Overview

If you’re a keen driver with a family to cart around, the BMW X3 should be on your radar. It’s considered one of the best SUVs offering excellent handling, effortless performance and a generously equipped interior. Its talents are particularly impressive when you consider that it isn’t even a brand-new car. The current X3 is a facelifted version of the car that’s been on sale since 2017.

The X3 belongs to an incredibly competitive class, so it has plenty of rivals. Key alternatives include the Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5, Volvo XC60 and Land Rover Discovery Sport. All these cars are great luxury SUVs, but none can match the X3 for driver engagement. BMW’s unyielding focus on handling is rather unique in the segment– and it’s allowed the X3 to contest the crown for the past six years.

But the current X3 is nearing the end of its life cycle. Its replacement is scheduled to arrive in 2024 – and it’ll offer more space, better technology and more efficient powertrains. So, can this aging diamond still beat back the freshest rivals in its class? Or should you wait for its replacement?

One of the best bits about the current X3 is the breadth of its model range. You can have it with a petrol engine, a diesel engine and a plug-in hybrid powertrain. Or, if you’re a speak freak, you can have a 510hp performance version called the X3 M Competition which can sprint from 0–62mph in 3.8 seconds. That’s quicker than a Lotus Emira.

Eco-conscious drivers are well-catered for, too. BMW also sells a zero-emission version of the SUV called the iX3. It looks almost identical on the outside, but it features an electric drivetrain with a maximum range of 285 miles and recharge times as quick as half an hour at a 150kW DC rapid charger. You can learn more about the EV in our dedicated BMW iX3 review.

Over the next few pages, we’ll explore the BMW X3’s strengths and weaknesses, considering its practicality, safety, interior technology, driving experience and running costs. On the final page of this review, we’ll offer our overall verdict on the car and let you know whether it’s worth spending your money on.