I will admit that the BMW X3 was something I didn’t like or appreciate for a long time. Yes, I do like BMWs, but that doesn’t mean I have to like all of them.
Maybe because the first gen looked rather odd with its angular ‘dehydrated X5’ look. Or maybe because of a review by a certain curly-haired British presenter nearly 20 years ago. No hate on those who love the first gen X3, but I was never a fan of it.
However, by the second generation, the X3 had grown up with more sophisticated styling inside and out. Despite that, it’s a crossover that never really crossed my mind. Sure, it looked better, but it’s not the first set of keys I’d grab if I was offered a bowl of BMW fobs. Not even in the top five.
Third generation X3, which is what we have now, the model range had grown into its own. It’s larger than the original X5, and I think it’s the best looking one yet. Truth be told, I never really thought of reviewing one until the office offered it. So, I thought, ‘sure, why not’, and besides, I needed wheels for the weekend.
It was perfect timing too, as it would become our family’s foul weather friend.
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Styling
But before I talk about how it dealt with the bad weather, let’s take a quick rundown of its looks. I mentioned that it’s the best looking one in my opinion. Given BMW’s polarizing designs these days, the X3’s understated looks are refreshing. It’s not exactly an all-new car, but the LCI (Life Cycle Impulse, Bimmerspeak for facelift) does a great job of making it look more handsome.
There’s no wild and wacky angles or exaggerated lines on the body of the X3. It’s clean, simple, and subtle, but not to the point that it’s anonymous. The 18-inch alloys on this tester might be a tad too small for some tastes, but not everything has to ride on low profile tires, especially crossovers and SUVs.
Interior
As you’d expect from a BMW, there’s loads of soft touch materials everywhere that make you feel you got what you paid for. It's a good-looking cabin too and it doesn’t have massive screens that are tacked on the dashboard. The X3 has a real dashboard with curves, lines, and a proper shroud for the instrument cluster. It’s not just a platform to stick a wide screen in front of the front occupants.
I’m glad the X3 stuck to this conventional layout. When the facelifted 3-Series shifted to the widescreen layout, I thought it lost a bit of character along the way. Because the X3 didn’t change its dashboard for this facelift, it still has that organic and sensible layout that BMW has been known for decades. That said, we reckon the next-gen X3 will have a widescreen design. Oh well.
Crossovers are expected to be spacious, but the X3 is a curious case. From the outside, it’s slightly larger than, say, a Honda CR-V or a Toyota RAV4. However, the X3 isn’t as commodious as you’d expect. We're not saying it’s cramped, but it’s comparable to smaller crossovers. There is a reasonable explanation for that, though, and I’ll do my best not to make it sound too nerdy.
A rear-wheel drive-based chassis eats up a lot of room inside because parts that send power to the rear wheels. That’s why there’s a tall hump in the middle of the rear foot area that cuts interior volume. Because the X3 is based on the 3-Series, it gets that hump too, even if it’s all-wheel drive. There’s a far nerdier explanation, but I wouldn’t want to bore you. Also, the X3’s complex rear suspension isn’t the most space efficient, but the trade-off might be worth it for those who enjoy driving.
Cargo capacity is far from the largest, but the high lip robs the X3 of vertical space. Behind the rear seats, there’s less than 500 liters of cargo space, something that was very evident after we did a quick grocery run with the X3. The reason for that high lip, you ask? That's where the spare tire is housed. The pre-facelift model didn’t have that lip so that one had more cargo space. However, that came at the expense of not having a spare tire.
Engine Performance
While no longer as in demand in Europe, there is still a strong clamor for diesel power in SUVs in the country. BMW has delivered on that front with the familiar 2.0-liter turbodiesel that has powered a wide variety of models over the years. That engine is good for 190hp and 400Nm of torque, and it’s been that way for quite some time now.
If there’s one thing you should know about four-cylinder BMW diesel engines, it’s that they’re not the quietest around. It’s not that they sound like tractors, but you’ll definitely know it’s not a gas engine under the hood. From experience, however, those engines more than made up for it by offering performance that feels more than what’s listed in the brochure and high fuel efficiency.
