BMW M3 Touring review: what the car critics say
A sensational all-rounder, the car is ‘eye-wateringly, cheek-puffingly good to drive fast’
After a wait of “decades”, the M3 Touring is finally here – an all-weather, all-powerful family estate car “that just happens to go like a Porsche 911”, said Evo. Available only in xDrive Competition guise, it is all-wheel drive with 503bhp and an automatic gearbox, and a 3-litre twin-turbo straight-six petrol engine. Despite being 1,865kg, it’s remarkably agile. It can do 0-62mph in 3.6s and has a top speed of 174mph.
With extras, you could easily spend more than £100,000 on this “ferocious family wagon”, so it is only going to be for the select few, said Car Magazine. The stiff suspension and beautifully judged damping work well, and the good lateral grip and traction allow you to overcome any weight-induced understeer. On motorways it’s refined and quiet. It is comfy for four adults, and has a very decent 500-litre boot.
A sensational all-rounder, the car is “eye-wateringly, cheek-puffingly good to drive fast”, though with a 59-litre tank and doing about 25mpg, you’ll be refuelling every 320 miles or so, said Top Gear Magazine. The driving position is perfect, and the seats are “phenomenally comfortable”. The only “epic fail” is the 14.9in curved touchscreen, which hides an array of functions such as the heated seats in frustrating sub-menus. Price: from about £87,000.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In pictures: BMW M3 Touring
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
-
Political cartoons for December 17Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include healthcare costs, the affordability hoax, giving up pencils, and more
-
Trump vs. BBC: what’s at stake?The Explainer The US president has filed a $10 billion lawsuit over the editing of Panorama documentary, with the broadcaster vowing to defend itself
-
Frank Gehry: the architect who made buildings flow like waterFeature The revered building master died at the age of 96
-
6 lovely barn homesFeature Featuring a New Jersey homestead on 63 acres and California property with a silo watchtower
-
Film reviews: ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Is This Thing On?’Feature A born grifter chases his table tennis dreams and a dad turns to stand-up to fight off heartbreak
-
Heavenly spectacle in the wilds of CanadaThe Week Recommends ‘Mind-bending’ outpost for spotting animals – and the northern lights
-
It Was Just an Accident: a ‘striking’ attack on the Iranian regimeThe Week Recommends Jafar Panahi’s furious Palme d’Or-winning revenge thriller was made in secret
-
Singin’ in the Rain: fun Christmas show is ‘pure bottled sunshine’The Week Recommends Raz Shaw’s take on the classic musical is ‘gloriously cheering’
-
Holbein: ‘a superb and groundbreaking biography’The Week Recommends Elizabeth Goldring’s ‘definitive account’ brings the German artist ‘vividly to life’
-
The Sound of Music: a ‘richly entertaining’ festive treatThe Week Recommends Nikolai Foster’s captivating and beautifully designed revival ‘ripples with feeling’