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:

Active seat
Active adjustment of the seat cushion's contours reduces muscular tension and fatigue to help prevent lower back pain. Press the button. The LED lights up. ...

Tilting the glass sunroof
Push switch upward briefly. The closed roof is tilted and the sliding visor opens slightly. The opened roof closes until it is in its tilted position. The sliding visor stays complete ...

Setting the language
Press and hold the control button for approx. 12 to 13 seconds. Briefly press the control button again to switch between English "E" and German "O". The setting is stored au ...