The BMW X3 is expected to be one of the best sellers for BMW next year. Released just a few weeks ago, the figures for 2017 won’t look absolutely brilliant but in 2018, we’re expecting the new offering from Munich to start raking in profits, as the SUV craze continues around the world. That said, there’s a lot banking on the X3 and one of the best sellers will surely be the xDrive30i model.
Unless you live in Europe and go for the obvious xDrive20d model, you may have to resort to a petrol choice, as is the case in the US. Furthermore, the petrol choice is quite limited as well, with the top of the range M40i being either too expensive or too powerful for certain families, looking for more of the practical side of things instead of the performance the M40i brings to the table.
Therefore you’re left with the xDrive30i, a more than capable car, according to a recent review published by Car Advice. As we mentioned in our own reviews, the new X3 offers plenty of space inside and in the boot, for the family man looking for a new car. The engine is where the difference will be made and, apparently, the 2-liter 4-cylinder mill can carry the SUV easily thanks to its 255 HP engine. Even the fuel consumption figures seem decent at first. Unfortunately, the review posted below doesn’t offer some clear numbers in this regard during real-life usage.
However, the guys do point to one essential flaw, which is the suspension. According to them, the ride of the BMW X3 is a bit too stiff for its own good. There are plenty of explanations for this perception, starting from the 20″ wheels, leading to the runflat tires and culminating with the lack of adaptive dampers, even though the tester in question here had that last option. During my time with the new X3 I couldn’t say it’s too stiff for my taste but then again, BMWs are known to be more on the firm side and anyone looking to buy an SUV with a blue and white badge on the hood should be aware of this before committing.
