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:

Switching the reception on/off
1. "Navigation" 2. Open "Options". 3. "Receive Traffic Info" ...

Front lamps, bulb replacement
At a glance 1 Adaptive light control 2 Parking lamp, daytime running lights* 3 Low beams/high beams 4 Turn signal Xenon lamps Because of the long life of these bulbs, the likelihood of failu ...

Upholstery material care
Vacuum regularly with a vacuum cleaner. If they are very dirty, e.g., beverage stains, use a soft sponge or microfiber cloth with a suitable interior cleaner. Clean the upholstery down to the se ...