BMW X3 review

Is the BMW X3 a good car?

The original BMW X3 was one of the first models to kick off the mid-size premium SUV segment, and after two decades of refinement to create this fourth-generation G45 model, there are still some areas where its rivals struggle to compete. Driving dynamics and tech are two trump cards for the latest model, while in its weakest areas it’s merely average at worst. Pricing is also competitive when compared against its key challengers, with the entry-level model undercutting the most affordable Mercedes GLC, and running the Audi Q5 very close. At the top of the range, the most powerful models deliver entertaining handling you wouldn’t consider possible for an SUV.

How much does the BMW X3 cost?

It costs around £49,500 to get behind the wheel of a BMW X3, and while that sounds like a lot, it’s less than the starting price of a Mercedes GLC, and matches the older Audi Q5, although the Lexus NX and Volvo XC60 start from £3,000-£5,000 less.

The X3 line-up kicks off with the 20 xDrive which, like the entire X3 line-up, is four-wheel drive and has a 205bhp turbo petrol four-cylinder engine connected to an eight-speed automatic gearbox (all X3s are automatic).

For around £1,500 extra, the 20d xDrive has a 194bhp turbodiesel engine under the bonnet that offers similar performance and better fuel economy. And for around £6,000 more than the petrol, the 30e xDrive is the plug-in hybrid variant. This uses the same 2.0-litre petrol engine as the 20 xDrive, but adds an electric motor for a total output of 295bhp and a 22.3kWh battery that offers an all-electric range of 56 miles, according to BMW.

Used - available now

2021 BMW

X3

36,087 milesAutomaticDiesel2.0L

Cash £27,676

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2021 BMW

X3

22,768 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £28,900

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2021 BMW

X3

62,780 milesAutomaticPetrol2.0L

Cash £23,195

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2020 BMW

X3

38,830 milesAutomaticDiesel3.0L

Cash £26,995

View X3

These three engines are available in two trim levels, xLine and M Sport. The former is well equipped, including LED lights front and rear, 18-inch alloys, heated front seats, plus a large curved display that combines a 12.3-inch screen for the driver and 14.9-inch central touchscreen. 

M Sport is around £2,000 extra and adds a sportier exterior look, blue brake calipers, 19-inch wheels and M Sport suspension and cabin detailing. Both cars can be upgraded with packs that add more kit or enhance the car’s looks.

At the top of the range, the current flagship until a new X3 M arrives is the BMW X3 M50. It starts from around £68,500 and includes 20-inch alloys, different styling to help separate it from the M Sport models, with horizontal grille bars and an illuminated frame for it, as well as the obligatory two pairs of exhaust tips poking out at the rear. Under the bonnet is the only six-cylinder currently in the line-up: a 3.0-litre petrol twin-turbo unit that makes 393bhp and means the X3 M50 can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.6 seconds.

If you’re looking for an electric iX3, you’re out of luck, because BMW’s Neue Klasse SUV will be the company’s EV offering in the compact premium market.

The previous BMW X3 was the first to be offered with plug-in hybrid tech, and the new 30e moves the game on thanks to a much beefier electrical portion of the powertrain. 

In contrast to the old model, which at best could muster 107bhp from its electric motor, the 30e xDrive PHEV produces 181bhp. Combined with a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, there’s a very healthy 295bhp on offer. Usable battery capacity has grown from 12kWh to 19.7kWh, which gives the potential for 56 miles of electric-only driving.  

There’s a 30d sold in Europe, but until the X3 M arrives, the most potent option in the UK is the M50 xDrive. The 3.0-litre petrol twin-turbo model gets mild-hybrid tech and produces 393bhp. 

The engines which will make the most sense to most buyers, however, are the mild-hybrid petrol and diesel options. The 20 (now shorn of its ‘i’ suffix to avoid confusion with BMW’s electric models) and diesel-powered 20d make 204bhp and 194bhp, respectively.

What is the BMW X3 like to drive?

Keen drivers coming from the old X3 are unlikely to be blown away by the new car’s responses, but it’s still one of the best options in the class to drive. The biggest improvement over its predecessor comes in its refinement, which is a step forward from the already high standards of the old car.

In town 

When fitted with the 20 xDrive powertrain, the X3 moves off from rest near-silently, thanks to the 17bhp electric motor that supports the mild-hybrid system. With a modest battery capacity of just under 1kWh, the petrol engine soon needs to chip in, but the transition between the two parts of the powertrain is very smooth. 

