The new BMW 3 Series Touring is now available to order, bringing increased interior space and practicality and enhanced handling as well as the model’s first-ever plug-in hybrid.

BMW 3 Series Touring 320d xDrive

Priced from £35,505 OTR rising to £50,055 for the range-topping 374hp M340i xDrive, the sixth-generation estate is longer, taller and wider than its predecessor, leading to more space in the front and rear, while the 500-litre boot – five litres larger than before – is wider with a slightly lower loading sill and offers a maximum capacity of 1,500 litres.

Design updates see the introduction of the new BMW design language as already seen on its saloon counterpart (see road test here) while the interior brings a driver-focused cockpit design that includes a newly designed instrument cluster and Control Display, plus new driver and front passenger seats.

Three trim levels will be offered in the UK: SE, Sport and M Sport. Standard features include a rain sensor, automatic headlight activation, a hands-free phone system and automatic three-zone climate control plus automatic tailgate operation

The UK also gets an exclusive M Sport Plus Edition from launch, available with various engines and including all the features from the M Sport Plus package along with bespoke exterior detailing.

Engine line-up brings the 184hp 320i, 258hp 330i and the 374hp M340i xDrive petrols, while diesels include 150hp 318d, 190hp 320hp and 265hp 330d variants, with the latter two available with xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive as an option.

The 320d Touring and 318d Touring models are married up to the latest-generation six-speed manual gearbox as standard, with the most recent version of the eight-speed Steptronic transmission available as an option and standard on the other model variants. Emissions start at 114g/km for the 318d, rising to 170g/km for the M340i xDrive.