BMW X3 review, first drive

The 4th generation of the BMW X3 has made its global debut and we were in the brand's hometown of Munich to drive the car before its launch, first in Europe later on in the year and then in India early next year.

One can set ones calendar by the launch of BMW’s next-generation cars as they get launched every seven years like clockwork. The X3 nameplate made its debut way back in 2003 and ever since then we have had the 2^nd generation SUV (or SAV as BMW likes to call them) in 2010 followed by the 3^rd gen in 2017 leading up to the 4^th generation this year in 2017. Initially BMW sold the X3 in India as an import a couple of years after setting up shop in the country but with the next generation started assembling it at its plant in Chennai in 2011 and has continued ever since following up with the assembly of the 3^rd generation car.

Globally the X3 has been one of the most successful models with over 3.5 million sold and despite being in the last full year of production, the X3 was BMW’s best-selling single model of 2023.

BMW X3 review: Design

From the 4^th generation there is going to be a significant difference in the X3 family of cars. While the internal combustion engine models will continue to be built on the CLAR vehicle architecture, the electric X3 will be based on the company’s futuristic Neue Klasse platform, which may mean an altogether new design, different interiors and a host of upgrades in the tech as well as the interfaces as we have already seen at the global premiere of the Neue Klasse last year. The ICE cars will have the G45 nomenclature while the iX3 will kick off a completely new series getting the NA5 tag with the N possibly signifying the Neue Klasse platform.

And while I was expecting a radical change in design and interiors on the iX3 that will be based on the Neue Klasse vehicle architecture, the X3 has also undergone quite a forceful makeover, both in terms of design and interiors. The car itself gets the front grille from the XM and that gets a lighted surround called the iconic glow in BMW parlance. The pattern from the front grille that is like the XM motif with vertical and diagonal lines is repeated at multiple places in the car and even at the rear – most noticeably in the well that houses the charging ports, as a backdrop to the wireless charging trays that are at an incline so that the face of the phone can be seen. Adaptive LED lights are framed by twin L shaped DRLs, a new design and while in the front they are parallel, at the rear they are opposing to form a distinctive tail lamp signature.

The rest of the car is like a huge block with a seemingly much higher front end, also to accommodate the much higher kidney grille, as well a slab sided rear, with BMW designers calling it a monolithic design. And while the SUV looks and feels higher from every aspect including from the inside that is the only dimension that has decreased. So the new X3 is longer and wider, the wheelbase is up by just an mm but it is not as tall – lower by 16mm. There will be a long wheelbase version that will be produced and sold in China though and there is not talk of that coming to India as of now. Track is wider both at the front and the rear and that is what I will remember when I will be penning the driving impressions of the car. While the rear is reminiscent of the X5 and the front of the XM, overall it looks to me like a bloated and oversized first generation X1, albeit with a more sporty roof line. Perhaps this is also because of the longish bonnet that itself starts off quite high, and then leaves a much narrower looking windshield before the sloping roof begins. Despite a high and sharp looking front, the X3 has a co-efficient of drag of 0.27. Wheels on the X3 can go up to 21 inches and those look normal given the tall shoulder line of the car.

BMW X3 review: Interiors & features

There is a sea change on the inside as well and the interiors are quite different from the latest generation of BMWs that we have been seeing over the last couple of years, though some of the philosophies behind the design elements are the same. The similarities though end with the curved display that has both the instrument panel as well as the infotainment system screen. The BMW interaction bar that we first saw on the 7-series also finds its way into the X3 but is of a much different design with a small bar in the centre of the dashboard with V shaped extensions onto the doors. Housed within the Vs are the side air vents that have a slider line with touch control to open and close these vents, the central locking touch buttons and an X3 logo plus memory buttons for the seat. BMW call it the multifunction control element and seems so unnecessary and the opening and closing of the air vents will take some getting used to. The interaction bar theme also surrounds the cavity for the cupholders and the phones and all of these change colour as per the interaction bar. The centre console that houses the gear knob as well as the modern version of the iDrive is also the same with the same tactile my modes button as well as those for the cameras etc. The steering wheel is also new and on my test car was a flat bottomed two spoke one that I liked.

