X3 in the Market

At $38,000, the X3 starts substantially higher than its nearest competitor, the Acura RDX. Save for its problematic transmission behavior, the BMW offers a more buttoned-down driving experience than the Acura. For some, that's worth every penny.

As BMW surely knows, the X3 can't sit on its pedestal forever. Land Rover's entry-level LR2 is on the way, and so are the Audi Q5 and Volvo XC60. If the X3 is to remain a desirable car, BMW will have to fix a few things so buyers need not weigh the good against the bad — because there will be plenty of very good alternatives soon.

    See also:

    Opening
    ▷ Press the switch to the resistance point. The window opens while the switch is held. ▷ Press the switch beyond the resistance point. The window opens automatically. Pressin ...

    Fold-out position of the wipers
    Required when changing the wiper blades or under frosty conditions, for example. 1. Switch off the ignition. 2. Under frosty conditions, ensure that the wiper blades are not frozen onto the wind ...

    Odometer and trip odometer
    ▷ Odometer, arrow 1. ▷ Trip odometer, arrow 2. Display/reset miles Press the knob. ▷ When the ignition is switched off, the time, external temperature and odometer are disp ...