The BMW X3 has been on a funny journey. I don’t mean this one, specifically. All I’ve done is drive it around my usual routes, and funny has not really been on the agenda thanks to drizzle and Christmas traffic.
No, I mean the BMW X3 has been, in a more philosophical sense, on a funny journey. When the model was first launched 2003, it was absolutely the ugly duckling of the BMW range. Smaller than the already-successful, and rather handsome, X5, the X3 arrived with jarring styling, a bone-shaking ride, and not even a hint of actual off-road ability. It was pretty awful.
The second and third generations fixed most of that, but did so with a dash of conservatism. These were more soberly styled X3s, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but there was also a clear intent of these models stepping up both in size and comfort to fill the gap left by the X5 as that model became progressively bigger and pricier.
Still, amid that conservatism, the X3 could be utterly brilliant. I borrowed a last-gen X3 2.0-litre diesel for a family holiday a couple of years back, and reached the end of the 10 days not wanting to give it back. Anyone who knows my general disdain for SUVs might find that surprising, but the X3 was a beacon of comfort and quietness during a somewhat fraught vacation – it was roomy, it was seriously beautifully made inside, it was comfortable and silent, it did 50mpg all day long, and it was fun to drive on the rare stretches of twisty road that we found.
So this new X3 has some fairly big shoes to fill, at least in my mind, but it’s getting off to a very good start with how it looks. Now, the last few years of BMW design, the last few decades, depending on who you listen to, have been Marmite-y at best. Some designs – the i7, the iX – are so downright ugly that it’s hard not to be appalled and fascinated at the same time.
This new X3 isn’t pretty, as such, but it’s kind of … interesting. The new X3, mechanically speaking, sits on the cusp of electrification – it does come with a new long-range plug-in hybrid, and the next-generation electric iX3 will be the debut car for BMW’s all-singing-and-dancing Neue Klasse EV chassis – and so its style kind of mixes a bit of the conservatism of old, with some of the blocky, monolithic detailing that will become more overt on that Neue Klasse all-electric car.
It’s not entirely successful, but in the glowering black paint of our test car, I think it looks rather good. It doesn’t suffer from an oversized grille, but equally, there are enough details and the occasional jarring moment to keep you intrigued. It’s kind of close to jazz in physical form.
Inside, if anything, it’s even more avant-garde. If the old X3 had a perfectly wrought conventional car cabin, the new X3 is aiming for the bleachers, so to speak. The big twinned digital screens that stretch across the dashboard are familiar now, and broadly good to use (still, though, more physical buttons would be welcome) but the huge, bulging, fabric-covered expanse in front of the passenger’s side – clad in a material made from recycled PET bottles no less – looks almost like a modern art installation. It’s set off by light-up bars, taken from the 5 Series and 7 Series, which now stretch into the door panels. Some of the materials used are surprisingly cheap, but I’ll tell you what; it’s not boring.
Space in the back is decent, space in the boot is okay, and so the X3 does tick the practicality boxes quite well.
While the style of both the body and the cabin might tilt in the direction of electrification, the powerplant in this instance does nothing of the sort. It’s BMW’s familiar 2.0-litre diesel, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox. So far, so 2010. Maximum power is 197hp and there’s a useful 400Nm of torque, while CO2 emissions are a relatively steep 153g/km as standard, and 160g/km for this particular model, thanks to its optional 20in alloy wheels.
Performance is relaxed – there’s a reasonable low-down thump from that 400Nm, but in an age of incredibly accelerative electric cars, the X3 20d feels almost languid. Blame the 1,965kg kerb weight, proving that it’s not only EVs which have a weight problem.
At least it’s economical, powering past its official 6.1 litres per 100km WLTP [Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure] figure to score 5.5 litres per 100km in our hands. That’s better than decent.
So to is the way the X3 drives. You do have to fiddle with the driving modes if you want the ultimate in steering response, as in most set-ups the X3′s helm is surprisingly light. Annoyingly, this can only be done through the screen, either with your finger, or using the iDrive clickwheel, and it just goes to show that all cars with selectable driving modes really need a Ferrari-style Manettino steering wheel button.
Still, dial up Sport mode and the X3 is more than happy to be flung around a bit. You can feel that kerb weight hindering things a bit in extremis, but for the most part the X3 corners largely flat, hugely accurately, and is capable of enticing a keen driver into enjoying themselves – even if a 5 Series or 3 Series do a better job of that.
The ride quality of this X3 has come in for criticism in some quarters for being just too darned hard, but on the optional adaptive dampers of this car, I just didn’t think so. As long as you’re not driving everywhere in Sport mode, the X3 seems to ride mostly well, with a bit of stiff-spring fidget, but with the usual spectacularly good BMW damping that stops the body movements from picking up too much momentum.
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This really does feel like an X3 caught between epochs – lifting styling cues from its electric cousin, but still being powered by tractor fuel. Philosophically speaking, I’m not sure what to make of that, but taking it as just a car – rather than a moral question – it’s hard not to be charmed by the X3. It drives well, goes well, sips fuel, and suits family life rather nicely.
The only stumbling block is the increasingly alarming price. From a starting price of €70,000 for the cheapest model, it seems alarmingly easy to spec the X3 into a six-figure price. Come back 2003 X3, all is suddenly forgiven.
Lowdown: BMW X3 20d xDrive M-Sport
Power: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel engine with 197hp and 400Nm of torque driving all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
0-100km/h: 7.7 secs.
Emissions (motor tax): 160g/km (€280).
Fuel consumption: 6.1l/100km (WLTP).
Price: €104,474 as tested. X3 from €70,405.
Our rating: 4/5.
Verdict: Diesel power seems like yesterday’s news, but this blocky X3 feels terrific to drive, even if the price makes you wince.
