Expectations were admittedly fairly low when the dealer relayed an X3 was the only loaner vehicle available at my service visit. “Oh, that’s fine,” I said. The visit cropped up suddenly, when the VANOS recall fix for the Z4 was finally ready. The next few days changed your author’s mind about the X3.
The X3 is presently in the seventh and final model year of its third generation, which debuted in 2018. Its shape has matured and become more squared off over time, with updates to full LED lighting arrangements, bumpers, grille, and wheels to keep things fresh. A fourth ( uglier) generation arrives for 2025.
The X3 is available in four trims that start at $46,900. An sDrive30i is the rear-drive base model, while the all-wheel drive xDrive30i and costs $48,900. The inline-six hybrid M40i asks $61,900. Top range is the X3 M which starts at $75,500 and soars well over $90,000 with options.
With 2.0 liters of displacement, the B48 inline-four uses a single twin-scroll turbocharger with Bosch direct injection. 248 horsepower travel to all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic from ZF. While that sounds like a middling amount of power, the X3 has also become a rather large crossover. Though it’s still a compact, it’s now a couple inches larger in every dimension than the original 1990s X5, even in its wheelbase.
Finished in Black Sapphire metallic with a Tacora Red interior and brown glossy wood trim, the X3 was fitted with only two options. A Convenience Package included Comfort Access keyless entry, a panoramic roof, and lumbar seat adjustment for $1,700. And a Parking Assistance Package included surround view cameras, automatic parking, and active park distance control for $700. Asking price as tested: $53,945.
The large compact X3 showed good exterior build quality. Paint finish of the X3 was generally excellent. There were only a couple areas of light orange peel, limited to the front fenders. Trim and panel alignment were very good too, though the satin finish window trim was slightly misaligned on the passenger side.
Exterior door handles were not especially tight, and had a cheap plastic feeling. Aside from their outward movement, the handles also shifted up and down slightly if tugged. Each door handle attempted to unlock the car again when grabbed, even when the X3 was already unlocked. After a mediocre experience… handling the exterior handle, doors closed with a reassuring thud of quality.
Once inside the X3 there was a nice feeling of spaciousness, aided via a tall roofline and large panoramic roof. Head and legroom abound, and both rows of seats should accommodate adults of around 6’5” before headroom becomes an issue. There would be an even greater feeling of space if not for all the molded plastic around the doors and windows. All trim panels use a lot of stylistic curvature and depth, and it cuts down interior space.
Interior materials were of generally high quality. A firm push on the center console netted no movement or creaking, while dash and door panel materials felt solidly assembled and built to last. Notable exceptions were the central climate control buttons under the screen, which felt a bit loose and made of cheaper plastic. They contrasted with the flanking buttons as well as window switches, which all felt much better quality.
There were only two other notable negatives on interior quality. First was the center roller cover for the cup holders and wireless charging pad. It had a cheap feeling lever attached to it, and rolled shut in an economy car sort of way. The second was the plastic interior door pull, which operated in a less than smooth way and made a cheap noise when actuated.
Gloss black trim was minimal, and located mostly around the central screen and center console. With 7,000 miles on the odometer the trim already displayed hazing-type scratches. Elsewhere, the real wood was a dark brown color and had a linear grain pattern, with a heavy gloss finish that made it look artificial.
Tacora Red seats were a nice touch on the interior, covered in the company’s SensaTec leather alternative. The textile simulated BMW’s generally tough leather realistically, and most occupants would likely take it for real leather. Seats up front are heated but not cooled, which should be standard at this price point.
Seating was comfortable and supportive, and it was easy to position the 12-way powered front seats as needed. There was power lumbar adjustment, as well as manual thigh support extensions. Power bolsters would have been a nice touch, but perhaps asking too much on a vehicle lacking M-Sport badging.
Cargo room was also a highlight. A large and decently square cargo area was accessible through a large powered rear hatch that lifted well out of the way. If more cargo room was desired, rear seats flipped down manually but did not fold flat. The cargo area was larger than your author expected based on exterior appearances.
Infotainment was handled as expected via a large central screen and BMW’s current iteration of iDrive. Screens for gauges and the infotainment are standard; the latter measures 10” for free or 12” as an optional extra. The screen can be operated via touch or by the iDrive wheel, and the wheel was much more effective.
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also standard, and wireless. Skip the extra screen size, it’s plenty large as-is. And each X3 comes standard with navigation should a user not want to pair their phone.