With a focus on sustainability and circularity, the Econeer seat fabric and upholstery on the test car I was driving was made of recycled PET though there are other options available depending on the variant. The front seats are comfortable and have the usual BMW flexibility though the design is new. It is the rear seats that are quite disappointing with no scope for adjustment and also no blinds on the rear windows. The panoramic sunroof though makes the cabin appear big bright and airy despite the high shoulder line and the sloping and lowered roof. The boot though is cavernous and offers even more boot space with the rear seatback having a 40:20:40 split. Although there seemed to be space for a space-saver under the boot floor, the cars in Europe come only with a mobility kit.

BMW X3 review: Engine, gearbox and performance

The X3 is available at launch with the option of a 4-cylinder petrol and a 4-cylinder diesel engine badged 20 and 20d respectively a well as a 6-cylinder petrol on the M50 version. All internal combustion engines on the X3 are mild hybrids but there is a 30e plug-in-hybrid as well with a bigger 19.7kWh battery and an electric range of 90km. BMW has also confirmed that the X3 will also be available with a 6-cylinder diesel in the future.

We are expecting the X3 to be launched in India with the xDrive 20 variant and so that is the one that I drove in Munich. The powertrain features a 2-litre 4-cylinder twin-power turbo petrol engine with 48V mild hybrid tech coupled with an 8-speed automatic gearbox that BMW uses across its product portfolio and of course the BMW xDrive. The ICE produces 190bhp of max power and 310Nm of peak torque while the integrated motor is a 13kW/200Nm unit and the system is overall good for max power of 208bhp and 330Nm of peak torque. The X3 20 is not a stonker by any stretch of the imagination and takes about 8 seconds to get up to 100kmph as opposed to the X3 M50 that does this sprint in less than 5 seconds and has a top speed of 215kmph.

To drive the car feels leisurely especially in the eco mode. To get any semblance of urgency, one has to put it in sport mode and then it sounds better than it goes, probably due to sound augmentation. But the really good part is that it drives like a big car and one could be mistaken to think that one is driving an X5 and not the X3. Body roll is minimal and the car goes around corners as if on rails. It helped that the car I was driving had adaptive suspension that was an option on this trim. The steering though is far removed from the nicely weighted and sporty feeling steerings of BMWs of yore. On extended driving and on getting used to the feel one realises that it is both precise and direct and slightly heavier when in sport mode but is much lighter overall and thus loses that feel around the centre that the BMW variable steering should and usually does have. Apart from the updated steering system, the anti roll bars are new as are various struts to make the chassis even more taut and that is what has resulted in better body control and excellent un-SUV-like dynamics.

In addition to running the latest of BMW’s operating system on the infotainment system ie the OS 9 with QuickSelect – touch symbols on the screen mirroring those on the iDrive, the car also has upgrades to the assistant systems and features a lot more. There is now also traffic light recognition that pops up on the head-up display even if the car is not on adaptive cruise control. While on active cruise control the system recognises traffic lights and reacts accordingly, has automated lane change as well as actve lane guidance. All the other ADAS features are also present and the car can nearly drive by itself. Through the MyBMW app the car can also be moved in and out of parking spots remotely and will be very helpful as parking spots seem to be getting smaller and parking lots more congested.

BMW X3 review: Verdict

Though the design may be polarising, it certainly turns heads and draws attention. The interiors seem to be an overkill on certain futuristic elements while missing out on some essentials that one has come to expect in cars of this class especially for the Indian market. That said, the X3 is bigger, drives better, is easier to drive and manoeuvre in the city and has a lot of wow factor that will impress all and sundry. Perhaps the overkill is a prelude to having a Neue Klasse vehicle also in the X3 family and with that perspective more things fall in place.