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:
Correctly adjusted head restraint
A correctly adjusted head restraint reduces the
risk of injury to cervical vertebrae in the event of
an accident.
Adjusting the head restraint
Correctly adjust the head restraints of all
occu ...
Locking and unlocking
Pressing the buttons locks and unlocks the
doors and the tailgate when the front doors are
closed, but they are not secured against theft.
The fuel filler flap remains unlocked. ...
General driving notes
Closing the tailgate
Drive with the tailgate closed
Only drive with the tailgate closed; otherwise,
in the event of an accident or braking or
evasive maneuvers, passengers or other road
users ma ...