When the BMW X3 first saw the light of day 21 years ago, many people did not understand the point of the car.
It was barely more spacious than a 3 Series estate, and the bold design with sharp angles and large gray plastic shocks was a departure from the brand’s classic design language. In addition, it was expensive.
Since then, however, midsize SUVs have surged in popularity, and last year the X3 was BMW’s best-selling model. That there is now a new generation of the car is therefore important news for the brand.
With a fast-paced design language
In terms of design, the outgoing generation of the BMW X3 is quite conservative, but the new wagon has a significantly bolder design language.
The car feels, and is, significantly larger than before, and with its more elongated roofline, high front and flat sides, it resembles a more tasteful version of the colossus BMW XM. The car does not look overly aerodynamic, but a CD value of a low 0.27 shows that appearances are deceiving.
The new BMW X3 has a fast-paced design language – Photo: BMW
The interior of the new X3 stands out from other BMW models. There are incredibly few physical buttons and most are controlled by touch. This even applies to the air outlet volume controls, which can be somewhat difficult to read in direct sunlight.
Illuminated, u-shaped details in transparent plastic surround the air vents on the doors as well as the space between the seats – called the “jewelry box” by BMW – which houses, among other things, the wireless phone charging. Whether the solution exudes a premium feel can be debated.
The box in the middle is called the “jewelry box” – Photo: BMW
The latest, Android-based generation of BMW’s iDrive system works well on the whole, but the menus are sometimes a little complicated.
As standard, the interior is decorated in the spirit of sustainability, with textiles made from recycled PET bottles on the dashboard and seats.
The entry-level version of the new BMW X3
We started the day in the entry-level version of the new BMW X3, which is called the xDrive 20i and is a mild hybrid with a 2.0-liter petrol four under the hood. The output is 208 horsepower.
The driving characteristics can be described as sophisticated and well balanced. The new X3 offers a stable and harmonious feeling on the road in classic BMW fashion. The fourth is a good compromise between comfort and sportiness, and the noise level in the cabin is low at all speeds.
The engine in the entry-level version feels somewhat undersized – Photo: BMW
The car isn’t a wonder of driving pleasure, but that’s not particularly surprising or problematic for the type of car.
The drivetrain works well in city traffic with smooth shifts and plenty of torque. However, close to two tons is a lot for a relatively small petrol engine to lug around, and when overtaking or when going out on larger roads, the power feels somewhat insufficient.
Nice powertrain but unnecessary sportiness in the M50i
Fortunately, the new BMW X3 is also available in a more performance-focused top-of-the-line version that has no issues with lack of power – at least not from a drivability perspective. It’s called the M50 xDrive, and has a mild hybrid straight-six of 398 horsepower under the hood.
Under the hood of the BMW X3 M50 is a classic straight six – Photo: BMW
More cylinders and larger engine volume usually mean increased bottom torque, which does wonders for drivability. That’s also the case here, and the big six works silky smooth with the 8-speed automatic transmission at all speeds.
To accentuate the sportiness, the car is equipped with a lot of red and M-colored details inside, and with the sport mode activated, the cabin is also filled with engine and exhaust sounds that unfortunately come across as obviously artificial.
The X3 M50 has many sporty attributes inside – Photo: BMW
The only problem is that no direct sporty driving feeling occurs no matter how hard you push the car. Around 400 horsepower isn’t quite enough for a two-tonne car to feel genuinely fast, and heavy SUVs are rarely the most fun to drive – no matter how competent they are.
The question is, is it worth paying more in purchase, tax, fuel and insurance for the M50, if the driving experience still doesn’t live up to the sporty attributes?
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Looking forward to the new BMW X3 plug-in hybrid
The optimal compromise for the modern world will probably be the plug-in hybrid X3 xDrive30e, with an output of 299 horsepower and an electric range of a good 9 miles.
A good plug-in hybrid system can mimic the fine drivability and performance of a larger engine, while at the same time you get better fuel economy, lower tax and the possibility to drive completely on electricity. You also avoid the unnecessarily sporty appearance of the M50 version. Whether the new BMW X3 plug-in hybrid fulfills this remains to be seen.
BMW is also proud that the luggage compartment of the plug-in hybrid is as large as in the other model variants. However, if you look under the floor at the back of the non-charging hybrids, you will find a large empty space, and it feels a bit like you have raised the floor of the luggage compartment on all models to be able to say that they all have the same load volume.
Therefore, the BMW X3 is not available as an electric car
Somewhat surprisingly, the BMW X3 is not an electric car, unlike the latest generations of the 7 and 5 series, which were launched both with combustion engines and as pure electric cars.
– We wanted to create flexibility, especially in production, to be able to react to different speeds and timing for how electric cars increase on the market, says Nicholas MartinSenior Vice President for driving experience at BMW, about the arrangement with both combustion engine and electric drive in the same model.
The new X3 is not available as an electric car, for a good reason – Photo: BMW
The fact that they have chosen a different layout for the X3 is due to the fact that they sell so many cars in the segment that there is simply room for two completely separate models. The electric counterpart of the X3 will be based on the all-new Neue Klasse platform dedicated to electric cars.
The fact that you build two completely separate cars for combustion engine and electric drive in the X3 segment does not necessarily mean that you will choose this arrangement in all segments, explains Nicolai Martin.
Modern design language, classic driving characteristics
The new BMW X3 offers a bold design language both inside and out, which is sure to elicit mixed reactions from the public. Whether it is positive that more and more functions should be operated with touch and coexist among the well-filled menus is also debatable.
In terms of driving dynamics, however, the car is a BMW of the old school, and that is not a negative thing. It feels stable and harmonious both in town and on major roads, with a low noise level in the cabin and a well-balanced suspension comfort.
In terms of driving dynamics, the new X3 is a classic BMW – Photo: BMW
However, neither of the two powertrains that we had the opportunity to drive felt quite right for the car.
The entry-level xDrive20 comes across as somewhat inadequate for such a heavy car, while the M50 i isn’t particularly quick or exciting despite its sporty attributes.
Instead, it seems worth waiting for the plug-in hybrid, which will also most likely be the most popular version of the X3 in Sweden.
With an electric range of 9 miles, fine driving characteristics and good comfort, it has a good chance of becoming a winner.
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BMW X3 xDrive20
Engine: 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, gasoline, mild hybrid, 208 horsepower, 250 newton meters
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox, four-wheel drive
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 7.8 seconds
Top speed: 215 km/h
Weight: 1,930 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 4755/1920/1660 mm
Price: SEK 642,600
BMW X3 M50 xDrive
Engine: 3.0-liter, 6-cylinder, gasoline, mild hybrid, 398 horsepower, 580 newton meters
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox, four-wheel drive
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 4.6 seconds
Top speed: 250 km/h
Weight: 2,055 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 4755/1920/1660 mm
Price: SEK 859,900