WRESTLING WITH HEAVYWEIGHTS
BMW’s all-new X3 is a great all-rounder in its class, although some fine-tuning could make it more outstanding
The premium compact SUV segment has become a highly contested and varied one in Thailand thanks to practically every car player having an answer for buyers to look at.
If keen pricing isn’t a priority, there are fine-driving and image-rich options like the Jaguar F-Pace, Porsche Macan and Range Rover Evoque. On the other end of the market, there’s the Lexus NX coming with a stylish body, unique hybrid choice and a starting price of less than three million baht.
But the real action takes place in the 3 million baht price range where the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Volvo XC60 slug it out with proper diesel power and decently functional packages to suit the SUV concept for holidaying families.
In fact, it’s the X3 that has been around for the longest explaining why the one you see here tested this week is now in its third generation. The only rivals in Thailand that have gone as far into second-gen forms are the Q5 and XC60; the rest are still in their infancies.
When we first drove the all-new X3 in Portugal late last year, the immediate improvements we noticed include a roomier cabin, better ride comfort and more cruising refinement. Yes, these are ingredients many SUV punters are looking for these days.
Back then, though, we managed to sample only six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines which aren’t really popular in Thailand because they come at unnecessarily high price points, thus reducing their reach among potential buyers.
Like most of its competition, BMW Thailand has chosen to focus on four-pot diesel which is no other than the brand’s ubiquitous 2.0-litre unit mated to an equally
THE DECISION TO MAKE THE X3 BIGGER THAN BEFORE CAN BE NOTICED THANKS TO A HUGE BONNET IN SIGHT WHEN TAKING THE WHEEL
familiar eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels.
Mind, this entire drivetrain has been carried over straight over from the second-gen X3. Although the new X3’s body has grown in size, BMW claims that it’s lighter than ever which is why the unchanged outputs of 190hp and 400Nm still help for fractional improvements in performance and fuel economy.
Okay, we might be telling you a fib if we suggested the new X3 feels faster and more frugal than before. But when a proven engine has served so well in other BMWs as well, it’s hard to find fault with it.
Which is why the new X3 remains an effortless performer, be it city or highway driving. And apart from providing good levels of acceleration and mid-range power in the real world, the average fuel consumption of 16-17kpl we recorded is quite close to the maker’s claim.
Owners of the previous X3 will certainly not complain.
But you somehow wonder why BMW really hasn’t taken the effort to move the game on a little more because, as said earlier, virtually every other opponent makes similar achievements in this particular department. Volvo, for one, is now selling a new T8 plug-in hybrid alongside the D4 diesel with prices starting under 3.5 million baht.
If there’s one thing the X3 does well in its class, it’s possibly the chassis. True, the X3 will always have that kind of body roll prevalent in an SUV, but it still manages to blend nice handling and good ride comfort. There was hardly a point in time during our test drive that the ride faltered; it simply felt absorbent and quiet.
The decision to make the X3 bigger than before can always be noticed thanks to a huge bonnet in sight when taking the wheel of the vehicle. It sometimes feel like a junior X5 when actually it isn’t.
That said, you do feel its size, but the X3 is still agile in its own right with partial thanks going to a well-tailored steering weight and quickness. Moreover, the X3’s larger footprint on the road aids for a nice stable ride at the legal speed limit and beyond. It may not handle as sharply as a Macan or as intuitively as a Q5, but the X3 still does a respectable job overall.
While features like all-round view monitor have started making their way into massmarket pickups and Ecocars, the X3 hasn’t gotten it. It’s a shame because the average SUV driver would certainly find it useful when parking and negotiating tricky conditions. The only driving aid the X3 has is hill-descent control.
Another area the X3 has improved is the cabin which now sees higher quality materials, a digital instrument panel made to look like the analogue type and an enhanced infotainment that’s easier to use than ever.
The seats themselves feel comfier to sit in, while space in the rear isn’t inferior in its class. In the usual BMW fashion, the boot is well-shaped and can be increased by folding the backrests flat in three parts.
As this is only the beginning for the X3 in its latest generation, BMW has chosen to spice things up by offering a full-sized glasstop which could be useful for either tanning or head-roasting purposes. The design itself is more of a mild evolution inside and out, although that big kidney grille up front does make a statement of the X3’s newness.
We say it’s only the beginning because the X3 is currently offered in just one grade costing 3.699 million baht which is dearer than its most direct competitors. A locally assembled version with a circa-500k lower price and more features can be hoped for later this year.
If you aren’t too perturbed about the balance in price and specification, the X3 is a nice SUV to be had. It drives well and has a commodious package.
Better than the rest? Maybe, but only by a narrow margin.