A performance wagon with zero compromise

THE BMW 3 Series has always been a benchmark in the compact luxury sedan (or in this case, wagon) segment. No other compact luxury sedan offers class-leading driving dynamics, yet simultaneously offers no compromise regarding ride quality, practicality, or even fuel efficiency.

Front end of the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive features a blacked-out grille and adaptive matrix LED headlights.

This is why the BMW brand’s identity has always been tied to the 3 Series, more so the M3. But what if you wanted a 3 Series that flies under the radar in terms of looks? Yet offers more than half the thrills of what the obscenely capable M3 can provide. That’s where the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring comes in, which is one of the most perfect cars I have driven so far.

Let’s start with the way it looks. You see, the BMW M3 has a controversial snout that not everyone is a fan of. Combined with the wider body and large alloy wheels, the M3 in whatever body style is attention-grabbing. On the other hand, the 2024 BMW M340i Touring merely utilizes the same body as the standard 3 Series — albeit with an M Sport Package. Some of its design highlights include the 19-inch wheels, blacked-out grille, adaptive matrix LED headlights, and M Sport brakes.

Unlike BMW’s M Sport models, though, which are mostly aesthetics and (oftentimes) handling upgrades, the M340i is an M Performance model. It therefore sits below the M3 and serves as the pinnacle of the 3 Series range. That’s why it looks so subtle relative to how it performs, as you’ll get to see a bit later.

Moving inside the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring, the overall aesthetics are pretty much similar to the standard 3 Series. As expected in a BMW, the build quality is exceptional and the robustness of every panel is unparalleled in the segment. The interior comes with a lovely two-tone black and deep red color scheme with carbon trimmings along with Sensatec (BMW’s term for synthetic leather) upholstery that feels nearly as good as the real stuff. Dominating the view of the dash is BMW’s signature curved displays, consisting of a 12.3-inch driver’s display and a main 14.9-inch infotainment screen, both running BMW’s iDrive 8 (updatable to the newer iDrive 8.5 through a software update).

While past BMWs with iDrive 7 had a plethora of physical controls, iDrive 8 migrates most vehicle functions to the infotainment itself, which, for the most part, I am not a fan of. Granted, the operating system works extremely well and remains to be one of my favorite infotainment systems, but changing the climate settings requires one or two steps too many now due to integration into the screen.

Otherwise, everything else in the interior of the M340i xDrive Touring is exceptionally well thought out. There’s the amount of space that all occupants get to enjoy, and as this is a wagon, it offers more rear seat space and cargo space compared to the sedan. In fact, with exactly 500 liters, you’d even have to wonder why you’d need an X3 in the first place. Lastly, there’s a Harman Kardon surround sound system for all occupants to enjoy.

Of course, the main reason why you’d want a 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring is because of the driving experience, and immediately, I’ll tell you that if you can afford this car, it’s indeed the 3 Series to go for. Under its hood is the famous B58 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six, and it’s also the same engine that the Toyota GR Supra uses – throaty engine noises and crackling exhausts indeed.

With 374 horsepower and 500 Newton-meter of torque, it’s what I would consider as appropriately-tuned. Not too obscenely powerful as the M3’s 503 horses, but just powerful enough for the daily and even for track use. This is all mated through a top-notch 8-speed automatic tranny made by ZF that sends power through a rear-biased xDrive all-wheel drive (AWD) system. And that’s enough for a 0-100 kph time of just 4.6 seconds.

The moment you fire up that engine, the vehicle immediately transports you to your own driving nirvana. There is refinement that somehow allows the retention of the straight-six engine note (albeit partly piped in through the speakers due to the IconicSounds feature), allowing you to concentrate on what matters the most — driving. When you’re simply driving sedately around the city or the highway, the excellent refinement and comfortable adaptive suspension allow you to relax – isolated from the hustle and bustle of Metro Manila’s chaos.

Even when you take it out on the highway, the M340i xDrive Touring exhibits top-notch ride comfort and stability. And thanks to the adaptive suspension, I think that the M340i deals with bumps even better than the standard 318i despite its sportier orientation. It’s extremely efficient too, despite the amount of power lurking under that subtle M Sport armor. Achieving around 8 to 10.5 kilometers per liter, this is a high-performance machine that isn’t going to make you broke — though it must be noted that it requires a diet of 95 octane fuel.

But the moment you start provoking the vehicle — more so when it’s in Sport mode, the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring roars into life. The steering weighs up and delivers a sharpened response. The suspension stiffens up as well, though even in the standard Comfort setting for the suspension, body control is already excellent. There’s an Individual mode that lets you set your own parameters, which is ideal since the Sport suspension setting can be too stiff. Nevertheless, the M340i xDrive Touring is what I’d consider as the peak 3 Series.

That’s because of its no-compromise driving experience. It’s comfortable yet agile and exceptionally sporty. The steering has a decent amount of feel, though not as rich as older BMWs (unsurprisingly at this point of electric power steering systems). The chassis flows beautifully through the corners — unfazed even when there are bumps or undulations as you go through sweeping mountain passes. The brakes are reassuringly firm, and the eight-speed automatic is telepathically good — even without using the paddle shifters. I’d prefer using it for my own control, though, but even if left to its own devices, the automatic transmission knows what gear to deliver. Heck, it can even downshift and rev-match as you slow down.

Finally, there’s the highlight of this package, which is its 3.0-liter turbocharged straight-six. It’s an engine that’s absolutely perfect, from its smoothness to the sound it emits, and the breadth of capabilities it offers. The sound itself is already so addicting, that I’ve had an extremely hard time letting go of this sporty wagon.

Normally, when we drive a sporty vehicle, there’ll always be a compromise in terms of refinement, ride comfort, fuel efficiency, or all three. Not the case with the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring. Sure, it’s a bit thirstier than the 318i as expected from its performance.

Okay, perhaps it doesn’t come with any form of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and I do wish it had at least the basic automatic emergency braking. But I’m willing to forgive it. Why? Because, let’s be honest, if you’re buying an M340i only to be disappointed by not having a set of robotic driving features, then you probably have the wrong priorities, bud. You buy the 2024 BMW M340i xDrive Touring because you want a vehicle that’s both practical and comfortable for everyday use, yet has the personality and capability to become a track toy or a weekend sports car. If I could only have one car in my entire life, the M340i xDrive Touring would definitely be one of my choices.