BMW 3 Series Touring - Best estate cars 2018

BMW has a knack of producing engaging cars that are also able to deliver excellent efficiency. The 3 Series Touring builds on these foundations to add a healthy amount of practicality to the mix.

It's older than the 5 Series, but like that car it has plenty of tech on board courtesy of a recent update. There's more connectivity than ever, while the iDrive system is one of the easiest cabin control systems to use when on the move.

In the back, there's decent space ofr back seat passengers, while the boot has 495 litres of space in five-seat mode. Fold the 40:20:40 folding seats, and there's a maximum of 1,500 litres of space, while a separate opening tailgate glass means it's easy to access in tight spaces.

Power comes from the same range of petrol and diesel engines as the 3 Series saloon, although there's no plug-in hybrid 330e Touring. There's no M3 Touring, either, so performance fans will have to settle for either the 340i or torquey 330d and 335d straight-six diesels. The latter comes with xDrive four-whel drive as standard for added security.

Best estate cars to buy in 2018

1. 4
2. 10. BMW 3 Series Touring