The BMW X3 should have been a no-brainer as far as product planning is concerned. Simply shrink the highly-successful X5 in size and price, keep the delightful driving behavior, and watch them fly out the showroom. How odd then, and wonderful at the same time, that the company chose a completely different path for its compact SUV.
For starters, the X3 didn’t inherit the X5’s looks. It looks full of unresolved tension and angst, where the X5 seems elegantly aggressive. The face lifted model gets some welcome changes: bumpers are now painted, there’s a new front airdam, and the headlamp cluster looks more sophisticated. At the back, there’s the new family styling cue in the taillights: three horizontal LED strips for park lamps. The 18-inch wheels serve some notice that this is not
Given its model designation, we also expected the 3 Series interior when we hopped inside. The business-like layout and materials are indeed familiar. Softer plastics and more metal trim are in order for this new model. Switchgear is efficiently placed within easy view, but there’s a dearth of storage compartments for cell phones and the like. Nein! to talking or sipping coffee while driving, then. Black leather trim is still the norm, with better-shaped seats increasing the comfort factor. Space is still at a premium whether you’re driving or riding at the back.
The X3 rides on MacPherson struts in front and a multi-link setup in the rear. Handling is first and foremost on its agenda, so don’t expect a soft and cushy ride here. The bone-jarring ride of the previous model has been improved, and the car is now quieter and more compliant as well. Turn-in and steering are still razor-sharp. This is probably the only SUV that will not keel over in a tight slalom run. Brakes that can stop a freight train inspire confidence.
The all-wheel drive system on the X3 is also new. The system uses a multi-plate clutch electronically controlled and hooked up to the stability-control sensors. Balance is excellent, if just a notch short of the excellent 3 Series’.
With its ground clearance, low-hanging components and performance tires, it’s apparent that the X3 is not meant for anything stickier than a gravel path. For good measure, though, BMW also included a Hill-Descent Control button, which automatically brakes the car down a slope.
Let loose the 2.5-liter inline-6 and the X3 can show its taillights to many sports sedans while providing a spine-tingling soundtrack. There’s 218 hp and 250 Nm on tap, hitched up to a responsive six-speed automatic.
The X3 won’t appeal to as wide an audience as the X5, particularly as its price is not far off the larger model’s. It most serious limitation is passenger space that’s no larger than a 3 Series’. It doesn’t have the advantages of the conventional SUV: tall driving position, enormous cargo bay, or large passenger seating. But it has none of the drawbacks, either. The BMW’s driving experience—in acceleration, braking, and cornering—is first-rate.
That opens up a new kind of buyer for this vehicle. The 1 Series is touted as BMW’s most personal machine, but for those seeking something individualistic to provide driving enjoyment above all else, the X3 should fit the bill nicely.
By Jason Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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