WE OFTEN wonder why Australian buyers don’t take to premium passenger wagons in the same way as our friends in Europe.

Yes, they lack the commanding road view and high hip point of mass-selling SUVs, but they generally offer almost as much – if not more – practicality, while being lighter, more economical and better to drive.

Thankfully, the big three German premium car-makers have persisted in Australia with the humble wagon (or Estate, or Avant: you get the point).

BMW’s new-generation 3 Series Touring is the newest of the bunch, and in many ways the best.

Priced on par with its own X3 crossover, but $15,000 more than the X1 soft-roader that uses the previous-generation 3 Series platform, the Touring is pitched as a sportier and more dynamic alternative to those few SUV hold-outs that want something a little more fun – we salute them.

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