BMW X3 RANGE
BMWs X3 Offers Many Of The Attributes Of Their All-Conquering X5 4x4 In A More Manageably Sized Package. June Neary Tries It For Size
I must admit that I like the idea of a big
BMW 4x4 and having tried the BMW X5 at a friends house in Worcestershire I found myself rather warming to it. It was only when I tried to pilot the thing through a Birmingham rush hour that my enthusiasm paled somewhat. Yes, the elevated seating position gave a great view of what was going on, but it just felt like a lumbering beast amidst a sea of teeming citycars. If they could retain the look and feel but package it into a more manageably sized model, that would surely have to be a winner.
It seems that somebody at BMW obviously concurs, because the X3 is just that. Many will struggle to differentiate it from its X5 sibling especially when specified in a dark colour but look for that upwardly rising rear side window and youll have tagged the X3. The X5s good looks havent suffered significantly after going through the hot wash cycle. I was looking forward to a spell behind the wheel of the X3.
Theres something ingenious about the X3 that no matter how long I mull over I cant quite figure out. The exterior is a good deal smaller than the X5 but break out a tape measure and youll find the interior is no smaller. Theres a similar amount of space in the back
seat and despite featuring split fold rear seats that cant fold flat, the overall luggage capacity is actually more than an X5 and the simpler one-piece rear tailgate is a good deal more practical. The only real black mark is that the rear doors are narrow and make getting in and out without dirtying your trousers on the black running boards rather difficult.
The rear squab is also mounted very low. Another consequence of the dinkier dimensions is a smaller fuel tank. Given that the X3 is only marginally more economical than an equivalent X5, the drop in tank size from 93 to 67-litres puts a big dent in its pretensions as a long distance mile muncher. As a suburban scoot its nigh-on perfect, despite what the green brigade might say.
BMW have boxed clever in the way the X3 drives. The front suspension has been set up to offer a livelier handling balance and the steering features a snappy ratio that makes jinking from lane to lane simplicity itself in spite of the elevated ride height. The relatively small turning circle of 11.7 metres helps when making three point turns in tight confines.
Drive an X3 hard over swooping country roads and youll feel the benefits of these changes. Imagine it half way between an X5 and a Three Series Touring and you shouldnt be too far off the mark. The Sport pack raises the 3.0-litre models top speed by a few miles per hour courtesy of higher-rated tyres, but the knobbly low speed ride this rubber imposes makes it of questionable benefit.
Although most small 4x4s understeer determinedly when pushed hard into a corner, the X3 is, thanks to BMWs xDrive system, made of sterner stuff. This system distributes drive to the axle that most needs it in a split second. Developed in partnership with Bosch, xDrive splits 38 per cent of drive to the front wheels and 62 per cent to the rears in normal driving conditions but as soon as one wheel starts spinning, the system automatically re-routes the flow. Working in conjunction with ESP stability control and DSC traction control, xDrive calculates the cars yaw rate, the steering angle and vehicle speed, this system keeps you on the straight and narrow.
Heres the crunch. The BMW X3 is priced very closely to the X5 and for many that will be reason enough to opt for the perceived extra prestige of the bigger car. If, on the other hand, youre anything like me and see the bigger dimensions as a drawback, the couple of thousand pounds saved by opting for the X3 will be very welcome indeed. Prices start at £26,180 for the 2.
0d, reach £29,005 for the 2.5i SE and top out at £33,455 for the range-topping 3.0i Sport model. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination but resale values look firm so over the longer term an X3 shouldnt be prohibitively expensive to run.
Just shop around to avoid the punitive labour costs come service time.
Ive got a great deal of time for BMWs smaller 4x4. The X3 seems to offer virtually all of the X5s advantages and none of its weak points. Now all I have to do is get over the fact that BMW are expecting this car back next week.
<< Back to BMW car reviews
<< Back to car reviews homepage
Find New & Used Cars in the UK |
New & Used BMW Cars For Sale UK
