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:

General information
BMW Assist provides you with certain services, e.g., transmission of the position data of your vehicle to the BMW Assist Response Center if an Emergency Request* has been initiated. Many BMW As ...

Requirements
▷ The mobile phone is suitable. ▷ The mobile phone is ready for operation. ▷ Bluetooth is activated in the vehicle and on the mobile phone. ▷ Bluetooth presettings may nee ...

Exterior
The exterior remains the same for 2009, and the X3 retains its awkward angles, disjointed taillights and odd lower bodywork. It's not unattractive, but it sure isn't as stylish as Mercedes' new GL ...