Up:
- Solid, Germanic look and feel. You’re definitely driving a BMW
- Sticks to the road like…something very sticky
- Strong engine
- Well-appointed interior
Down:
- Harsh ride
- Laggy automatic transmission
- Nav system clunky, outdated
- Expensive
Sideways
- Feels like a much larger vehicle than it is
Driving Impression
There’s something about German engineering. Theoretically, the X3 is one of those tiny, car-based cargo boxes disparagingly termed “cute-utes” by people who drive 3-ton trucks with solid front axles and know what a locking differential is. But to its driver, the X3 feels like a big, substantial sports sedan whose driver’s seat just happens to be two feet higher, which is impressive for something that you can both carry a dishwasher and parallel park in a city. The only time you notice its small size is after you get out.
The X3’s performance comes at a price, though, figuratively and literally: the suspension blows straight through “firm” on its way to “harsh”, the laggy automatic transmission really makes you wish you got the manual instead, and you’ll pay over $50K for it.
Build
You can theoretically get a base X3 xDrive30i SAV (BMW’s full model designation) for $39,400, but are you really going to buy a BMW with a “leatherette” interior? Without heated seats, or the good stereo system? Please. Add the navigation system, the sport package with 19″ wheels, and a few more random luxuries, and you’ll top out at around $52,000, just like we did.
BMW cuts no corners on or in the X3. Doors slam nicely, I could find no fault with the interior or exterior finish, and everything I tested worked and felt as it should on a $50K car. The substantial and sumptuous leather-wrapped steering wheel deserves special mention, particularly for those of us with large hands.
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