At the end of 2011, BMW->ke178 unveiled the new generation 3 Series in sedan version, but left the station wagon out in the cold after that. Now, after we capturing the car during its testing a few times, BMW has finally dropped the official details on the new 3 Series Sports Wagon.

As expected, the station wagon version will feature the same design language as the sedan model, albeit with an extended rear for better cargo room.

Unfortunately, BMW wasn’t so generous in offering models for the Sports Wagon. In fact, there is only one model available – 328i xDrive – but there are plenty of optional packages to spruce it up a bit. BMW will offer Sport Line, Luxury Line, and Modern Line equipment packages, as well as an optional M Sport package which will be available at launch.

UPDATE 05/10/2013: This review has been updated with all of the 2014 model year details.

Hit the jump to read more about the new 3 Series->ke290 Sports Wagon.

2014 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 241 @ 5500
  • Torque: 258 @ 1250
  • Transmission: Eight-Speed STEPTRONIC
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior and Interior

The Bimmer 3 Series Sports Wagon comes with similar styling as its predecessor, but it will get an added 3.66 inches in length, and a 1.96-inch longer wheelbase in order to offer extra room for passengers and luggage alike. Its front and rear tracks are also increased by 1.46 inches and 1.85 inches, respectively.

The new BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon will also benefit from enhanced ride comfort, the availability of the new Sport Line, Luxury Line, and Modern Line equipment packages, and the materials and color concept found in the recently introduced 3 Series Sedan.

On the inside, the 3 Series Sports Wagon is extremely versatile. It includes a pair of coat hangers, a 12-volt outlet and four tie-down hooks in the cargo area. Under the cargo area is a storage compartment for small items and a partition net can help keep items from clanging off of one another while you tackle the twist on the way to pick up Billy from soccer practice.

Speaking of the cargo hull, the Sport Wagon offer up to 35.3 cubic-feet of cargo room. The tailgate opening is 40.5 inches high by 26 inches wide, making it easy to slide even the largest cargo in place.

2014 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon Standard Exterior Features:

-Star Spoke (Style 393) 17 x 7.5 light alloy wheels and 225/50 run-flat all-season tires

-Halogen high- and low-beam headlights

-Halogen free-form front fog lights (not available with M Sport)

-Rain-sensing windshield wipers and Automatic headlight control

-Ground-illuminating lights in door handles

-2-way power glass panoramic moonroof with "one-touch" operation and sliding interior sunshade

2014 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon Standard Interior Features:

-8-way power front seats; includes 2-way manual headrests, and driver memory with 2 presets for exterior mirror and seat positions

-Leatherette upholstery

-Split fold-down through-load rear seats

-Satin Matte interior trim

-Floormats

-3-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function steering wheel with controls for audio system, cruise control, and Bluetooth wireless communication for hands-free mobile phone4

-Bluetooth wireless technology for hands-free calling (if equipped with compatible Bluetooth phone4) and phonebook downloading capabilities

-USB audio connection

-Tire Pressure Monitor

-On-board computer with Check Control: provides feedback on the vehicle's operating status, including oil level indicator and distance to next service appointment/oil change, as well as other detailed information such as micro-filter status. It also provides travel information travel range on remaining fuel, external temperature and more

-iDrive system with 6.5-inch full color flat-screen display, Controller and 8 programmable memory buttons

-BMW TeleService (includes a 10-year subscription)

-Anti-theft AM/FM stereo CD/MP3 player audio system with Radio Data System (RDS)

-Auxiliary audio input for portable music players

-HD Radio with "multicast" FM station reception

-Engine Start/Stop button

-Advanced Vehicle & Key Memory includes climate-control temperature and air-distribution settings, exterior mirror and power seat settings, audio tone settings and radio presets, central-locking preferences, and lighting preferences

-Automatic climate control includes micro-filter, automatic air recirculation, left/right temperature control, temperature- and volume-controlled rear outlets, windshield misting sensor, MAX A/C function, heat at rest, and recall of individual user settings

-Front-seat center armrest Rear-seat center armrest with cupholders

-Tilt/telescopic steering wheel column

-Power-adjustable folding exterior mirrors with automatic-dimming function

-Automatic-dimming rear-view mirror

-Power front and rear windows with "one-touch" up/down operation

-Dynamic Cruise Control5

-BMW Ambiance lighting front and rear

-Courtesy lights include fade in/fade out, actuation from remote, automatic switch-on when engine is turned off, separately controlled left/right front and rear reading lights, front footwell lighting, and illuminated vanity mirrors Ground-illuminating lights in door handles

-Locking glovebox

-Electric interior tailgate release

-Integrated 3-button Universal garage-door opener

-Four 12-volt power sockets

-Storage package

Optional Line Equipment

Exterior

Sport Line

Luxury Line

Modern Line

M Sport Line

18” Sport Multi-spoke wheel design

18” Luxury multi-spoke wheel design

18” Modern turbine wheel design

18” Star-spoke light alloy wheels with rear run flat performance tires

High-gloss black front air intake surround with silver cross-bars

Parallel Chrome decorative accents front air intake

Decorative matte chrome accents in front air intake

M Aerodynamic Package

High-gloss black kidney grille bars

Chrome kidney grille bars

Matte chrome kidney grille bars

Exclusive M Estoril blue exterior paint color

Black rear-views mirrors

High-gloss chrome window surround

High-gloss black b-pillar

Black strip above front air dam and rear loading edge

High-gloss chrome strip above front air dam and rear loading edge

Matte chrome strip above front air dam and rear loading edge

Exclusive M Sport door-sills and foot rests and color motif

Sport suspension

Black chrome exhaust pipe trim

Chrome exhaust pipe trim

Matte chrome exhaust pipe trim

Shadowline exterior trim

Black roof rails

Chrome roof rails

Chrome roof rails

Black roof rails



Interior

Sport Line

Luxury Line

Modern Line

M Sport Line

BMW Sport entry doorsills

BMW Luxury entry doorsills

BMW Modern entry doorsill

Sport leather steering wheel with exclusive red stitching

Sport leather steering wheel

Sport leather steering wheel in exclusive bright color

3-spoke leather-wrapped multi-function M Sport steering wheel with paddle shifters