And that smoothness sums up much of the low-speed driving experience; the steering is light and responsive, so it’s easy to manoeuvre the car (although the turning circle is no better than average), while the ride manages to remain supple and does a great job of suppressing sharp bumps and potholes.

There’s optional adaptive suspension, too, on all cars except the M50, which gets it as standard. You’ll notice a slight edge to the ride in Sport mode around town, but there’s not a huge amount of difference switching to Comfort. You could happily leave it in Sport all the time. 

On A- and B-roads 

That compliance in the suspension doesn’t take anything away from the way the X3 handles a twisty road, either. While some mid-sized SUVs can feel a little wayward at speed, the BMW manages to provide fairly keen handling without unduly compromising ride comfort. 

Body control is great, and once the tyres reach the limits of their grip, its balance remains neutral and predictable. It’s not a driver’s car in the traditional BMW sense – the steering is too light and short on feel for that – and that also means it doesn’t feel quite as involving to drive as its predecessor did. However, compared with its competition, it remains a more agile and composed option.

Most buyers won’t need to look beyond the entry-level engine option, with the four-cylinder petrol model giving strong performance when required, helped by a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission and that subtle electrical boost. 

The BMW X3 M50 comes with uprated brakes (as you’d hope given the increase in engine output) with big, four-piston calipers over similarly impressive discs. While fitting huge brakes to a fairly sensible family car can often result in some grabby characteristics from the pedal, their power is complemented by confidence-inspiring pedal feel.

On the motorway 

High-speed stability is impressive, and neither road noise nor wind noise is overly intrusive, which makes the X3 a solid long-distance cruiser. The engines remain hushed at speed, and the auto gearboxes shift smoothly under light throttle, so the experience all feels fairly effortless. 

Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed

There are four engine options available in the BMW X3 in the UK. The 20 xDrive has 204bhp and 330Nm of torque from its 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, for a 0-62mph time of 7.8 seconds, while the top speed is 134mph.

The 20d xDrive is the sole diesel engine offered in the UK, and it makes 194bhp and 400Nm of torque. This gives the X3 a 0-62mph time of 7.7 seconds and matches the 20 xDrive’s 134mph top speed.

As well as tax breaks, the plug-in hybrid 30 eDrive offers a combined output of 295bhp and 450Nm of torque. This is good enough for a 0-62mph time of 6.2 seconds, while the same 134mph top speed is on offer.

The M50 beats the rest of the X3 line-up by a healthy margin, in terms of power (393bhp and 580Nm of torque), acceleration (0-62mph in 4.6 seconds) and top speed (electronically limited to 155mph).

During our time with the BMW X3 20 petrol, we achieved just over 35mpg, although we found that the official WLTP figure of 40.4mpg would be feasible on a motorway run, unlike the Lexus, which thrives in town. 

Of course, the diesel model, which is identically priced and capable of returning up to 47.9mpg, should do better in the real world and will suit higher-mileage drivers.

The plug-in hybrid model will deliver much more with regular home charges, although given its list price is £8,900 more than the petrol in a matching trim level, and £7,500 more than the diesel, you’ll have to rack up thousands of EV-only miles to offset the purchase cost.

Electric range, battery life and charge time

Major revisions were undertaken to improve the latest BMW X3 plug-in hybrid over the old model. Badged xDrive30e, the PHEV version now features a 22.3kWh battery unit – 10kWh more than you got in the previous generation. The extra battery capacity means all-electric range sits at a maximum 56 miles (compared to 29 miles from before). That’s better than the outgoing Audi Q5 TFSI e’s 37 miles, but some way off the Mercedes GLC 300 e’s 80 miles. 

Charging times aren’t rapid, with a maximum recharge rate of 11kWh from the on-board cable. You can expect a 20 to 80 per cent top-up to take around 2 hours, 15 minutes. 

In addition to BMW’s three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, the PHEV’s battery is under warranty for up to six years or 60,000 miles. 

Tax

The PHEV model makes the most sense to company car drivers. The 30e xLine sits in the eight per cent BiK (Benefit-in-kind) tax band for the 2024/2025 financial year, which means a higher-rate income taxpayer will face deductions of just over £1,800 – almost half as much as the base petrol model. 

The £40,000-plus price tag of every X3 means that the whole range is subject to an extra Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) fee for the first five years, costing £590 at current rates.

Insurance groups

Depending on trim, insurance groups for the X3 range from 32 to 42. The diesel sits one group higher than the petrol, while the PHEV starts in group 38 for xLine trim.

Depreciation

Residual values are expected to be fairly strong for the X3, with the range likely to hold its value better than rivals such as the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC. Depending on model, the X3 should be worth between 50 and 55 per cent of its original price after three years; the engine and trim combination at the top of that list is the 20 xDrive M Sport.

