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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The concept
Adaptive Drive reduces the body roll which occurs
when cornering quickly or during fast evasive
maneuvers. In addition, Adaptive Drive reduces
the steering angle requirement, improves
the runn ...
New & Improved, Sort Of
An updated 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine goes under the hood. Packed with
BMW's latest innovations, the engine churns out 260 horsepower and 225
pounds-feet of torque — a 15 percent increase in ho ...
The concept
When the low beams are switched on, this system
automatically switches the high beams on
and off or suppresses the light in the areas that
blind oncoming traffic. The procedure is controlled
b ...