Sport seats with exclusive red stitching and piping

Leather upholstery with exclusive stitching

Leather upholstery with exclusive stitching and piping

8-way power adjustable front sport M Sport seats

Choice of high-gloss black or aluminum interior trims with red or black lower accent

Choice of two fine wood interior trims with chrome lower accent

Choice of Dark Pearl metallic, aluminum and two fine wood interior trims with chrome lower accent

Color switch with exclusive colors for welcome and ambient lighting

Lower dashboard in exclusive brown leather color (in combination with the Saddle Brown Dakota leather upholstery)

Dashboard (including upper side) in exclusive bright color (also in combination with the Black Dakota leather upholstery)

Aluminum trim

Chrome rings around climate and radio control panel buttons

Chrome rings around climate and radio control panel buttons

Chrome rings around climate and radio control panel buttons

Anthracite headliner

Instrument cluster with red highlight and chronoscale

Center console fringe in chrome

Oyster-colored instrument cluster with chronoscale

Black signature key fob with red Sport accent

Black signature key fob with chrome Luxury accent

Oyster signature key fob with silver Modern accent


Engine, Suspension and Brakes

BMW offers only one 3 Series Sports Wagon variant in the U.S. and that is the 328i xDrive. This wagon features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with the now famous TwinPower Turbo Technology. This engine puts down 241 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 258 pound-feet of torque at 1,250 rpm. The engine links up to an eight-speed STEPTRONIC transmission with Adaptive Transmission Control. This driveline allows the Bimmer wagon to hit 60 mph in just 6 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. Thanks to its automatic start/stop system, the 3 Series is rated at 22 mpg city and 33 mpg highway.

Up front, this sporty wagon features a double-pivot suspension and the rear suspension boasts a five-link system with aluminum transverse arms. Dynamic Stability Control keeps the wagon in check in the corners and a set of twin-tube gas shocks.

Bringing the wagon to a halt is a high-performance, lightweight disc brake system and ABC and Dynamic Brake Control. Also included is Brake Fade Compensation to help prevent extended braking distances when the pads and rotors get hot.

Prices

Model Base Pricing

Model

MSRP

328i xDrive

$41,450


Line Pricing

Package

MSRP

MSRP

$2,300

Luxury Line (ZLL)

$2,300

Modern Line (ZML)

$2,600

Sport Line (ZSL)

$3,950


Package Pricing

Package

MSRP

M Sport Line (ZMM)

$950

Package

$1,900

MSRP

$700

Cold weather package (ZCW)

$1,000

Driver assistance package (ZDA)

$900

Driver assistance plus (ZDB)

$2,200


Optional Equipment Pricing

Dynamic handling package (ZDH)

MSRP

Lighting package (ZLP)

$100

Premium package (ZPP)

$500

Equipment

$400

MSRP

$400 (included with ZDA)

Roof rails black

$250

Sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters

$500 (included with ZCW)

Anti-theft alarm system

$750 (included with ZDA)

Rear view camera

$250

Rear manual side window shades

$2,400

Heated front seats

$2,150 (included with ZTP)

Park distance control

$875

Automatic high beams

$500 (included with ZMM)

Active cruise control with Stop&Go

$1,450

Navigation system with voice command and BMW Apps

$550


Competition

2014 Acura TSX Wagon

Acura has yet to unveil the 2014 TSX, but we assume that it will retain all of the same features as the 2013 model. This sporty wagon comes standard with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 201 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. This makes it drastically underpowered when compared to to BMW's offering. Fortunately for Acura, it loaded the TSX Sport Wagon with tons of standard features, including: Xenon HID headlights, halogen foglights, glass moonroof, power-actuated and heated front seats, leather-wrapped sport-style steering wheel, perforated leather trimmed seating surfaces and 360-watt Premium Audio System with seven speakers and a subwoofer. Additionally, the TSX is significantly cheaper with its $31,860 base MSRP.

2014 Cadillac CTS Wagon

We know a good bit of information on the 2014 CTS Sedan, but the Coupe and Wagon models are still relatively unknown. Rumors have suggested that it will see its demise with the redesign, but we are skeptical of this claim. If it does see production, we assume it will give the 3 Series Sport Wagon the same fits that the CTS Sedan and Coupe have given the base 3 Series in the past. This is doubly true if the Caddy wagon sees a Vsport model, which carries a 420-horsepower V-6. At the very least, the CTS Wagon would carry a 272-horsepwoer four-cylinder or a 321-horsepower V-6.

Conclusion

The 3 Series Sports Wagon is a nice addition to the line up and its impressive 6-secon naught to 60 mph sprint it awesome. We are wondering why it took a full model year to get the 3 Series Wagon on the same playing field as the 3 Series Sedan, but better late than never. Bimmer leads the pack in luxury sport wagons for now, but if the CTS ends up with a wagon variant, BMW has its work cut out for it.