Instrumented Test
BMW’s recent face lift of the X3 might have gone largely unnoticed, but this particular X3 won’t. Powered by BMW’s N47 four-cylinder turbo-diesel, the xDrive28d makes its presence known with considerable clatter and rumble; it’s supposed to ride the slowly rising tide of oil burners in the U.S.
Even though BMW continues to tout the X3 as a Sports Activity Vehicle, this one has the workaday sound of an honest-to-goodness off-roader. It’s not an unpleasant sound, and it changes in pitch when the engine is revved. The 2.0-liter four-banger provides ample grunt around town, with 280 lb-ft of peak torque coming in at 1750 rpm. And the ZF-sourced wide-ratio eight-speed automatic does an okay job of masking delays in initial response, meaning before the turbo is spooled up. The gearbox does a lot of shifting—perhaps too much for our tastes—but the X3 accelerates briskly to city speeds. This transmission is an industry benchmark, something that can’t be said about the still-infuriating gear selector.
On the open road, it’s a different story. The diesel’s 0-to-60-mph time of 7.9 seconds and 125-mph top speed are entirely unremarkable and are indicators of this X3’s reluctance to play. It’ll cruise along happily at a steady pace, and it delivers good fuel economy—we observed 28 mpg during our drive—but you’ll need to look elsewhere for excitement. BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive is standard, but don’t make any plans to tackle the Rubicon Trail. Off-roading is not on the list of this vehicle’s aspirations. The X3 might be able to conquer some nasty terrain, but it’s safe to assume that its all-wheel-drive system is there mainly to provide some peace of mind on the perilous trek to soccer practice.
The X3’s capable chassis features a coil-spring suspension with a multilink rear axle. What body roll exists is well controlled, and the electromechanical power steering operates with precision, even as it lacks the tactile feel of previous BMW setups. Our test vehicle was fitted with all-season 245/50R-18 M+S tires, but we observed only mild understeer and managed 0.82 g of lateral grip on the skidpad. The otherwise unremarkable brakes exhibited slight fade under stress, and the ever-vigilant stability-control system proved to be a bit too eager to intervene.
The new X3’s interior has changed only slightly from the prerefresh version; the basic shapes remain the same, but high-gloss accents add a touch of contemporary luxury. High-end driving-assistance systems are optional, and even though we find them to be a distraction, we suppose they’re useful for drivers who pay more attention to cell phones and cappuccinos than the steering wheel.
The X3 xDrive28d starts at a cool $42,850. With a few options selected—Nevada leather seats ($1450), Mineral White Metallic paint ($550), a panoramic sunroof ($1350), heated front seats ($500), a navigation system ($2150), a Harman/Kardon premium audio system ($875), enhanced smartphone integration ($500), and concierge services ($250)—our X3 xDrive28d stickered at $50,450. It’s possible to jack up the price to almost $60,000 with a few more dollops from BMW’s extensive dish of options. That’s a lot to ask for this compact SUV, and we doubt this diesel X3 will be able to replicate the sales success of the powerful and quiet six-cylinder diesel version of the X5.
In European markets, BMW has replaced the N27 four-cylinder diesel with the new-generation B27 oil burner. The new diesel addresses some of the gripes we have with the N27; most notably, it’s much smoother and quieter. Can we have that one in the U.S.?
