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BMW 328i Sports Wagon offers practicality and performance, at a big price (pictures)

As one of the few wagons on the market, the BMW 328i Sports Wagon comes at a high initial price, and to make it really feel like a BMW, you'll need to check off many boxes on the option sheet.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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BMW expanded its 3 Series models for 2014 to include the Sports Wagon. Unlike the 3 Series sedans, the Sports Wagon only comes in two engine choices, a 2-liter four-cylinder in gasoline or diesel. The gasoline version, shown here, is the 2014 BMW 328i xDrive Sports Wagon, which comes standard with all-wheel drive.
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BMW's hooded headlights, a recent style cue, meet the grille frame at their inner edges.
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The latest version of BMW's 2-liter, four-cylinder engine benefits from direct injection and a turbo to produce 240 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque.
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The Hoffmeister Kink, the up-angle at the rear of the window graphic, remains a BMW style cue.
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The model came with the M Sport package, which brings in a sport-tuned suspension, and adaptive dampers.
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The lift gate is power-operated.
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With the rear seats down, the 328i Sports Wagon boasts 53 cubic feet of cargo space.
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Power-adjustable sport seats, courtesy of the M Sport package, have three memory settings.
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As a cosmetic touch, the M Sport package adds M-logo rocker panels.
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The rear seating area offers few amenities.
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The 328i Sports Wagon gets an eight-speed automatic transmission.
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BMW's gauges lack any ornamentation, and are very businesslike.
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The iDrive controller sits on the console.
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This LCD comes standard in the 3 Series, and serves as the interface for the stereo and phone system.
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The iDrive interface's home screen is just a menu list of the car's functions.
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The standard Bluetooth phone system includes contact list integration, so you can view phone book entries on the screen. However, voice command is optional.
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HD Radio on the FM band comes standard in the 3 Series.
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For iOS devices and USB drives, the car shows this music library interface.

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