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:

Starting the engine
Do not run the engine in enclosed areas; otherwise, the inhalation of toxic exhaust gases can cause loss of consciousness and death. The exhaust gases contain carbon monoxide, an odorless and col ...

Fuel cap
Opening 1. Briefly press the rear edge of the fuel filler flap. 2. Turn the fuel cap counterclockwise. 3. Place the fuel cap in the bracket attached to the fuel filler flap. Closing 1. Fi ...

Maintaining current speed
Push, arrow 1, or pull, arrow 2, the lever to the resistance point. The car's current speed is stored and maintained. It is displayed on the speedometer and briefly in the instrument cluster. O ...