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 and rear crash tests. All X3s have standard electronic stability control and a full complement of airbags.

As of publication, the Q5, GLK350 and XC60 hadn't been tested by IIHS.

    See also:

    Initiating an Emergency Request
    1. Press the cover briefly to open it. 2. Press the SOS button until the LED in the button lights up. ▷ The LED lights up: an Emergency Request was initiated. If the situation allows, w ...

    High-beam Assistant
    The conceptThis system automatically switches the high beams on and off. The procedure is controlled by a sensor on the front of the interior rearview mirror. The assistant ensures that the high b ...

    Camera monitoring: Lane Departure Warning System and Collision Warning
    The Lane Departure Warning System available for the new BMW 3-Series Sedan is activated at speeds above 70 km/h (43 mph) and warns the driver if he unintentionally strays out of his lane. The syst ...