2011 BMW X3 Review by Mike Hanley

The BMW X3 may have been a pioneer among compact luxury crossovers, but a number of competitors — including the Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class and Volvo XC60 — have entered the fray since its debut as a 2004 model. Now, with the second-generation X3, BMW has new metal to take them on.

The 2011 BMW X3 is still the small luxury crossover of choice for driving enthusiasts, but its substantially more forgiving suspension tuning should make the new version far more appealing.

I tested the base xDrive28i, which starts at $36,750; with options, our test car's sticker price was $43,875. For a side-by-side comparison with the competitors mentioned above, click here.

See also:

Adding engine oil
760i/Li: open/close flap When the flap is closed, it must latch Filler neck When the indicator lights up in the instrument cluster, add 1 US quart/liter of engine oil within the next 125 mi ...

Emergency unlocking
Pull the handle inside the cargo area. The trunk lid unlocks. ...

Text messages
Text messages in combination with a symbol in the instrument cluster explain a Check Control message and the meaning of the indicator and warning lamps. ...