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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For your own safety
Maintenance and repairs Advanced technology, e.g., the use of modern materials and high-performance electronics, requires suitable maintenance and repair methods. Therefore, have this work perfo ...

Operating from the outside
▷ Via the remote control. ▷ Via the door handles of the driver's and front passenger doors. The following takes place simultaneously when locking/unlocking the vehicle via the remote ...

Climate control operation on the headliner
Temperature Turn the wheel to set the desired temperature. Air volume Press the left or right side of the button: decrease or increase air volume. LEDs indicate the intensity of the air s ...