Yes…for a marque known for "go", it surprised me that the first thing that struck me about the X3 was how well it stopped. Just pulling out of the driveway gave me the first clue. I was planning to just slow down going over the curb, but darned if I didn't just about come to a complete stop. Great Brakes.
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And as for the "Go"…it's pretty much everything you'd expect from a BMW.
The 2.0 twin-turbo feels stronger than it's 255 HP…and it feels faster to 60 than its 6-second time would indicate.
Want more? Shell out somewhere around 10K more for a 393 HP six-cylinder M50. Most folks won't need to check that box, however…or sign up for the insurance premium that comes with that. The X3 comes standard with most…but not quite all…the little extras that we've come to covet.
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With a window sticker that starts right at $50,000, you get BMW's driver-focused, rear-wheel-biased intelligent all-wheel drive, room for five plus decent luggage room behind the rear seats, a 48V mild hybrid system that delivers surprising 27 city and 33 Hwy MPGs, and heated faux leather front seats.
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What's missing on that 50K base X3?
Well…BMW has always been happy to sell you upgrades. An additional $7,500+ got those front seats ventilated, brought the sun and moon to view via a huge panoramic roof, got us remote start, heated steering, parking assistance, electronic upgrades, and BMW's M package…bringing 21" alloys, M Sport suspension, and a variety of trim pieces.
For perspective, the X3 is the "OG" in BMW's fleet of seven SUV / CUV / ATVs…with the 1, 3, 5 and 7 being traditional wagon-like SUVs, and the 2, 4 and 6 being more hatchback / coupe styled vehicles. But it's the 3 that started the Premium SUV movement that we take for granted today. And the 22 years since that first X3 have allowed for considerable fine-tuning.
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In short, today's X3 can be counted on to deliver that BMW "feel"…poised handling and eager acceleration…coupled with all the amenities that your budget allows.
And as for one of those other unusual observations, it's just a little thing, really, but in my OG opinion, I'd like to see a couple more knobs on that expansive 14.9" curved screen. When driving a performance vehicle like a BMW, I want to be able to keep my eyes on the road and change common settings by feel…without having to take my eyes away from the road and look at a screen.
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But hey…if you're a fan of both electronics and premium performance, you'll find a lot to like in BMW's X3 xDrive30i
