There are two types of car guys: Those who love wagons, and those who are not yet full-fledged car guys. To the former, let us rejoice and be happy. BMW Philippines just brought back the wagon body style, called ’Touring’ in their company parlance, after two decades of absence in our market. And the German carmaker brought in not only one variant, but three: the 318i Touring, the M340i xDrive Touring, and the fantabalous M3 Competition xDrive Touring.
To get the biggest question out of the way, here are their prices.
BMW 3-Series Touring 2023 prices
- BMW 318i Touring – P3,890,000
- BMW M340i xDrive Touring – P5,890,000
- BMW M3 Competition xDrive Touring – P10,490,000
The 318i and M340i both come with an impressive suite of features. Inside there’s three-zone climate control (which can be accessed via voice command), a BMW Widescreen Display combining a 14.3-inch control screen and a 12.3-inch infotainment display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with wireless capabilities for both, and a wireless charger in the central control island. An extra feature for the M340i is a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system.
So what extra space does the Touring body style get you? With all the seats up, you get 500L of storage space. Fold the rear seats down fully, and the space stretches to 1,510L. For more convenience, the rear hatch window can open independently from the body—perfect for quickly storing small items.
Like most BMWs in the local lineup, the Touring trims come with Parking Assistant. This uses ultrasonic and radar sensors to park the 3-Series in both perpendicular and parallel parking situations.
Of course specs diverge significantly when it comes to the engine. The 318i is no slouch, its four-cylinder turbopetrol putting out 156hp and 250Nm of torque, all coursed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The M340i xDrive gets a six-cylinder turbopetrol with 374hp and 500Nm—more than double the 318i’s output. And as the name implies, all that power is coursed through all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic gearbox. The M340i can reach 100kph in a blistering 4.6sec.
And now the car we never imagined we would get, the M3 Touring. It immediately sets itself apart with the larger kidney grille, which really grows on you over time. It also has a six-cylinder turbopetrol but this one packs 510hp and 650Nm of torque.
The M3 has a lot more features befitting its famous badge. It has adaptive M suspension, M Servotronic steering, and an integrated braking system. You can easily see the glossy red M Compound brakes, surrounded by 19- and 20-inch double-spoke M alloys.
The M3 Touring has the same BMW Widescreen Display with 12.3-inch and 14.9-inch screens, but there’s new graphics and new information available. You can also have direct access to engine, chassis, steering, brakes, and xDrive settings through a special M-specific control system. These are on top of the creature comforts that come with every new 3-Series Touring: three-zone automatic climate control, Harman Kardon audio, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and that versatile cargo space.
Personally I think the M340i is the perfect Goldilocks choice. There’s just something so cool about an all-wheel drive wagon. You get the versatility and good looks of the wagon body style, and you get the handling and center of gravity of a car. But it’s great to have choices. Buyers can also swing toward the 318i for a more practical choice, and...we’re still figuring out who the market of the M3 Touring is.
What’s your pick?
