Beem me up: The BMW X3 iDrive28i’s gearbox changes as smoothly as a politician after an election.
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The default family vehicle of the modern era – high-riding sports utility vehicles (SUVs) based on ordinary passenger cars – arrived unheralded in the 1990s, like the answer to a question nobody asked.
Disparagingly called “soft-roaders”, these convenient wagons, such as the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4, found a big audience among city slickers while generating a raft of imitators, including most players in the luxury sector, where BMW has led the way with its three-model X range.
SUVs not only represent one of the bigger market segments but sales of luxury examples were up 22.4 per cent last year – the most of any category – in a market that is down overall by 2.6 per cent. Dealers now sell twice as many of these luxury wagons as sports cars, lending credence to the theory that SUVs are the sports cars of the modern age.
The five-seat BMW X3 – now sitting neatly between the new compact X1 and the flagship X5 in the BMW SUV range – arrived last year in its second generation, refreshed and better value than the previous model. The masters from Munich primped it and pumped it up a size, mainly to make room below it for the entry-level X1 while giving previous X3 owners something to aspire to on the way to their ultimate dream of a big X5.
What does it have?
We tested the only six-cylinder petrol-powered model in the X3 range, the confusingly named xDrive28i. The “xDrive” bit refers to the constant all-wheel-drive system that is standard on all X3s. You would think that 28i might refer to a 2.8-litre injected engine but, no, this vehicle is powered by a 3.0-litre inline six. The demotion seems to differentiate it from more powerful 3.0-litre engines in BMW’s sedans.
This creamy, normally aspirated straight six is still high-spirited in the BMW tradition. It sits in the X3 range between two diesels – a four-cylinder base model and a top-of-the-pile 3.0-litre six-cylinder. A new, cheaper four-cylinder petrol variant also has been added to the bottom of the range, as turbo fours leave the once-dominant inline sixes on the outer at BMW.
Claimed fuel economy for the petrol X3 is 9.0?litres per 100km, but we managed only 12.6L/100km – mainly in urban slog. More freeway running would improve that, and diesels would do better again.
As you would expect from BMW, all the X3s have a sporty edge, with the MkII X3 getting a sophisticated multilink suspension on all four corners and new electronically assisted steering that, together, endow it with an even racier edge.
While we would stop short of describing the handling as sharp, it is among the best in this league. The ride is firm but, as with all good German-engineered cars, the sharper bumps are ironed out and it is quiet too.
The latest eight-speed auto transmission is standard on six-cylinder X3s (and an optional upgrade from the six-speed unit with the four-cylinder diesel), and while this gearbox makes changes more smoothly than a politician after an election, the launch feel from standstill is curiously suspect. The X3 moves from standstill a little lethargically, but if the driver gives it a hurry up, it suddenly lifts its skirts and bolts. Not the petrol X3’s best trait.
Better are the ergonomics, with cosseting leather seats with lots of electric adjustment, chunky leather sports steering wheel and that high SUV seating position.
No-fuss white-on-black dials dish out the speed and revs, but why are the odometer and other details hidden at the bottom of the instrument binnacle? And why does the radio turn off only when the car is exited and locked?
The test vehicle was swathed in creamy beige leather on the seats, lower dash and doors (leather is standard on the six-cylinder models, with four other colours available), with classy textured black synthetics across the upper dash. Dark woodgrain finishes complete the upmarket look. The beige carpets might be a step too far for those prone to messy boots, when the optional black floor mats become a must.
Spacious rear-seat accommodation includes adequate shoulder room for three, as well as plentiful leg room. The spaciousness extends to the cargo area, where the lack of a spare wheel – the X3 has run-flat tyres in the event of a puncture – promotes roominess with 550 litres of space with the split-fold rear seats up and 1600 litres with them folded flat.
Standard equipment includes climate control air-conditioning, 18-inch alloy wheels, USB and Bluetooth connections, keyless start, trip computer and multifunction leather-clad steering wheel.
Safety features
The X3’s primary safety asset is all competence on the road – accelerating, stopping, cornering and gripping the tarmac at levels once reserved for sports sedans.
The NCAP folks have given the X3 a top-shelf five-star safety rating, just like its X5 and X1 siblings. Six airbags are standard – including side curtain airbags – along with a full complement of electronic chassis and brake controls.
As a nod to its off-road potential, hill descent control is also standard.
The reversing camera’s wide-angle view is displayed on a dash-mounted LCD screen and the X3 has parking sensors.
The list of optional extras is long, and includes a six-stack CD player, so be careful how many boxes you tick.