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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Starting the engine
The engine starts automatically under the following
conditions:
▷ Manual transmission:
The clutch pedal is pressed.
▷ Automatic transmission:
By releasing the brake pedal.
When Auto ...
Rear audio remote control
The concept
The rear audio remote control can be used to
control the following audio functions in the front:
"Radio
"CD/Multimedia"
The unit is operated in the same manner a ...
Safety
The X3 earned a 2009 Top Safety Pick designation from the Insurance Institute
for Highway Safety, the agency's highest award. That means it earned top scores
in IIHS' frontal-offset, side-impact a ...