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BMW X3 Review Summary
What reviewers liked most about the BMW X3:
Despite the high expectations that come with attaching the flying propeller logo to any vehicle, the new X3 still surprises those expectations with amazing prowess.
- Edmunds.comIt is sure-footed, the drivetrain is unparalleled and the interior is reminiscent of every other BMW you have experienced.
- AutoWeekIt's roomy, both for passengers and cargo. And just as important, it's replete with safety features, both active and passive.
- New Car Test DriveWith new-found suppleness to its suspension set-up, greater agility, stronger performance, reduced thirst and expanded roominess, the new X3 feels much more like something conceived in Munich should.
- Motor Trend
What reviewers liked least about the BMW X3:
Most noticeable is its lack of German-ness. Unlike some, I didn't find the materials inside up to BMW standards (though I did find the seats pretty comfortable), and the doors shut with a clang instead of a thunk.
- AutoWeek
BMW X3 Comparisons:
Although this will no doubt produce cries of heresy among the BMW faithful, I prefer the handling of the X3 to that of even the much lauded 3 Series sedan.
- Edmunds.comThe essence of BMW's ongoing success is the creation of a vehicle that's good out of the gate, followed by continual refinement and improvement. The 3-series, a perennial 10Best winner, is of course the ultimate example of this formula. And the new BMW X3 seems to be the latest case in point.
- Car and Driver
Best one-liners about the BMW X3:
You might call it a 'cute 'ute,' but BMW insists on describing its X models as 'sport/activity vehicles.'
- Motor Trend
BMW X3 Introduction
The BMW X3 was all-new for 2011. So for 2012, the X3 is largely unchanged. All 2012 BMW X3 models come standard with black high-gloss interior trim, option packages have been changed on 2012 X3 xDrive 28i and 2012 X3 xDrive35i models, and a new M Sport Package with a sports suspension is available.
Completely redesigned, this latest-generation BMW X3 is roomier than pre-2011 models. Cargo space behind the second row is generous for the class, an unusual achievement for a BMW SAV.
The exterior is tasteful. It holds onto BMW design cues but makes the previous version look suddenly dowdy and dated.
During our test drive, the BMW X3 xDrive35i demonstrated some of the best poise and isolation we've ever experienced in an SUV on gravel roads. A completely redeveloped suspension technology, with a new double-joint spring-strut mechanism at the front and a multi-link system at the rear improves handling over the previous-generation X3.
BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system, standard on all models, retains as much of a rear-drive feel as it can muster, using a multi-plate clutch to vary rear-to-front torque split from fully 100 percent committed to the rear to 40 percent sent forward to assist with traction.
Two engines are available, a 3.0-liter inline-6 and a turbocharged version of the same engine. They get essentially the same fuel economy, but the turbocharged engine has more power. Otherwise the two models, X3 xDrive28i and X3 xDrive35i, are nearly identical, though the xDrive35i comes with slightly larger wheels. The xDrive28i and xDrive35i come with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
An optional electronic damping control system is available to vary shock response according to conditions, with a driver-selectable three-position switch to focus its operation to the driver's intended activity. This so-called Performance Control switch also affects the level of steering assist, and the xDrive all-wheel drive system by selecting a 20/80 front-to-rear torque-split in steady state driving and also providing some so-called torque-vectoring influence in corners by braking an inside wheel. These new technologies may prove decisive to buyers searching for the latest in safety and dynamic systems.
BMW X3 Walkaround
The crisp lines of this latest BMW X3 seem more familiar than novel at first sight, but the design soon dates the previous car, and you need to see old and new side by side for the full import of the new look to be absolutely clear. Up front is the usual forward-leaning BMW kidney grille. The headlight assembly is large and emphatic, and is integrated with a detailed front apron which uses contrasting colors and various apertures to provide plenty of surface excitement. There are six contour lines sweeping down to meet at the kidney grill for a sculpted appearance.
BMW says the twin round headlights combined with the round fog lamps form a triangular light pattern that is characteristic of its SAV design. (BMW calls its SUVs Sport Activity Vehicles.) The upper edge of the headlight assembly is accented by a chrome trim, and BMW's signature Corona Rings are again used as the daytime running lights. When equipped with the optional xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, the Corona Rings and daytime running lights are provided by bright white LEDs.
The profile of the BMW X3 is characterized by flared wheel arches and short front and rear overhangs. Three creases in the car's side add detail to the silhouette, with the X3's signature upper contour line (at door-handle level) rising steeply from the front wheel arch area, then tapering toward the rear light clusters. This line is echoed by two subtle lines following the contour line above the wheel arches.
Horizontal lines abound at the rear, with contrasting angles at the rear glass and lights providing perspective. The designers have used concave planes and a recessed license plate area to alter the reflective dimensions, adding a sculpted effect. The taillights are positioned well to the outside, and have a distinctive mushroom shape that allows the outboard lenses to be substantially larger than the shapes in the tailgate. LED light bars are intended to create a distinctive BMW nighttime design signature.
