BMW 3 Series GT hatchback (2013-2019)
"The BMW 3 Series GT blends comfort and a large boot with the performance and handling you’d expect from a 3 Series"
Pros
- Comfortable yet fun to drive
- More practical than saloon
- Economical engines
Cons
- Styling not to all tastes
- More expensive than estate
- Not as good to drive as saloon
While the name BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo sounds very exotic, the GT is essentially a 3 Series with a hatchback boot. The altered design boosts practicality, with 40 litres more space for luggage. Not only that, but the boot opening is larger, 40:20:40 split-folding rear seats come as standard and there’s more legroom for rear passengers. The seating position is slightly raised, too, even though the rest of the interior layout is largely carried over.
The Audi A5 Sportback is the BMW’s most obvious rival, but customers in this class will also want to take a look at the Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class, Jaguar XE and Lexus IS.
Compared to the saloon, the GT isn’t available with quite as many engines and its styling won’t appeal to everyone, but very few criticisms can be levelled at it. The excellent handling the 3 Series is famed for remains, even if its higher centre of gravity means there’s a fraction more body lean in tight bends. Its rear-wheel-drive chassis also enables the GT to corner faster than the A5 Sportback, with better driver involvement, while remaining comfortable.
Engines include the 2.0-litre diesel fitted to the BMW 320d GT, offering excellent economy and performance. If you need more power, the BMW 330d GT and BMW 335d GT are seriously quick, while the six-cylinder BMW 340i GT M Sport petrol offers the most thrilling drive. If you live out in the sticks, one of the xDrive models with four-wheel drive is worth having and for 2018 the 320d xDrive gets an eight-speed automatic gearbox, making it even more efficient.
Trim levels start with SE and include Sport and M Sport, with even the entry-level version getting features like 18-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone climate control, sat-nav, DAB digital radio and a powered tailgate. Every version also lets you check the car’s location and status and even control a few of its features using a smartphone app.
The BMW 3 Series range finished 39th out of the 75 cars ranked in our 2018 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey of cars currently on sale in the UK.