To get an accurate valuation for a specific model, check out our free car valuation tool... 

BMW’s exterior design language has been pretty bold of late and the X3 is no exception to this. The proportions are typical X3, but the surfacing clearly takes some influence from the all-electric BMW iX and the pronounced kidney grille, bluff front-end and pointed headlights give it a distinctive, imposing look. Compared to the rounded features of the old X3, the new one is much more crisp and certainly conveys its premium status. However, in contrast to most modern BMWs we’ve tested, a question mark or two surrounds the build quality.

LED lights are standard front and rear, but to really help the X3 stand out there’s an option to add BMW’s ‘iconic glow’ to the kidney grilles. The headlights can be specified with adaptive matrix high beams, and are also offered with a standard or ‘shadowline’ finish with blue internal elements. 

The M Sport package isn’t just for the M50, as it’s offered on all powertrains. It adds 19-inch alloy wheels over the xLine’s 18-inch rims, a more aggressive front bumper with gloss black inserts and a larger lower intake, body-coloured side skirts and a different rear spoiler – again, with more gloss black on show. An M Sport package, Pro, builds on this by adding the illuminated grille and red brake calipers.

BMW offers one solid shade and eight metallics for the new X3 – including a new ‘Dune Grey’ metallic finish. The one, non-metallic choice is a plain ‘Alpine White’, while ‘Fire Red’ and ‘Tanzanite Blue’ are the most eye-catching hues on offer, outside the selection of ‘BMW Individual’ paint finishes.

What is the BMW X3 like inside?

In terms of design, the X3 takes a leaf from the book of its all-electric big brother, the iX. A pair of digital displays are housed within one continuous and gently curving panel, around which is a choice of materials. Whether a leather-effect finish or a more textured fabric – the latter is made from recycled polyester – each covers the entire surface of the dashboard and looks good. The central air vents are slim, hidden beneath what is one of the most prominent features of the cabin. 

The illuminated “Interaction bar” runs across the centre of the dash, and creates a U-shaped section around the smartphone charging pad and two C-shaped panels that surround the car’s door handles. The flat-bottomed steering wheel looks smart, but as is the case with all current BMWs, it feels a little too thick for our liking.

BMW gives buyers a reasonable level of scope for customisation both inside and out. Those who want a full leather interior can go for a snazzy tan/grey combination or a fully black finish, while artificial leather is offered in brown, cream or black. There’s even a fabric option, with the woven grey material adding some extra interest inside. On the outside, wheel sizes range from 18 to 21 inches, and there are nine exterior paint finishes to choose from – white is the only no-cost option. 

What is the interior quality like?

The interior feels mostly well screwed together and the surfaces are largely tactile to the touch. The one exception, notably, is an element you encounter every time you use the car: the door handles feel like they’re made from fairly cheap plastic. Even less impressive is that, in the car we tested, the panel which houses the door locking controls and electric seat memory switches had already worked its way loose. That’s strangely out of character with previous BMWs we’ve tested, and not what we’d expect to see on any new car – let alone one that is nudging £50,000.

Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

There’s certainly a lot of wow factor to the BMW’s displays, but this is backed up with plenty of usability. While we’re disappointed that the company has ditched its physical climate controls, the on-screen arrangement the X3 uses is among the best of its type; the temperature and seat heating (where fitted) controls are a permanent fixture along the bottom of the screen. The digital dials are shown on a high-resolution display, but the boomerang-shaped scales for speed and revs aren’t as instantly clear to read as a traditional round dial would be. 

While physical controls gradually die out on new cars, the X3 strikes an excellent balance. Although the climate controls are no longer actual buttons, BMW’s iDrive clickwheel remains. We’ve found that this is an ideal compromise; complex tasks such as address inputs can be carried out on the screen while parked, and the clickwheel allows for minor adjustments to be carried while you’re on the move, because they can be done by feel.

On the outside, it’s possible to make an already bold design stand out even more by opting for BMW’s ‘Iconic Glow’ exterior package. This illuminates the frame of those front kidney grilles, lending the X3 a distinctive appearance even at night.

The X3 is a mid-size SUV with five seats and plenty of space in the cabin and boot to accommodate most families. The driving position is a touch on the high side, although this enables a clear view out (helped by A-pillars that aren’t too raked back or thick) and general decent visibility. 

