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Looks can be deceiving: BMW's X3 has new look, same old good driving

Published: 01 Dec. 2024, 17:58 Updated: 01 Dec. 2024, 18:54

CHO YONG-JUN
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The fourth-generation BMW X3 [CHO YONG-JUN]

[TEST DRIVE]

INCHEON — The new BMW X3 comes with polarizing exterior and interior design choices but still manages to retain the solid and responsive driving experience the brand is known for.

The exterior design of the X3 is reminiscent of that of the BMW iX all-electric SUV, featuring a larger and more vertical kidney grille that also lights up at night. While the front facia is arguably less aggressive than the design language seen on the iX or i7, it still feels like a mixed bag compared to the previous-generation X3, which retained a more calm and luxurious design. The slimmer headlights and glossy-finish grilles, however, make the car look futuristic and even somewhat electric, despite not yet hitting the Korean market with any electric or plug-in electric options.

The interior of the new BMW X3 [BMW KOREA]

Opening the door to sit in the front row reveals that the bold and futuristic design language continues to the interior. Many of the familiar buttons — heated seat controls, climate controls and other physical and tactile buttons — were replaced with either glossy touch panel buttons that feel indistinguishable from the others or were sent to the infotainment screen completely.

BMW, however, still maintained its signature rotary-wheel infotainment screen control system, and while there is an absence of buttons, most of the HVAC-related controls were fairly straightforward, and the inclusion of heated and ventilated front-row seats in all models was a welcome addition. But the crucial downside was that the X3 felt even less luxurious as glossy black plastic panels equated to more fingerprints.

The fourth-generation BMW X3 [CHO YONG-JUN]

The 14.9-inch infotainment system felt responsive and high quality and the inclusion of TMAP as its default navigation system was more than useful. The TMAP system is also integrated into the car’s gauge cluster and large heads-up display, providing a very handy map view and turn-by-turn guide, a step above many of the offerings by non-Korean brands.

The infotainment system itself, titled BMW’s Operating System 9, felt convoluted and overly complex to operate. The inclusion of an app store meant that the main screen was clustered with icons and car system-related settings were hard to navigate through.

The fourth-generation BMW X3 [CHO YONG-JUN]

The driving experience of the new X3, however, was nothing subpar. The baseline X3 20 xDrive comes equipped with a bog-standard 2.0-liter twin-turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine, which, when paired with the 48-volt mild-hybrid motor, produces 190 horsepower and 31.6 kilogram-meters (220 pound-feet) of torque. The combination will push the car from 0 to 60 miles an hour in 8.5 seconds.

While none of the numbers are anything to write home about, the three-way combination of the engine, motor and BMW’s eight-speed transmission means that the car feels more responsive and agile — at least up to normal highway speeds — than the specs suggest.

Putting the foot down on the pedal will result in the small electric motor coming in first with a bit of juice, giving time for the turbochargers to kick in shortly after. For a more responsive feeling, changing the driving mode to Sport will let the car kick up through gears more aggressively for faster acceleration while pumping in rather apparent fake engine noises. Luckily, the artificial engine noises can be turned off in the settings.

All X3 models in Korea come standard with BMW’s Driving Assistance Professional, its advanced adaptive cruise control and safety system. Putting the vehicle in and out of its adaptive cruise control mode can be done with the touch of a button on the steering wheel, and the system manages to smoothly accelerate, decelerate and steer through relatively tight bends. The lane-change assist system also worked surprisingly well: once the driver puts on the turn signal, the vehicle was quick to scan its surroundings and make the lane change smoothly — in a much faster manner than the feature offered by Hyundai Motor’s Highway Driving Assistant 2.

Interior of the new BMW X3 [CHO YONG-JUN]

The simplification of the interior also affected the steering wheel controls, as the option to change the distance between the car in front that usually sits on the steering wheel was deep under the car’s infotainment system, making the change rather difficult while driving alone.

The rear seats also felt roomier than the previous generation, and while the rear seats won’t recline as much as the ones made by Hyundai, the dedicated HVAC control panels show that the second row can also remain pleasant in all weather conditions.

The fourth-generation BMW X3 [CHO YONG-JUN]

The baseline X3 20 xDrive, priced at 68.9 million won ($49,300) offers heated and ventilated seats, a large panoramic glass roof — that doesn’t open — and a highly capable adaptive cruise control system along with a second-row sunshade and, more importantly, a solid powertrain made by BMW. The exterior and interior design choices, however, should be noted.