BMW 3-Series Touring (99-05) - Review

Review by Parkers on
This is an estate car to tell the world you're a sporty, active type rather than a typical family man - the sort that needs to lug lots of stuff around. Perhaps they are not the all-out driver's machines that smaller BMWs once were, but the 3-Series Touring is sophisticated, superbly engineered and stylishly subtle. Although it has a strong rival in the shape of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Lexus IS SportCross, it still leaves the competition behind.
4 out of 5

Other BMW reviews

3.5 out of 5

Running costs

Specify a small engine or a diesel and drive carefully and you'll get plenty of MPG. Residuals are good and servicing is variable with use. Belt about in a big petrol unit and you'll guzzle juice and scoff tyres.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£1,615 - £2,273 *

Diesel

£1,335 - £1,885 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

12,000-15,000 miles

Warranty

Mechanical 3 yrs/60,000 miles; bodywork 6 yrs

Road tax (12 months)

£170.00 - £270.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
  • G
    156
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
    247
  • M

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

3-Series is quite a polluting model. With an average of 202 g/km CO2 across the model line-up, its emissions are a touch high for a medium-sized estate. However, it's worth noting that the line up has a high number of diesel models, bringing the average down and giving buyers more choices of low-emission versions. Diesels typically produce less CO2 than petrol engines with similar power outputs. The range is not particularly economical, averaging 35 mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2