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:

Interior motion sensor
The windows and glass sunroof must be closed for the system to function properly. ...

Cupholders
Notes Shatter-proof containers and no hot drinks Use light and shatter-proof containers and do not transport hot drinks. Otherwise, there is the increased danger of injury in an accident.◄ ...

Switching on automatically
Select transmission position R with the engine running. ...