The BMW X3 has never been a looker. The current generation F25 has been on sale in India for quite some time now but it somehow never invoked a special feeling that a premium German automobile should. BMW launched a refreshed X3 in the second half of 2014 in India. Apart from styling updates, it is also the first BMW to get the new generation 2.0 litre twin turbo diesel engine. We spent a weekend with X Line variant and gave it some stick on tarmac and did some offroading too.
Look at the X3 from a distance and you could mistake it to be its elder sibling, the X5. There are new larger headlamps that merge with the BMW kidney grille. The headlamps get bi Xenon projectors with LED corona rings. The grille in the X Line gets silver slats which look classy. The front bumper is complete restyled and comes integrated with LED fog lamps. Turn indicators are now moved to the ORVMs, and instead, chrome inserts are found on the front fenders. There are no changes to the rear except a new bumper. The X3 comes shod with 18 inch Y spoke alloys in the X Line trim and they are easily one of the best looking alloys designs from BMW in a long time. Wheel designs are said to make or break the looks of a car and in this case, they certainly take the character of the X3 a few notches higher.
The cabin of the X3 is spacious and has an airy feel to it thanks to the two tone interiors. The centre console has polished black surfaces and there are wood panels on the doors and passenger side of the dashboard. The instrument cluster is simple and functional and has an MID that can be scrolled through via a controller on the steering wheel. The three spoke multifunction sport steering wheel feels nice to hold. The horn pad however, is a bit hard to the touch. A 16.5 cm colour display screen sits in the centre of the dashboard, which displays information from the iDrive infotainment system. There are a couple of cup holders under a sliding cover on the centre console. The glove box is deep and has a fair bit of stowage space.
The front seats are fairly large and very comfortable. They come with electric adjust and the driver’s seat gets memory function as well. While the rear seats do not lack in outright comfort, under thigh support is lacking to an extent. This is because the base of the rear seat sits low. The rear passengers get their own AC vents and the centre arm rest at the rear comes with two cup holders.
Standard features on the X Line include dual zone climate control, 205 W sound system with 9 speakers, Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming, USB, sun blinds for rear windows, front and rear parking sensors and a large panoramic sunroof. A rear view camera is absent but we feel it should have been included as standard in the top variant. The BMW X3 has come with boot space of 550 litres and can go up to 1600 litres with the rear seats folded down.
BMW’s new generation 2.0 litre twin turbo diesel engine makes its way into the X3. This motor makes more power than before with figures of 187 bhp at 4000 rpm and 400 Nm torque coming up at as low as 1,750 rpm. It does the 0 to 100 kph dash in a claimed 8.1 seconds and engine is mated to an eight speed automatic gearbox. Refinement levels are much better than before, but the motor does feel a bit coarse when accelerating in the initial gears. Shift quality from the transmission is fantastic. While you can shift manually via the gear stick, we feel paddle shifters would have added to the sporty feel. The X3 also comes with driving modes: ECOPRO, Comfort and Sport. The X Line variant gets an additional Sport + mode that was present on our test car. It also comes with Dynamic damper control. The X3 feels very easy to drive on city roads. Manoeuvring it in traffic is not a problem at all thanks to the light steering. Long distance driving is a piece of cake and the BMW X3 will effortlessly cruise down the highways at triple digit speeds. Ride quality is good too, considering the test car was riding on 18 inch wheels and run flats. The suspension absorbed bumps and potholes on Mumbai’s monsoon roads quite nicely with nothing filtering into the cabin.
The X3 comes with BMW’s xDrive all wheel drive system as standard. It delivers optimum traction and distributes power to the front or rear based on need or the situation. A new xDrive status display with 3D graphics keeps the driver informed of the car’s body roll and pitch. We took the X3 on a little off road excursion and came away impressed with the way it performed. Driving though a good amount of slush posed no problems what so ever. We also attempted some steep inclines which the X3 cleared without a hiccup and the Hill Descent Control worked beautifully while going down a decline. The under body did not scrape anywhere either.
The BMW X3 comes with safety features which include airbags: front and side for driver and co passenger, head airbags for front and rear, ABS with Brake Assist, Cornering Brake Control, Dynamic Stability Control including Dynamic Traction Control, side impact protection, three point seats belts for all seats including pyrotechnic belt tensioners and belt force limiters at the front.
BMW has improved the X3 in many ways. Not only does it get a new engine but also comes with new features and equipment as well. It also looks much better than before. It is available in two variants: the Expedition and the X Line. We would recommend getting the X Line, which we drove because it comes loaded with more goodies like a panoramic sunroof, dynamic damper control and those awesome looking 18 inch alloys. The new 2.0 litre diesel is more refined and has good power too. But we hear that BMW is bringing in the 3.0 litre straight six diesel back into the X3 and that motor will certainly add a big punch. So if you want more performance, we suggest you wait for the bigger engined sibling. That said, the BMW X3 is a great all rounder and does make a compelling case for itself.
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