X3 in the Market

The compact luxury crossover segment has undergone a revolution since the first-generation X3 debuted. Both the Q5 and GLK-Class have become popular sellers, while X3 sales have lagged behind.

The redesigned X3 puts BMW in position to retake some of the market thanks to its more forgiving ride. Despite some shortcomings, it's still luxurious enough to cut it in this segment, and its more competitive starting price that's about $2,000 less than the 2010 X3 won't hurt, either.

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    Active seat
    Active seat The seat cushion is actively varied by alternately raising and lowering the right and left half of the seat cushion. This reduces muscular tension and fatigue to help prevent lowe ...

    The concept
    The parking brake is primarily intended to prevent the vehicle from rolling while parked; it brakes the rear wheels. ...

    Features
    The 2009 X3 starts at $39,700 and comes standard with leatherette upholstery, eight-way power front seats, a panoramic moonroof and rain-sensing windshield wipers. There are four option packages a ...