BMW X3 (04 on) - Review

Review by David Ross on
Last Updated: 22 May 2009
Designing a compact 4x4 car that's good on the road, comfortable and yet also possesses some off road ability is no easy feat. But BMW has come close with the X3 - the smaller brother to the muscular X5. It uses BMWs xDrive four wheel drive system which ensures excellent traction both off-road and on it, while decent body control and good steering feel mean the X3 corners very well for an off roader. However the downside of the stiff suspension is that the BMW rides firmly and isn't particularly settled over rough roads. It carries a high list price too, especially when compared to equally capable off roaders. On the plus side it's very practical with a large boot and spacious cabin.
4 out of 5

Other BMW reviews

2.5 out of 5

Running costs

If you opt for one of the diesel engines, you'll find running costs reasonable - the xDrive18d model is the most fuel efficient and is capable of 46mpg . BMW servicing and parts aren't cheap, but the firm does offer a package for those buying new called Service Inclusive, which covers you for five years/60,000 miles of servicing for one up-front payment.

* based on most recent data

Estimated fuel cost for 10,000 miles per year

Unleaded

£2,046 - £2,668 *

Diesel

£1,282 - £2,003 *

The estimated fuel cost figure is a guide to how much this model will cost to fuel each year, so you can compare between cars. It's calculated by using the model's average mpg (calculated from both town centre and motorway driving) and the average fuel price. It's based on the following cost-per-litre: petrol 135p and diesel 141p. Prices are updated daily.

Summary Running Costs

Servicing period

According to on board computer.

Warranty

Three years/unlimited mileage.

Road tax (12 months)

£135.00 - £475.00

Vehicle excise duty (VED) varies according to the CO2 emissions and the fuel type of the vehicle. For cars registered after March 1st 2001 VED or road tax is based on the car's CO2 emissions. For cars registered before March 1st 2001 it is based on engine size.

Full running costs data

2.5 out of 5

Green credentials

  • A
  • B
  • C
  • D
  • E
  • F
    147
  • G
  • H
  • I
  • J
  • K
  • L
  • M
    293

CO2 emission figure (g/km)

Fuel economy rating

The arrows indicate the best and worst CO2 bands for this model.

Emissions summary

The X3 does feature BMWs Efficient Dynamics technology but it's limited to lightweight materials and active aerodynamics. The best model is the xDrive18d (launched in April 2009) which emits 165g/km of CO2 and is capable of 46mpg.

Find the exact engine and CO2