BMW 3 Series Touring estate (2012-2019) - MPG, running costs & CO2

Good news – every engine in the BMW 3 Series Touring range comes with stop-start technology, which boosts fuel economy by ‘pausing’ the engine when you’re stopped in traffic. It's worth noting that some 3 Series Touring models' CO2 emissions are affected by the size of the car's wheels and whether it has a manual or automatic gearbox. BMW has also shifted its models to the tougher new WLTP method of measuring economy figures, which can look modest compared to rivals using the old NEDC test, but are easier to achieve in the real-world.

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BMW 3 Series Touring MPG & CO2

If you cover over 12,000 miles or so per year, you should consider one of the excellent diesel engines. The 330d offers great performance on long-distance journeys, but still manages to return 50.4mpg while emitting 148g/km of CO2. The most economical diesel is the 320d EfficientDynamics Plus – which, when fitted with a manual gearbox and 16-inch wheels returns 62.8mpg and emits just 119g/km of CO2 for a Benefit-in-Kind rating of 28% to make it an extremely attractive company-car choice.

It’s a little more expensive to buy than the 60.1mpg 316d Touring that uses a less powerful version of the 2.0-litre diesel engine found in the 318d and 320d, returns the same 60.1mpg and emits just 125g/km of CO2. Our favourite diesel, though, is the regular 320d manual, which combines 58.9mpg fuel economy with a 7.7-second 0-62mph time and 31% BiK rate.

Lower-mileage users will be quite happy with one of the petrol engines. The entry-level 318i uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine as found under the bonnet of the MINI hatchback and BMW 2 Series Active Tourer and will return up to 44.1mpg. It’s not desperately slow, either, with 0-62mph taking 9.2 seconds.

The smooth and quiet 320i is a good all-rounder for lower-mileage drivers, managing 0-62mph in 7.5 seconds yet returning over 40mpg. The 330i is considerably quicker – with a 5.9-second 0-62mph time – yet it can return nearly 45mpg. The least fuel-efficient engine on offer is the 340i petrol, but it's still quite efficient considering it produces a sports-car like 322bhp.

Many 3 Series Touring models are available with xDrive four-wheel drive, but adding that will increase your fuel bills by about 10% – so it’s best avoided unless you plan to take your car to the French Alps every winter.

Insurance

This is a BMW, so insurance is never going to be the cheapest around, yet the bottom-of-the-range 316d Touring is in group 18, rising to group 42 for the 335d xDrive M Sport Touring Shadow Edition.

Warranty

All BMWs come with a three-year/unlimited-mileage warranty to give you peace of mind. Also included is BMW Emergency Service, which ensures you’ll be taken to a service centre if your car does do the unthinkable and break down. If you keep your car longer than three years, BMW will also offer you the chance to buy an extended warranty package.

Servicing

BMW also offers a range of fixed-price service plans, so once you get past the initial purchase price, a 3 Series Touring should be relatively affordable to run. Its Service Inclusive package starts at £399 and covers the first three years or 36,000 miles.