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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Changing between panels
After a menu item is selected, e.g., "Radio", a new panel is displayed. Panels can overlap. ▷ Move the controller to the left. The current panel is closed and the previous panel ...

Comparison with ordinary remote control
The functions can be controlled by pressing the buttons or via Comfort Access. Unlocking Fully grasp a door handle, arrow 1. This corresponds to pressing the button. Locking Press the ...

The concept
The Check Control system monitors functions in the vehicle and notifies you of malfunctions in the monitored systems. A Check Control message is displayed as a combination of indicator or warnin ...