New BMW 330i wagon locked in for Australia

In a vote of confidence in station wagons, Bavarian automaker BMW has confirmed that the 3 Series Touring will make a return in new-generation ‘G21’ form. The 2019 BMW 330i Touring will arrive in Australia this October, with a one-engine strategy at launch and the prospect of additional engines joining the lineup later.

Powered by a turbocharged two-litre petrol four making 190kW/400Nm, the 330i is pretty quick, sprinting from 0-100km/h in 5.9 seconds – making it just one-tenth of a second slower than the new 330i sedan (reviewed by us here).

Like the sedan, the new 330i Touring will come with an M Sport package as standard, though those preferring a more traditional aesthetic can tick the Luxury Line box as a no-cost option. We’d be doing that, obviously.

Compared to the previous ‘F31’ shape, the new 3 Series wagon is 76mm longer, 16mm wider, and 8mm higher. Both the front and rear track are widened and the wheelbase is stretched by 41mm for an additional 11mm of rear legroom. Boot space is increased very marginally from 495L to 500L.

Weight savings have resulted in a 10kg reduction over the old 330i Touring, while rigidity is substantially increased by about 25%.

Within the BMW range, the 330i Touring will sit beneath the larger 5 Series Touring (reviewed here). and represents an alternative to the X3 SUV (reviewed here).

Priced at $73,900 (driveaway pricing TBA), the new shape 330i Touring represents a $3,700 reduction in pricing over the old shape despite the equipment spread becoming relatively more generous.

New infotainment inside comprises digital displays for both the driver’s instruments and the central touchscreen, which runs BMW’s iDrive 7 system and includes wireless Apple CarPlay. Wireless smartphone charging is also standard.

BMW’s mid-grade ‘Vernasca’ leather upholstery is standard for the seats, while upgraded merino leather will be optional.

M Sport cars include a beefier steering wheel rim, 19-inch light alloy wheels, M Sport brakes, adaptive dampers with an M tune, plus aluminium trim and black headlining inside the car.

By contrast, opting for the Luxury Line keeps the big M Sport brakes of the more athletic variant, but sees the headlining inside switched to a light tone and swaps in grey ash wood trim. Artificial leather is splashed on the dash. Aluminium roof rails are added up top and there’s a different style of 19-inch wheel.

Both variants grab the same sport seats, as well as a ten-speaker BMW-branded stereo, adaptive LED headlights, keyless entry and start, plus BMW’s higher-end safety suite that bundles high-speed AEB, blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist, and automated parking.