BMW 3 Series Gran Turismo

Introduction

The BMW 3 Series saloon helped decimate the large family hatchback marketplace, and with the 3 Series GT you can have exactly that, but with that oh-so-important BMW roundel. The 3 Series GT’s boot is actually larger than that of the 3 Series Touring, with the seats in position, and folded.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict:★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.8/10)

An oddity that BMW describes as the perfect interplay between form and space; We’d argue that the GT is simply about more choice, with the 3 GT adding a practical derivative into the 3 Series line-up that doesn’t overtly shout about its usefulness.

You’d have to be pathologically opposed to the idea of a 3 Series Touring, though, even if the GT’s capacity actually betters that of its estate car relation. The reality is it’s more about carrying people than stuff, that sizeable boot merely a bonus. A bit softer to drive, you sit higher without having to resort to an SUV, the GT has a place in the market, but we’re not sure if even BMW itself knows exactly where that lies.

Its biggest problem today is internal competition, with the 5 Series being newer and similarly priced, while the X3 offers all that too and SUV styling and ability.