2014 BMW 328d xDrive Sports Wagon – Review and Test Drive – The Green Car Driver –

The 328d Sports Wagon also gets most of the automaker’s energy-saving EfficientDynamics technologies including auto start-stop, brake energy regeneration, and Driving Dynamics Control, which gives the driver the choice among Comfort, Sport, Sport+, or Eco Pro modes. Other EfficientDynamics features include demand-dependent ancillary components and active flap control.

Eco Pro helps one drive more economically by changing throttle response and other vehicle settings including air conditioning.  Eco Pro also coaches the driver with operating suggestions and informs the driver how much better (or worse) his fuel economy is in the course of a drive.  I always found I was on the plus side of the equation when using it but, somewhat strangely, there wasn’t a significant change in calculated fuel economy over a period of time.

ROOMINESS

Since this is a wagon, the primary consideration, unlike with a sedan, is how much usable space is available.    Similar to the new 3 Series sedan versus its predecessor, the new wagon is longer by 3.4” (86 mm), with two of those being added to the wheelbase.  Rear knee room has been increased by 0.7” (18 mm) and passengers commented on the roominess of the rear seating area. Luggage capacity with the rear seats folded down is up by 4 cubic feet (113 liters) to a total of 64.9 (1,838).  Additional storage is provided in several compartments under the trunk floor.

With the car’s noticeably lower lift-over height it is much easier to load cargo.  The liftgate opening is several inches wider and adds to the convenience.  The hatch itself is power operated and the window can be opened separately.  A virtual footpedal allows opening the hatch if your hands are full, as long as the key is present.

DRIVING THE 2014 BMW 328D XDRIVE SPORTS WAGON

The new wagon has all of BMW’s latest technology including engine stop-start, Eco Pro driving mode, electrically-boosted steering, and is available in a choice of Sport, Modern, Luxury, and M Sport trim options.

Driver assistance technology includes a rear-view camera with bird’s eye view, automatic parking, parking distance control, and automatic high beams.  The color head-up display provides a variety of useful information including “road geometry,” an arrow that shows the driver not where he should be turning but rather where he should be pointing the car (there’s a difference and BMW navis have had this feature for a while).

The 2014 3 Series comes with an updated iDrive, version 4.2.  The redesigned system features a new cockpit controller with a built-in touchpad that allows inputting information for destinations, phone numbers, and other functions.  This works surprisingly well.  In addition, BMW ConnectedDrive now offers a dictation feature for sending text messages and e-mail.  It too works well.

On a dark and stormy autumnal day, I left the New York area for Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love.   My inaugural voyage with the Touring took me on a variety of highways, bridges, and winding lanes.  The navigation system scoured the web for traffic information and helped me achieve an all-time record of two hours door-to-door, albeit via a somewhat circuitous route that at times had me going north and west to go south.

Click here to continue to Page 3 – The Drive to Philadelphia and Fuel Economy

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