In theory, basing an SUV on a keen-handling saloon car should pay dividends when it comes to refinement, efficiency and driver involvement. That’s why the BMW X3 is so inextricably connected to the 3 Series: the former has inherited the latter’s fabulous lineup of engines, featuring diesels, plugin hybrids and turbocharged petrols. There’s also the M Competition, a hardcore performance-focused version of the X3, or alternatively the iX3 if you’re seeking an electric SUV. But before we delve too deeply into the X3, let’s check in with its key stats.
| Brand-new price range | £47,000–£64,000 |
| Car Planet price range | £11,000–£18,000 / £212–£352 a month |
| Trims | 4 |
| Engines | 6 |
| Available fuels | Petrol, diesel, hybrid |
| mpg range across all versions | 48–141 |
| Doors | 5 |
| Warranty | 3 years / No mileage cap |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £1,223 / £4,641 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £2,447 / £9,281 |
Equipment, options and extras
The entry-level BMW X3 trim is the xLine, which comes with a decent amount of standard kit, including sports seats, cruise control, powered boot lid, LED front foglights, 19in wheels, sport leather steering wheel, three-zone climate control and more offroad-focused exterior styling. Then there’s the extremely popular M Sport trim, which offers a sportier appearance, and worth getting along with the optional M Sport Pro Pack for its adaptive suspension and plusher ride. Finally, the range-topping M40i and M40d feature even bigger 20in wheels and upgraded brakes.
Costs, insurance groups, mpg and CO2
Our pick of the BMW X3’s engines is the 20d, a 187bhp mild-hybrid 2L diesel offering strong performance and 0–62 in just 8s. It’s punchier than what’s offered by the X3’s rival the Land Rover Discovery Sport D200, and barely trails the Audi Q5 40 TDI. The 282bhp 3L straight-six diesel 30d is even quicker, and its extra power makes it a more relaxing drive, too.
The X3’s petrol choices start with the 2L 184bhp 20i, whose 0–62 of 8s is a little slower than that of the Discovery Sport P250, and quite a way off the 6s of the Q5 45 TFSI. For ultimate performance, though, you’ve simply got to check out the M Competition.
Elsewhere is the xDrive30e, a petrol–electric plugin hybrid which manages 30 miles on electric power on a full charge. That doesn’t compare so favourably to the electric-only ranges of 35 and 33 miles of the X3’s rivals the Volvo XC60 T6 Recharge and Lexus NX 450h respectively, though.
If you’re a cash buyer, there’s little separating the X3 on price from its rivals. However, it’s predicted to depreciate more after three years than the Audi Q5, Porsche Macan and Land Rover Discovery Sport. The X3’s PCP deals are relatively pricey as a result, with higher like-for-like monthly payments than for the equivalent Q5.
Company car buyers will favour the xDrive30e plugin hybrid because it has by far the lowest CO2 emissions in the lineup, as well as a generous company car tax break. As long as you can keep its battery topped up and running primarily on electric power, you won’t pay much in fuel—although it has to be said that there are better plugin hybrids on the market.
Our pick of the bunch is the 20d with 48V mild-hybrid assistance, and it makes the most sense if you’re a high-mileage drive because its 50mpg WLTP average economy trounces that of even the xDrive30e when its battery’s run out.
Every X3 comes with a 3-year unlimited-mileage warranty to protect you against large unexpected bills. That policy is matched by Land Rover but superior to Audi’s 60,000-mile limit. The X3 also comes with a 3-year paintwork warranty, not to mention a 12-year anti-corrosion guarantee. The xDrive30e plugin hybrid’s battery is covered by a separate 6-year or 60,000-mile warranty.
Safety and security
All BMW X3s come with stability control, six airbags and a tyre pressure monitor as standard. Euro NCAP awarded the X3 the full five stars in its crash tests, scoring only marginally less in the protection of adult and child occupants in the event of a crash than its rival the Audi Q5. However, the Volvo XC60 comes out ahead of both, and is one of the class leaders for safety.
All X3s come with automatic emergency braking as standard, and various Driving Assistant packages come with such safety features as blind spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance, traffic sign recognition and rear cross-traffic alert.
The Car Planet verdict
The BMW X3 offers a superlative driving experience across an impressive lineup of engines, as well as a classy and spacious interior. That all adds up to making it one of the finest large SUVs, although it’s still worth checking out its competitors the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60 as highly capable alternatives.
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