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.

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Using this Owner's Manual
The fastest way to find information on a particular topic is by using the index. An initial overview of the vehicle is provided in the first chapter. Updates made after the editorial deadline ...

Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of an accident. Adjusting the head restraint Correctly adjust the head restraints of all occu ...

General information
The safety switch in the driver's door can be used to prevent children, for example, from operating the roller blinds using the switches in the rear. Press the safety switch in the driver's doo ...