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:

Audio playback
Selecting the track using the button Press the button repeatedly until the desired track is played. Selecting a track via iDrive Audio CDs Select the desired track to begin playback. CDs/D ...

Radio ready state
Activate radio ready state: When the ignition is switched off: press ON/ OFF button on the radio. When the engine is running: press START/ STOP button. Some electronic systems/power con ...

Rear
Opening Press on the cover. Emptying Take out the insert. Lighter Push in the lighter. The lighter can be removed as soon as it pops back out. Danger of burns Only hold the hot lighter ...