When compared to its predecessor (pre-2011), the new X3 is a half-inch taller, 3.36 inches longer, 1.1 inches wider, and features a half-inch more ground clearance. It rides on a wheelbase that is just 0.6 inches longer, at 110.6 inches.
BMW X3 Interior Features
The interior of the BMW X3 is welcoming, with tasteful surfaces and a tidy arrangement of components. Dark dashboard moldings contrast with lighter lower sections and carpet colors. High-grade wood trim accents are used sparingly on the center console, door cappings, and above the glovebox.
The view out the windscreen is commanding. Big mirrors provide a good spread of rearward visibility to deal with the inevitable blind spots that occur in cars with vertical D-pillars.
A fourth-generation iDrive multi-media controller keeps control-button proliferation to a minimum, and the dashboard looks tidy and organized.
Anyone with a passing acquaintance with BMW ergonomics will have everything working within seconds; strangers may take a few minutes more, but they'll doubtless appreciate the quality feel of the switches and controls. A fat-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel incorporates various satellite switches for the audio system and cruise control, and the ambiance is at once functional and luxurious. Storage compartments and cupholders are present at every turn.
The navigation system uses an 8.8-inch high-resolution display featuring a trans-reflective screen said to be the largest in the vehicle segment.
The rear seats are roomier than in pre-2011 models.
The luggage compartment provides 56.6 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats down, 19 cubic feet with the rear seats in place. Rear-seat backrests split 60/40 and can be folded separately or together. The rear seats that come with the optional ski pass-through have three segments (40/20/40) that can also be folded down individually.
BMW X3 Driving Impressions
This latest BMW X3 has made great strides in chassis sophistication over the previous-generation versions (pre-2011). In an X3 xDrive35i we tried in Atlanta, Georgia, the sensation was of a stable but well cushioned chassis that covers rough ground with little transmission of sound or vibration.
On a short off-road course provided by BMW, our colleagues showed a distinct tendency to approach ridges and cut-offs at too high a rate of speed. (Of course, we didn't make this mistake.) The quiet and unruffled way this car swallowed the imperfections in a rough gravel road was extremely illustrative of how seriously BMW took criticism of the first-generation X3 (2004-2011).
The same is true of the X3's behavior on a paved road. It's extremely smooth, with much of the sound of the car's undercarriage effectively attenuated. Luckily, this commendable compliance does not translate into a sloppy ride. Indeed, ride-motion control is exemplary, so progress is smooth and flat, just the way it should be.
Big 12.9-inch disc rotors inside 19-inch wheels shod with 245/55R18 tires slow the xDrive35i's 4222-pound mass with real authority, backed up by ABS. The base-level xDrive28i has the same brakes, but uses 17-inch wheels and 225/60R17 tires.
BMW has adopted an electric steering assist system, and its engineers have not done a bad job of overcoming the feedback challenges attendant to this burgeoning new technique. In the X3, wheel weighting verges toward hefty, perhaps a tad too much so, accompanied by quite a bit of self-centering torque, but this should not be confused with real steering feel.
Nonetheless, clear and readable off-center response combines with very accurate path control to imbue the steering with a sense of virtual feedback feel that the mechanism itself does not impart in great measure. Better get used to it, because EPS (electric power steering) will soon be ubiquitous on passenger cars. The rest of the X3 chassis allows sporty driving with plenty of attitude control, and, with the optional electronic damper control, surprising adaptability.
The turbocharged engine in the xDrive35i is responsive and powerful, driving the biggish vehicle from rest to 60 mph in about 5.5 seconds (6.7 seconds in the normally aspirated xDrive28i), and on to a governed 130 mph with a series of brief romps up the tachometer dial. The 8-speed automatic provides for close ratio staging and quick responses to a dig at the accelerator pedal.
At the same time, the broad torque band allows relaxed cruising at low engine speeds that will calm passengers and save on fuel. The combination of a relatively compact overall size, excellent power, newly imparted poise, plus improved space and comfort, ought to attract all those X3 fans back to this new one along with a horde of fresh converts.
Fuel economy is an EPA-estimated 19/25 mpg City/Highway for the X3 xDrive 28i, 19/26 mpg City/Highway for the X3 xDrive35i. Premium fuel is required.
BMW X3 Final Word
This latest BMW X3 offers a ride smooth enough to satisfy the strictest critics, and all the latest drivetrain and chassis technologies at BMW's disposal. The rear seats are comfortable and there's decent cargo space behind them. Fold the back seats down, and the X3 can haul lots of stuff. All-wheel drive gives this BMW good winter capability, and we found it handled gravel roads brilliantly.
Barry Winfield filed this report to NewCarTestDrive.com after his brief test drive of the X3 xDrive35i near Atlanta.
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