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:

Image on the Control Display
The traffic area to the left and right is displayed on the Control Display. Image on the Control Display Guidelines at the bottom of the image show the position of the front of the vehicle. B ...

2007 BMW X3 Review
BMW's compact SUV, the X3, has sparked a parade of competitors from Acura to Volvo, all seemingly aimed at convincing shoppers too rich for a Honda CR-V that, yes, there is a $40,000 alternative. ...

Gentleman function
The front passenger seat can be adjusted with the switches of the driver's seat. 1. Press the button. The LED lights up. 2. Adjust the front passenger seat on your own seat. 3. If needed, ...