.0-litre turbo four made it the punchiest petrol 3-series estate, yet it boasted just 254bhp. Its departure coincided with BMW’s announcement that this G21-generation would be the first Touring to be blessed with an M3 derivative, and given how much I’ve enjoyed running the 330i, a much faster one with similar versatility seems an enticing prospect. But don’t get too envious if the 330i is your limit, because it still makes a strong case for itself.

The key has been its mix of practicality, reasonable economy and desirability mixed with a good helping of dynamic fairy dust – the generous 500-litre boot easily swallowed all our kit, and the interior gave adults plenty of space in the back, let alone kids. This 3-series has a 41mm longer wheelbase than the last, and it’s used wisely. The leather seats were plush yet sporty and low-mounted, the quality high and the technology generally first rate – though I disabled lane-keep immediately for being too risk-averse, found the sat-nav entry a little over-sensitive, and the novelty of Gesture Control quickly waned, so it was iDrive and buttons for me. (Gesture Control is part of the £1900 pack that also includes Harman Kardon audio and a head-up display that I liked, so it’s not a simple case of deselecting it.)

I’d definitely option M Sport Plus, because there’s no doubt the £2200 extra spiced up the BMW’s

Count the cost

Cost new £48,495 Part exchange £28,722 Cost per mile 17.2p

Cost per mile including depreciation £2.64 dynamics – with its adaptive M suspension, M Sport differential and uprated braking, it’s more responsive and playful than the previous model, if not with the outright delicacy of an Alfa Giulia. I liked that it was available only in rear-wheel drive.

The trade to all this dynamic prowess has been a firm if far from unpleasant edge to the ride quality, so I did most of my driving in Comfort mode, though Sport’s tauter body control definitely came into its own when only the driver’s seat was occupied.

I would have loved for the 330i to be a six-cylinder, like olden times, partly for the sound and because the Touring’s extra weight does give the 254bhp motor more work to do. BMW’s answer is the M340i xDrive Touring, which slots neatly between 330i and M4, and has a much sweeter six-cylinder soundtrack than the 330i four, a healthy 369bhp and – if my experience with the previous 440i Gran Coupe is representative – not a huge trade-off in mpg compared with the four-cylinder motor. Naturally the M340i’s a whole chunk more expensive than our £40,170 330i at £51,780.

But what’s this? It just so happens my next long-term test car gets a silky turbocharged straight-six BMW engine. I’ll reveal more next month, but there’s no question the 330i whips it in the all-round stakes – this Touring’s been a great car, and I’d happily buy one to replace our own ageing 320i Touring. Maybe one day I will.