Android Auto connected easily and instantly, and automatically by itself after the initial trip. Infotainment contained settings for everything under the sun, and was a little baffling at first. It took some patience scrolling and clicking to sort through and set up the X3 as desired. Audio quality was fine from the standard spec stereo, no complaints.
Notable settings for drive modes include Sport, Comfort, or Eco Plus. Each mode has Standard, Plus, and Individual modes within their headings. Individual is where the driver sets up their own preferences for a given mode, which the X3 remembers.
Comfort mode is the standard setting, and the default on startup. Sport mode firms up the suspension and throttle response, and holds gears longer than Comfort. It’s clear the X3 was meant to be in Comfort mode most of the time. Auto stop-start was annoying, and easily defeated via a center console switch. Equally annoying was invasive lane keep assist, permanently defeated via settings.
The infotainment also featured voice command to control just about everything, including car settings. It was a nice touch, and interpreted sentence commands like “Show me the XM radio stations list.” Digital gauges were configurable into standard and sport settings, with varying information in side bars, and even a large central map. But there was no way to get away from the large slider bar on the left for speed, and the large slider bar on the right for RPM. It’s a modern take on the gauges from an 80s Chevy Astro.
Parking assist features were excellent, including the optional extra backup and surround camera system. Featuring an overhead view while reversing, the system also presented wheel angle indicators and path indicators. Once stopped, the screen reflected the opening path of all four doors to ensure there was room. A very well done system that was easy to understand.
Firmly in the Don’t Need But Like category was the LED trim lighting adjustment. Simply select the color desired in the menu from a long list, and the X3’s ambient lighting is transformed to suit. Your author chose a light teal, which paired to the red leather gave a Christmas in July feeling.
The driving experience was also like a surprise Christmas present. It was immediately easy to position the X3 on the road, and a high driving position that offered a commanding view of the corners of the car and the road ahead. Anyone could drive the X3 almost immediately, as long as they didn’t spend time fiddling in all the settings menus.
Steering is precise and weighted about what you’d expect from a German crossover, though there’s not much steering feel at all due to its overboosted nature. The throttle and brake pedals required almost no learning curve for modulation. The brakes were notably very strong, and could bring the X3 to a halt in a hurry. Nose dive was present but managed well.
Around corners there was less pitch and roll than one might expect of a heavy, large crossover like this one. The suspension setup was dialed in very well, and larger bumps were well isolated. There was some jiggle over uneven pavement in Comfort mode, but nothing unexpected. For high-speed freeway driving, the ride was mostly serene.
Also serene was the noise level. Even at speeds notably higher than the posted signs, there was very little wind noise intrusion. Just minor noise around the mirror or A-pillar, but otherwise silence. Tire noise was muted as well, a distant sound that wasn’t an issue unless the pavement quality was pretty poor.
The 2.0’s 248 horses and 258 lb-ft of torque might sound middling, but moved the X3 with plenty of authority. C&D reported a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds for this X3. And it may be a case where BMW has underrated the stated power of the engine (they’re known to do that). Being propelled in this 4,149-pound crossover would’ve led yours truly to a power figure closer to 275 or 280 horses. Look for 21 mpg city, 28 highway, and 24 combined.
The eight-speed ZF automatic was well-matched to the engine, and provided only momentary pauses when sudden acceleration was ordered. Swift, smooth gear changes launched the X3 shortly thereafter. Manual mode and paddle shifts were of course available for sportier driving. Sport mode caused harsher shifts and a jiggly suspension setup, again more of an illusion than reality of sport driving.
Even under hard acceleration, engine noise is sort of a notion at best. It doesn’t sound particularly nice, just a four-cylinder noise. Windows will need to remain closed, as for speeds above 40 miles per hour there is excessive wind buffeting.
The same complaint was present in the (small) opening panel of the panoramic roof, where a pop-up mesh wind deflector caused a truly ridiculous amount of wind noise. Poor show on the windows open driving front. At least the roof has a solid automatic cover, which blocks all sun when closed. When the shade was left open on a summer’s day, the air conditioning could not combat all the heat let in through the glass roof effectively.
Despite some wind-sourced complaints and a couple of interior trim notes, the 2024 X3 presents itself as a competitive luxury entrant into the compact (still large) crossover segment. If performance and handling are more important to you than large portrait-style screens and acres of piano black, give the X3 some consideration.
[Images © 2024 TTAC.com/Corey Lewis]
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