We’re coming into this test drive with a very unique perspective—after all, you can consider us experts on the BMW X3 after driving pretty much every variant available in the country from the lowly 2.0d M/T to the 3.0si. Since its Philippine debut, we’ve spent more time in the X3 compared to any other locally available BMW. And now, it has come to a complete circle as we’ve finally tested the only variant of the X3 we haven’t driven thus far: the 2.0d A/T. And after six years of driving what’s essentially a 3 Series on stilts, our verdict is: where have you bin? The 2.0d A/T is the best X3 for the everyday drive.
As we’ve said, the X3 is essentially a six-year old car, so this means a replacement is imminent real soon (the X1 has already been shown at the Frankfurt Auto Show). That said, we still didn’t pass the chance to drive the X3 one final time. Being made prior to BMW’s new design philosophy, the X3 is unashamedly wedge-like. The “engine forward” design still evokes a sense of sportiness, that’s now copied with other cars in its class. Generally, the shape is aging well, perhaps the only exception being the lamps which are now too plain compared to the artfully designed lights we’ve seen in newer BMWs.
Unfortunately, the ageless exterior profile of the X3 doesn’t carry inside, where it feels every bit its age. Though the construction and build quality is faultless, the E46 3 Series bits are a constant reminder of just how old this car is. There are several gripes here and there such as the lack of cubby holes for sunglasses or cup holders, but the biggest culprit is the X3’s prehistoric looking center console. The sea of buttons is hard to navigate around, and once you do get comfy with them you realize that this car is poorly equipped for the price. And when we say poorly equipped, we mean that you don’t even get a CD changer or MP3 support with your stereo. Thankfully, the X3 has now been equipped with automatic climate control.
Another big quip against the X3 is how it mismanages the available interior space. Though it can fit five people with little problem, it’s no bigger than the much more affordable 3 Series. The biggest advantage of the X3 is only when you need to haul people to and from the airport or doing a month’s worth of grocery. The X3’s cavernous (but not class-leading) loading bay is more than adequate.
Despite the less than stellar cabin, the X3 can’t be faulted for providing one of the best driving positions in its class. Adjusting the seats require some elbow grease (there’s no electric motors anywhere), but once you get your position right, everything falls right into place. The front seats offer excellent support all the way, and the large-diameter steering wheel gives the right thickness for grip and comfort. The gauges, though stylishly done, can be hard to read for those with less than 20/20 vision. The seating position is high in the X3, but it manages to maintain the driver-centric feel of the 3 Series. And like BMW’s best-selling sedan, the X3 still pushes all the right buttons with its stellar handling and on-road refinement.
The 2.0d badge prominently displayed on its front fenders means that a 2.0-liter common rail diesel inline-4 sits inside the X3’s engine bay. However, instead of the 150 horsepower, 330 Nm of torque figures found in the M/T variant, the 2.0d A/T gets a bump in both power and torque: 177 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque. Though we weren’t able to drive the M/T and A/T back-to-back, we can assure you that the 2.0d A/T is no slouch. In almost any given situation, you’ll have more than enough thrust to satisfy that need for speed. Plus, there’s no trade-off to the X3’s fuel mileage which registers a highly commendable 10.86 km/L in pure city traffic. That’s 40 percent better than the X3 2.5si and surprisingly better than the 320d! And we don’t know if BMW uses more sound deadening material on the X3 than on the 320d, but the former feels quieter especially at idle.
The raised nature of the X3 predetermines that there’s some handling trade-off even before you start driving off; but it actually works (surprisingly) to the Philippine driver’s advantage. The X3 exhibits the same quick and responsive nature of the 3 Series, but it’s less prone to road undulations because of its increased suspension travel. This is at the expense of “road feel”, which isn’t really all too important for regular drivers. In fact, for all intents and purposes, the X3 can still dart through corners and do gymkhana exhibitions. With vented disc brakes all around, the X3 brings itself to a halt very well. The X3 sheds its run-flat tires in favor of standard 17-inch V-rated Pirellis, which explains the 2.0d’s more compliant ride compared to before.
Despite its age, the X3 still exemplifies BMW’s panache to provide excellent handling cars with equally excellent drivetrains. However, the P 3.49-million is a lot of money to pay for what’s essentially a compact SUV in all but badge. The prohibitive price tag highlights several faults of the X3 which cannot be dismissed such as its old cabin and the lack of “basic luxury” items such as the barebones BMW Business radio system and the lack of electric seat adjustment. It can’t be helped that the much better equipped and much newer Volvo XC60 sits at P 200,000 less than the BMW X3, and you have quirkier cars like the Subaru Forester XT which provide just about the same levels of driving excitement and features for less than P 1.8-million. The BMW X3 is still a good drive, and if you need to get one, you can’t go wrong with the 2.0d. Unfortunately, the zeitgeist has moved on, and the X3 is starting to get old.
By Ulysses Ang | Photos by Ulysses Ang
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