Best sport wagon 2009 Subaru Outback *Est. $22295
Best premium station wagon 2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon *Est. $36025
Budget seven-seat wagon 2009 Kia Rondo *Est. $17495
Compact, fuel-sipping wagon 2009 Pontiac Vibe *Est. $16735

See All Station Wagons

2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon

*Est. $36,025 to $37,925

Best premium station wagon

Good engine power
Excellent handling
Luxury features
Available all-wheel drive
Good safety scores

Relatively small cargo hold
Rear-seat comfort
Optional nav requires iDrive
iDrive is no picnic to use

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Our Analysis

March 2009. "Is this perfection?" Car and Driver editors muse after testing the 2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon. It has won more awards over the past two decades than any other station wagon, and critics say the BMW wagons are by far the most fun to drive.

The BMW 3 Series is the little brother of the pricey 2009 BMW 5 Series Sports Wagon (*est. $55,800). The 3 Series gets far more nods from reviewers: For $20,000 less, you get the same warranty (four years or 50,000 miles), slightly better gas mileage, slightly better safety ratings and most of the same major features standard, including leather seats and wood trim.

The BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon is smaller than the 5 Series, and that's the only real drawback critics can find. Both seat five passengers, but the 3 Series wagon's cargo capacity and backseat room are lower than a full-size wagon, such as the BMW 5 Series or the less expensive Subaru Outback (*est. $22,295 to $32,095).

The 3 Series includes the rear-wheel-drive BMW 328i Sports Wagon (*est. $35,400) and all-wheel-drive 328i xDrive Sports Wagon ($37,400). Both come with a 230-horsepower 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine and a choice of six-speed manual or automatic transmissions. Performance and handling are as close to flawless as you can get, experts say; the BMW 3 Series wagon is just as fun to drive as the 3 Series sedan, and the added cargo space makes it more versatile.

Critics tend to compare the new 2009 Audi A4 Avant (*est. $34,850) with the BMW 3 Series wagon. The A4 Avant wagon is a little more luxurious, with slightly better safety scores and gas mileage than the 3 Series' EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined (18 city and 27 highway with automatic transmission; 17 city and 27 highway with manual transmission; 17 city and 25 highway, 20 mpg combined with AWD). However, the 3 Series wins for sheer fun. It offers more raw power than the A4 Avant's new turbo four-cylinder, and the BMW 3 Series has a good reliability record; the new A4 Avant is unproven, and reliability for past models has been subpar.

ConsumerReports.org conducts the most unbiased testing of the BMW 3 Series wagon, rating it on more than 50 measures and ranking it against its competitors. We found narrowly focused, objective ratings for fuel economy and safety at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. ConsumerGuide.com's review is test-based, but it is not as exhaustive and authoritative as the top reviews. Reviews at Automobile Magazine and Car and Driver are shorter, and they focus more on the BMW 3 Series' fun factor than its practicality. Kelley Blue Book conducts thorough tests, but editors had not yet tested the updated 2009 BMW 3 Series wagon when we checked.

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2009 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon

Our Sources

1. ConsumerReports.orgDetails/Subscribe

ConsumerReports.org ranks the BMW 3 Series wagon against other station wagons, based on its own expert tests and consumer surveys. Editors last road-tested the 2006 model, but ConsumerReports.org has updated its review to reflect changes for the current model year.

Review: BMW 3 Series, Editors of ConsumerReports.org

2. FuelEconomy.gov

This chart shows how various 2009 small wagons -- including the BMW 3 Series -- stack up in terms of government fuel economy standards, annual fuel costs and pollution. Each 3 Series trim gets its own link, which you can click on for more detailed information.

Review: 2009 Small Station Wagons, Editors of FuelEconomy.gov

3. SaferCars.gov

The BMW 3 Series wagon achieves perfect five-star ratings in side-impact government crash tests, and four-star frontal and rollover ratings. This site, run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, lists detailed results for most wagons on the market.

Review: 2009 BMW 3 Series Wagon, Editors of SaferCar.gov

4. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

The BMW 3 Series is named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, with good scores in frontal, side and rear crash tests. The ratings are based on tests of the 2006 sedan.

Review: BMW 3 Series, Editors of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

5. ConsumerGuide.com

Consumer Guide road tests many new cars on the market, with concise write-ups that explain their numeric scores. The BMW 3 Series wins the Best Buy award in the premium compact car class. This site also provides detailed information about options and prices.

Review: 2009 BMW 3 Series: Road Test, Editors of ConsumerGuide.com

6. Car and Driver Details/Subscribe

The BMW 3 Series is yet again one of Car and Driver's 10Best Cars. This brief review explains why, and it links to a capsule review of the 2009 wagon version.

Review: 2009 BMW 3 Series, Editors of CarandDriver.com

7. Automobile Magazine Details/Subscribe

This brief review of the BMW 3 Series explains why Automobile Magazine picks it as a 2009 Automobile All-Star -- for the 14th time. The review includes test-drive details, concentrating mostly on the car's fun handling and horsepower.

Review: The Perennial Award Winner: BMW 3 Series, Editors of Automobile Magazine

8. Kelley Blue Book

The BMW 328xi all-wheel-drive wagon is one of Kelley Blue Book's top recommended wagons. Links lead to information on pricing, specs and resale value, but editors had not yet road-tested the 2009 model when we checked.

Review: Recommended Shopping List: Hatchbacks/Wagons, Editors of Kelley Blue Book