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:

Shift paddles for Sport automatic transmission
Shift paddles for Sport automatic transmission The shift paddles on the steering wheel allow you to shift gears quickly while keeping both hands on the steering wheel. If the shift paddles o ...

System limits
Sudden tire damage Sudden serious tire damage caused by external influences cannot be indicated in advance.◀ A natural, even pressure loss in all four tires cannot be detected. Therefore ...

Checking the pressure
Only check the tire inflation pressure when the tires are cold. This means after driving no more than 1.25 miles/2 km or when the vehicle has been parked for at least 2 hours. When the tires a ...