The 2024 BMW X3 remains a benchmark among compact luxury SUVs because of its many talents. Pricing starts at $46,900.
There’s no shortage of great SUVs in this class. We could recommend most of them quite happily. But the BMW X3 has a particularly strong pull, especially for those buyers who want some definite driving involvement to go with their luxury technology, high-class materials, practical cabin, and German prestige.
The strength of this pull hasn’t diminished, even though this generation of BMW X3 (the third) made its debut for the 2018 model year. In some ways, that feels like yesterday, from behind the wheel of an X3 most certainly. But manufacturers are renewing their models with greater frequency, so this generation of X3 may not be around for much longer. The good thing is that if you buy a 2024 X3, it will still be one of the best.
What’s new for 2024
The X3 carries over from 2023 with no big changes. However, a new generation is expected for 2025, launching later in 2024. It will most likely encompass plug-in hybrid and all-electric variants.
Check out: The 2024 BMW X4 review: Pricing, engine, tech and safety for this luxury compact SUV
2024 BMW X3 pricing
The 2024 BMW X3 starts at $46,900. That’s for the sDrive30i version with rear-wheel drive. All-wheel drive (known as xDrive) is another $2,000 and most buyers choose it. The X3 M’s Competition package adds another 30 horsepower, along with an array of other features, and costs $7,000.
| X3 sDrive30i | $46,900 |
| X3 xDrive30i | $48,900 |
| X3 M40i | $61,900 |
| X3 M | $75,500 |
These are manufacturer’s suggested retail prices and do not include the $995 factory-to-dealer fee (destination charge).
The X3’s rivals are many and varied, from the Lexus NX starting at $40.3K to the Porsche
POAHY,
Macan priced from $61K. In between, there’s the Acura RDX from about $42K. The Audi Q5, Alfa Romeo Stelvio, Genesis GV70 and Volvo
VLVLY,
XC60 all kick off in the mid-40s. And the Mercedes-Benz
MBG,
GLC starts in the high 40s.
Before buying a new X3 luxury SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying. Resale values are a bit below average. If this is important, check out the Lexus NX or Acura RDX.
Power, ride and handling
At its most affordable, the BMW X3 runs with a 248-horsepower turbocharged engine and can sprint from standstill to 60 mph in six seconds. We reckon that’s quick enough to be fun and beats a lot of the competition. Hey, the base Porsche Macan has the same acceleration time, but packs 261 horsepower.
This eager power is accompanied by agility and poise. Everything feels tuned and calibrated by engineers who appreciate the sheer joy of driving. Which is not to imply that the X3 is too firm and too focused on one aspect to function as an ideal family vehicle. At low speeds right up to freeway jaunts, we’ve found the X3 to be pliant and well-mannered.
The X3 M is like other high-performance vehicles from BMW’s M division. Absolutely involving and with the right amount of too much muscle. Luxury compact SUVs shouldn’t be this composed and precise on quick laps of a track, but the X3 M begs to differ.
We’ve spent hundreds of hours driving and evaluating this generation of compact luxury SUVs, including the BMW X3.
Fuel economy
The rear-drive sDrive30i achieves 25 combined mpg (23 city, 29 highway). That’s more than respectable for the class. With all-wheel drive, those figures change to 24 combined mpg (21 city, 28 highway). The M40i returns 23 combined mpg (21 city, 26 highway), still reasonable. And the X3 M manages 17 combined mpg (15 city, 20 highway), but it is a high-performance machine. Premium gasoline is required throughout.
Ergonomic interior
The cabin of the BMW X3 is inarguably roomy and practical — as well as luxurious in an understated way, with decent-quality materials. The front sport seats have plenty of side support to keep their occupants comfortably in place through fast corners. Rear legroom measures 36.4 inches — about the same as the Lexus NX, but several rivals have more.
The center console houses a freestanding 10.25-inch touchscreen, which is complemented by a 12.3-inch digital driver information display. All the controls are angled toward the driver, in typical BMW
BMW,
fashion.
Cargo volume expands from a generous 28.7 behind the rear seats to 62.7 cubic feet when they’re folded and creating a flat loadspace floor. That’s about as good as this luxury compact SUV class gets.
Also read: The 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLE raises the bar for luxury SUVs, and now there’s a plug-in hybrid version, too
Distinct exterior
The 2024 X3 is unmistakably a BMW, which is possibly a good thing, depending on individual taste. The black strip between the grille’s two halves contains a camera and a few sensors, so try to keep it clean and undamaged. The X3 M sits almost half an inch lower than the regular X3, courtesy of its adaptive sport suspension. And 20-inch M-design alloy wheels fill their arches in an aesthetically satisfying way.
Our favorite features and tech
Engines
Four cylinders good, six cylinders better. Actually, we like what BMW does with all its engines. They’re usually energetic, responsive, linear in their power delivery, and relatively good on gas. That’s definitely the case with the base turbocharged 4-cylinder in the X3. And the M models provide glorious experiences.
All-wheel drive
This comes in with the X3 xDrive30i. When the weather turns nasty, it’s good to have four driven wheels under you. When it’s dry and you’re in a BMW, then this system helps put the power to the ground more effectively.
Infotainment system
We’re fans of BMW’s logical infotainment systems. This one comes standard with voice-controlled navigation, Wi-Fi, over-the-air updates, and a digital assistant. A 12.3-inch touchscreen is also available as an upgrade over the standard 10.25-inch unit.
Powered tailgate
Another standard feature of the 2024 X3 SUV. We find these wonderfully convenient.
Driving Assistance Professional package
This options bundle is worth considering, adding active steering and lane-changing assistance, evasive steering assistance, and an Extended Traffic Jam Assistant to help ease the grind of city traffic.
Parking Assistance package
This optional self-parking feature includes a 360-degree camera system, plus parking sensors with automatic emergency braking.
Read: Self-driving cars: Are we there yet? Here’s an explainer on the types of technology and what the future holds.
Engine and transmission
The engine in the 2024 X3 sDrive30i and xDrive30i is a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder unit developing 248 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. In the sDrive30i, the setup is rear-wheel drive (RWD); the xDrive30i has all-wheel drive (AWD).
The M40i has a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6-cylinder engine, augmented by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. It smooths the fuel-saving stop/restart function, and provides a little extra kick for acceleration. Output is a robust 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
BMW provides the means to go beyond even that with the high-performance X3 M, whose turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 makes 473 horsepower in regular form — or 503 horsepower as a Competition variant. Torque is 457 lb-ft in the regular X3 M and 479 lb-ft in the Competition. All-wheel drive is standard in these models and the M40i.
All versions of the 2024 X3 use an 8-speed automatic transmission.
4-year/50,000-mile warranty
BMW’s new-vehicle and powertrain warranties last four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. This is typical among European luxury car marques. Roadside assistance is included for that period, only with unlimited mileage. Scheduled maintenance is free for three years or 36,000 miles, which is not so typical.
Safety ratings
This generation of X3 has been named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and took a maximum 5-Star overall score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Standard safety features include forward collision warning with emergency braking, along with blind-spot monitoring.
See: These are 2023’s safest new cars
KBB’s car review methodology.
This story originally ran on KBB.com.
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