The diesel in the new X3 still has those characteristics. It’s unmistakably diesel on startup and idle, and it rumbles when you’re on the move. But you’ll only ever need light taps on the accelerator to extract huge slugs of pull. Overtaking poses no challenge for the X3, and you’ll swear that it has more than 200 horses.
On the subject of fuel economy, the X3 shines. Even in bad traffic (12.5kph average), the X3 never dipped below 8.2km/L during its stay with me. In lighter traffic, the crossover effortlessly does 12 to 14km/L. I reckon over 20km/L is possible with an open stretch of highway and a light tough to the accelerator.
Ride and Handling
Crossovers and SUVs aren’t exactly known for handling prowess, but this is BMW we’re talking about. Even with the taller ride height, the X3 still takes on bends well and it never feels nervous when you’re having a little fun with it. And yes, you can have a good time behind the wheel of an X3 even if its body style suggests otherwise.
Of course, steering feel isn’t like BMWs of old, and we have to accept the fact that it’s never coming back. Still, it’s engaging enough and should please most drivers. The X3’s solid dynamics don’t come at the expense of comfort, either. It’s not pillowy-soft, but that’s a good thing because body control is composed on bad roads. You won’t get thrown around inside the car, even if you hit a series of potholes. Perhaps it’s the smaller wheels and fatter tires, but the X3’s ride and handling balance is exactly that: Balanced.
Extra Features
I may have ranted a little bit about manufacturers putting basic controls in the touchscreen. So, it was great to see that X3 still has good ol’ buttons on the dashboard.
Okay, buttons and dials are not features per se, but it makes interacting with the interior a lot easier. There’s no need to dig through layers of sub-menus that can be distracting behind the wheel.
The entry-level X3 has the luxury car basics covered. There are power adjustable seats at the front with a memory function for the driver, loads of soft touch materials, cruise control, Apple CarPlay, and so on. However, it lacks advanced driver assist systems such as adaptive cruise control and autonomous emergency braking. Granted, not all of its rivals have it, but even less expensive cars have it available these days. You could say that most users won’t use most of the active safety features, but that’s an argument for another day.
But because it doesn’t have adaptive this or active that, the base model X3 has a massive price advantage over its rivals.
Verdict
It’s not the most generously equipped luxury crossover around, but it also undercuts its direct competitors by a long shot. The base model X3 retails for P4,190,000, while similarly sized options from Germany are well beyond the P5,000,000. Even with the lack of active driver assists, it could be argued that it’s still a good deal for those wanting a Continental luxury crossover.
Sure, the cargo area isn’t the biggest out there, but it’s still more flexible than, say, a sedan. It drives well, rides well, and it’s easy on fuel. It’s still very practical, and having a roundel on the hood and tailgate does have an effect on one’s ego. The X3 is a very agreeable car to live with day in and day out, and it’s easy to see why more people have been picking it up. Heck, I wouldn’t mind at all anymore if someone gave me the keys to one.
However, there’s a bigger threat looming in the distance. It’s not the Lexus NX given its front-wheel drive roots. Instead, it’s the Mazda CX-60. It might not have a fancy label, but Mazda’s charge upmarket has been making waves lately. The CX-60 even follows the X3’s formula with a rear-wheel drive-based platform, a solid-feeling and high-quality interior, and a chassis that has been tuned for a high level of driving dynamics.
With that, we’d have to try out the Mazda to see if it comes close to the BMW in the real world. Until then, watch this space.
Post script: Remember when I said the X3 was a good foul weather friend? During the time I had the crossover, it was when Bagyong Hanna left the country while Bagyong Ineng was bringing in buckets of rain. If you’re from the East of Metro Manila, you know what that means: Lots of floods.
Perhaps I underestimated it, but I was genuinely surprised with the X3’s wading capabilities. Whether it was tire-deep waters or above-gutter floods, the X3 brushed it all off. The only time I turned around was when I saw an FJ Cruiser make a U-turn in one of the deeper parts. Still, not bad for a soft-roader, and the X3 will have my respect for a very long time.
SPECS: 2023 BMW X3 xDrive20d Business
Price: P4,190,000
Engine: 2.0-liter turbodiesel
Power: 190hp
Torque: 400Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Layout: All-wheel-drive
Seating: 5
Score: 18/20
More photos of the BMW X3 xDrive20d Business