Whether you’re trying to carry large passengers, a lot of items or a mixture of both, the X3 offers decent space – if not quite achieving class-leading status in any one area. Tall adults will be able to get comfortable in the X3, whether up front or in the back, although middle-seat occupants might feel cramped after a long trip due to a ridge in the foot space. Despite being a lofty SUV, ease of access to the cabin is good. 

Cabin storage is acceptable, with two cupholders in the centre console and a useful storage box under the armrest. You’ll find two bottle holders in the doors for the front occupants, although a two-litre bottle will be a struggle to fit. 

Dimensions and size

The latest X3 is yet another addition to the world of ever-expanding SUVs. It has grown by 34mm in length and is 29mm wider than its predecessor. It is also 25mm lower than before, although in the metal it almost looks like the opposite is true. A mix of an upright nose (fronted by a grille with pinstripes that clash at different angles), a high bonnet and a tiptoe-ish stance means that it doesn’t quite appear as squat and purposeful as the car it replaced. Maybe we’ll have to wait for a full-fat M model for that. 

The X3 is also longer, wider and taller than the Mercedes GLC and has a 100mm longer wheelbase. Compared with the outgoing Audi Q5, the BMW is longer and wider, but marginally shorter in height.

How practical is the BMW X3?

Seats & space in the front

Up front, there’s a typically SUV-like raised seating position, and while the screens are big, their widescreen layout means that they don’t encroach into the driver’s view of the road ahead. The thick base of the A-pillar, combined with a chunky door mirror, means that there’s a reasonably large blind spot, which can get in the way a little when approaching a right-angled junction. 

Storage points are plentiful and include a large panel for holding smartphones and a roomy centre bin between the front seats. The door bins are spacious, too.

Seats & space in the back

Against the tape measure, the X3 offers almost identical kneeroom to a 3 Series Touring, and slightly less headroom. It’s not cramped by any means, but when compared with its estate-bodied stablemate, it doesn’t really feel like the X3 has capitalised on its extra height, particularly in comparison with some SUV rivals. It is easy to install a child seat, though; tall doors and accessible Isofix points really help here.

Boot space

At 570 litres, the X3 has a huge boot, if not quite the largest in its class. The shape itself is square and the bumper is fairly shallow, so there’s little risk of catching bulky items against it when loading them inside. Fold the rear seats, and the volume grows to 1,700 litres. Helpful features such as a luggage net, movable boot floor and a sliding parcel shelf are fitted as standard in the X3.

Towing

Maximum towing capacity in the X3 with the plug-in hybrid powertrain is 2,000kg. This rises to 2,400kg with the xDrive20 petrol, while the M50 and diesel xDrive20d offer up to 2,500kg. There’s no air suspension to level out once a trailer is fitted, and a tow bar can be added as an extra for just over £1,000. 

Safety organisation Euro NCAP has yet to test the latest BMW X3, but with the exception of the BMW i4 and the BMW 2 Series Coupe back in 2022, every new BMW has scored a five-star rating since the previous-generation X1 in 2015. 

Those two exceptions only missed out on the maximum rating because of their scores in the Safety Assist category, but the X3’s comprehensive suite of driver-assist systems, including standard front-collision warning, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control and its Driving Assistant – which comes with a blind-spot warning system – suggest that it’s unlikely to slip up there. 

A 14th-place finish for BMW in our 2024 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey ranks the brand just above mid-table, and places it comfortably ahead of German rivals Mercedes (25th) and Audi (27th).

Warranty

All BMWs come with a fairly standard three-year warranty, but as with other premium marques, BMW doesn’t have a mileage cap. Breakdown cover also lasts for the length of the warranty, while extended warranties are available at extra cost.

Servicing

BMW offers an optional Service Inclusive package, which includes oil and filter changes, spark plugs and brake fluid for the duration of a finance agreement. For three years, this costs just over £1,000 on the petrol models and closer to £1,500 for the diesel.

BMW X3 alternatives

The BMW X3’s position in the compact premium SUV market puts it in line with its usual German rivals, the Audi Q5 and Mercedes GLC. Both cars are due to be replaced in the coming months, but they’ll have to be pretty special to have the better of the X3. Another alternative is the petrol-engined Porsche Macan, which offers performance and handling that is a match for the X3’s, although it’s getting a bit old these days.

If you’d prefer a non-German car, then the Lexus NX is a good option that offers plenty of tech and premium kit, but isn’t as sporty to drive as the X3. The Volvo XC60 is another old-stager that’s been updated in 2025 to keep it competitive.

You can no longer buy a new Jaguar F-Pace in the UK, but the platform-sharing Range Rover Velar is still offered, while the Land Rover Discovery Sport is a more family-friendly alternative to the X3.