BMW Prices 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagon from $42,345

Next up to join the current-generation 3-series lineup is the Sports Wagon, and today BMW announced the starting price: $42,345 for a 2014 328i xDrive Sports Wagon. Yes, you read correctly: xDrive. This year, the Sports Wagon will be fitted with xDrive—BMW speak for all-wheel drive—as standard. Rear-drive doesn’t exist as far as the American market is concerned.
The 328i xDrive Sports Wagon is powered by BMW’s quickly proliferating 240-hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Engine stop-start functionality—we’ve found it to be quite uncouth in our long-term 328i sedan— is also mandatory. Other standard features include eight-way power front seats, leatherette seating surfaces, Bluetooth connectivity, and iDrive infortainment. Cruise control and BMW’s chassis-adjusting Driving Dynamics Control also come along for the ride, the latter offering Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport, and Sport Plus settings. The 328i Sports Wagon rides on 17-inch aluminum wheels shod with run-flat tires.
As with the 3-series sedan, the Sports Wagon will offer BMW’s Design Line packages, each one tailored with specific interior and exterior design cues and features. They add anywhere from $2300 to $3950 to the bottom line.
• Luxury Line, $2300: On the exterior, the Luxury Line adds chrome kidney grille bars and a matching exhaust tip, as well as chromed side window trim and roof rails. Eighteen-inch multi-spoke aluminum wheels with all-season tires are part of the package, while the interior gets anthracite wood trim, leather seating, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. Keyless entry, adjustable lumbar support, and satellite radio, which comprise of the Premium package, are also included.
• Modern Line, $2300: Similar to the Luxury Line, except the exterior features matte chrome for the grille bars and exhaust tips. The window trim and roof rails are painted in black. Eighteen-inch wheels with a turbine spoke pattern are standard. On the interior, the leather upholstery choices include black/oyster or oyster/dark oyster. The Premium package features are included as well.
• Sport Line, $2600: This one gets blacked-out kidney grilles and high-gloss black-painted roof rails, window trim, and sideview-mirror caps. The rollers are double-spoke eighteen-inchers. The interior trim can be spec’d in gloss black, pearl-gloss chrome, or garish matte coral-red. A leather-wrapped sports steering wheel and leather sports seats are tossed in, with a choice of black-on-black, black-on-red, red-on-black, or gray-on-black surfaces. The Premium package can be had as a $2200 option.
• M Sport Line, $3950: The enthusiast’s choice, the M Sport Line’s exterior features special “Shadowline” exterior trim and an M Sport body kit. Wheels are 18-inch star spokes with all-season tires. On the interior, trim choices are either aluminum or dark burr walnut. Accent color choices include Estoril blue, high-gloss black, or pearl-gloss chrome. Leather sports seats and an M steering wheel top it off. Premium pack is also a $2200 add-on here.

• First Drive: 2014 BMW 3-series Sports Wagon
• First Drive: 2013 Audi Allroad
• Comparison Test: 2012 BMW 328i vs. 2013 Cadillac ATS

Speaking of add-ons, there are multiple available packages:
• Cold Weather ($950; heated front and rear seats and heated steering wheel)
• Driver Assistance ($1900; rearview camera, blind-spot detection, side- and top-view cameras, park-distance control)
• Lighting ($900; adaptive xenon headlights)
• Dynamic Handling ($1000; variable sport steering and adaptive M suspension)
• Technology ($3000; real-time traffic info, nav, and head-up display.
Stand-alone options include a sporty tune for the transmission ($500), navigation ($2000), active cruise control ($2400), and a Harmon/Kardon audio system ($875).
While the segment is small, making the argument for a broader lineup admittedly weak—the only real competition being the Acura TSX Sport Wagon and the Audi Allroad—we’re slightly disappointed to see the 240-hp four-cylinder matched only with all-wheel drive. And we’d have loved to see the 335i wagon that’s offered in Europe (we were originally told it was on the way, which cuts deep. Deep).
A diesel version is in the works for later this year, though, so at least there’s that, and our first experience behind the wheel of the latest 3-series hauler was quite positive. To keep yourself amused, you can visit BMW’s Sports Wagon configurator to build the Sports Wagon of your dreams, so long as, mechanically speaking, you in dream strictly defined terms.


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