This particular BMW isn’t overburdened with gadgets, but those little luxuries have all proved their worth

A call from the BMW press office to say they want the 335i back early in the New Year. It’s always a wrench to have to hand back a much-loved long-termer, but in the days that followed it slowly sunk in that this separation is going to be especially painful. The thing is, I honestly can’t think of a car that better fits the needs and aspirations of the Tomalin tribe.

Firstly, the size is just right. A few years ago we’d have needed a 5-series to accommodate all five of us plus various combinations of hounds and/or luggage. One benefit of successive generations of cars getting bigger is that we can all comfortably fit in the latest 3-series. OK, the semi-fastback Touring doesn’t have the carrying capacity of a square-rigged Volvo or Saab, but you can get a surprising amount in there. What’s more, the conversion from back seats to load bay is beautifully quick and simple. The luggage cover and cargo net retract into a sturdy cartridge, which snaps in and out of position behind the seats with easy precision, and the seats themselves can be flipped flat with one hand. I’ve had everything in there, from sideboards to drum kits (Cambridge-based rock band Oldplay’s 2007 world tour would never have got off the ground without the 335i).

So we’re going to miss the practicality. And the excellent satnav, the iPod-friendly hi-fi and the Bluetooth hands-free phone. This particular BMW isn’t overburdened with gadgets, but those little luxuries have all proved their worth. I’ve even got the hang of the iDrive, which for a technophobe like me is quite something. Then there are the little details – the nifty blue downlighters for the door handles when you plip the central locking as you approach the car at night, the M Sport badges on the wheel, gearstick and kickplates. They don’t sound much on paper but they all pump up the feel-good factor. I’ve even grown to like the magnolia leather, which lifts what would otherwise be a fairly ordinary ambience and has proved surprisingly resilient.

And I just adore the ‘stance’ of the Touring on its slightly lowered M Sport suspension and 18in alloys. I’d still rather not have the run-flats, but I’ve learned to live with the occasionally crashy ride, while the handling on anything but badly broken tarmac is a source of deep joy. The traction and stability systems are perfectly judged, more obviously now that winter’s here, so that there’s just enough slippage at the rear to make you feel you’re really driving the 335i. At the risk of becoming a BM bore, I love it.