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:

Setting the clock
1. Press the button. The main menu is displayed. 2. Turn the controller until "Settings" is highlighted, and then press the controller. 3. If necessary, move the controller to the ...

Pinch protection system
If the closing force when closing the glass sunroof exceeds a certain value, the closing movement is stopped, beginning at approximately the middle of the opening in the roof, or from the tilt ...

Removing: manual head restraints
Only remove the head restraint if no one will be sitting in the seat in question. 1. Pull the head restraint upward as far as possible. 2. Press the button, arrow 1, and pull the head restrain ...