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:

Condition Based Service CBS
Sensors and special algorithms take into account the driving conditions of your vehicle. Based on this, Condition Based Service determines the maintenance requirements. The system makes it pos ...

Manually adjustable seats
At a glance 1 Forward/backward 2 Thigh support 3 Seat tilt 4 Backrest width 5 Lumbar support 6 Height 7 Backrest tilt Forward/backward Forward/backward Pull the lever and slide the seat ...

Opening
1. Briefly press the rear edge of the fuel filler flap. Opening 2. Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise. 3. Place the fuel cap in the bracket attached to the fuel filler flap. ...