BMW’s best selling X model returns, carrying over its proven formula of corner-hugging agility. But this time around, it is quite polarising!
Singapore – I was absolutely impressed with BMW’s previous X3, as it had very much the BMW DNA I expected embedded in it, but packaged as an SUV (or in BMW talk, an SAV). But even when BMW tends to amp up their M-badged cars quite a bit, I was actually most impressed with two of the base G01 BMW X3s – the sDrive 20i and the xDrive 20d.
I drove the latter X3 on a roadtrip in Western Australia back in 2017, when the car was just launched; tracing a route, roughly 1,350km, which took me from Perth to Augusta, and then to Albany and back. With 190hp and 400Nm, the base Diesel had plenty of urge-on-tap for the Australian roads, while its xDrive AWD system provided additional confidence, when I was literally lost, detouring through the outback, looking for fish n’ chips (I kid you not). Furthermore, I was surprised at how agile it was around twistier roads, even without being propped-up by the M suspension option.
Back in Singapore, I got behind the wheel of the most basic sDrive 20i, and was stunned that it simply bit into corners way better than its base-spec peers… some which even were equipped with AWD.
Squint and you might see an angry Brian Griffin
So, as you can tell, the new G45 BMW X3 has a lot to live up to. But first, you have to get past the looks. With BMW pushing the envelope even further with its styling, the new X3 is really quite polarising. While the previous car, which was designed by Australian, Calvin Luk (whom I had the privilege of meeting) was actually very easy on the eyes, the new X3 is probably one of those, which “grows on you”.
The new X3’s front-end follows in the footsteps of the larger-than-life million-dollar BMW XM, featuring large kidneys which are lit around the frames. If you were to squint a little, you might just get a hint of an angry Brian Griffin from the front.
The current design language sees a reduction in bulges and the removal of unnecessary trim (like the faux front fender vents on the previous car). The resulting monolithic appearance does bestow the X3 with its burly road presence.
While the new car is slightly longer, wider and lower, it shares an identical wheelbase as the previous car; which is not bad at all, since I found the previous X3’s packaging quite ideal.
A mixed bag
The interior in my opinion, feels like a younger interpretation of the XM’s. A curved square-edged screen, which houses a 14.9-inch infotainment display and the 12.3-inch instrument panel, sits nested within a cut-out in the dash.
The reduction of buttons, paired with the obscuring of the middle air-conditioning vents, prioritises aesthetics and neatness, over overall user-friendliness. The indirect adjusters for the the air-conditioning vents prove frustrating, especially when you want to move the vents to that precious sweet spot on a warm day.
A new light design feature which colours part of the dash, also forms a border at the front of the driver’s and passenger door cards, which frame the door openers, together with the side air-conditioning vents, and the function button assembly – the latter which sits between the two. While the said buttons are ergonomically sound, the assembly creaks when given a nudge – to which I feel, somewhat cheapens the interior’s overall sense of quality.
Overall passenger space for the new car is near-identical to its predecessor, which means that the SAV easily has sufficient head and leg room for four passengers. However, the new X3’s boot has grown from 550 litres to 570 litres.
Interestingly, the smaller BMW X1 has got moderately better interior space for its passengers due to its packaging, and a boot (at 540 litres) which almost rivals the previous (G01) X3.
But once on the road, the X3 is a different animal, compared to the X1
While the previous base X3 was offered as an RWD car when launched, this time around, BMW has ensured that the new X3 is AWD across the board. The 2.0 litre engine is also carried over from the previous car, and so is the 48V mild-hybrid system (MHEV). Good news is, there is a small bump in output, with power adjusted from 184hp to 190hp, while torque has gone up from 300Nm to 310Nm, albeit producing this on a slightly narrower rpm band for the latter. BMW has also retained the use of the proven ZF 8HP transmission.
Another positive for the new car is the sorting-out of the low-speed driving behaviour. When the previous G01 received MHEV tech during its facelift, I found that the SUV became annoyingly jerky at low revs. This was consistent across the board with any of the then facelifted BMWs fitted with the MHEV systems. Over here, the mild-hybrid tech binds smoothly with the engine, providing assistance during acceleration, and during start-stop situations, it keeps all the X3’s crucial bits functioning.
Compared to the Audi Q5, which I took on a roadtrip in Europe a while back (stay tuned for the review of the new car), lifting-off on the accelerator does not bring the X3 into a complete coast mode. This is due to the nature of the transmission not being able to completely dis-engage, unlike the Audi’s dual-clutch system. However, you are still able to glide over (very) short distances.
Where this X3 truly distinguishes itself, is in how it out-handles its peers around the tightest of turns. This variant, which is fitted with the M Sport Suspension may be a little too firm for bumpier Tuas area roads, but it absolutely shines once you sink those front wheels into a bend along one of our few precious B-roads. Even with its height, the X3 feels absolutely planted. The rear-bias of the AWD system ensures that you power out, like how a RWD car would, but with only a slight hint of that front-end negotiating purchase.
You win some, you lose some?
While the previous X3 set the bar for me, as I picked my way through the meandering Kuranda Range Rd in Cairns during its introductory drive back in 2017 (which by chance I ended driving the exact same X3 xDrive 20d months later during my own road trip in WA), the new X3 feels genuinely even more road-focused.
It is in my eyes overall a better car, although you might not be so agreeable with looks – more town and less country, or some of the interior bits.
Text & Photos: Clifford Chow
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Smoother delivery of MHEV tech than its predecessor | Questionable styling |
| Drives like a dream | Needs more buttons, and direct vent controls |
| Well equipped | Infotainment has become more complex |
2024 BMW X3 Mild Hybrid xDrive 20 M Sport
| Drivetrain | Petrol-electric mild hybrid |
| Layout | 1,988cc, in-line 4 |
| Motor power / torque | 190hp / 5310Nm |
| Transmission | 8-Speed |
| Efficiency | 14.5km/l |
| Fuel Capacity | 65 Litres |
| 0-100km/h | 7.8 Seconds |
| Top Speed | 215km/h |
| VES Band | C1 |
| Dealer | Performance Motors / BMW Eurokars Auto |
| Price | S$361,888 with COE, with VES |
| Verdict | Fantastic road holding, terrifying looks |
