2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i Review by Car & Driver

Car & Driver thinks that the BMW X3 is now all grown up and has its turbo on with the 2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i. In a short take road  test, they summarize the important facets of the vehicle, which they think will be loved by those who eye Sports Utility Vehicles. Here is an excerpt of their review:

With dimensional swelling in nearly every direction, most notably 3.4 inches of additional length, the X3 has a greater presence on the road, a trait also helped by a new exterior design featuring sharply creased sheetmetal. It’s roomier inside, with a back seat that’s now tolerable for adults, and a 40/20/40 split rear bench can now be optioned in place of the standard 60/40 split. The cabin is much nicer than before, although it is bereft of its own personality, closely mimicking the generic layout and design of the X5 SUV and 5-series sedan. An optional 8.8-inch iDrive screen sat fat atop our test vehicle’s center stack, and BMW’s now-ubiquitous electronic-joystick shifter has been adopted.

Ride Can Still Get Harsh

The X3’s suspension consists of struts up front and a multilink rear. When equipped with the optional Electronic Damping Control shocks, the suspension (and various other chassis settings, such as throttle sensitivity) can be configured through the iDrive controller; quick adjustment is accomplished via a toggle on the center console that flips among Normal, Sport, and Sport+ settings. The ride is much better than what we recall from the previous model, although it isn’t exactly plush even in Normal mode. Given that, we’d recommend avoiding the sportier suspension settings and optional 19-inch wheels (18s are standard). In those modes, and even with our test example’s 18-inchers, the X3 still fairly clomps over frost heaves and pavement seams. We also found the new X3’s electric power steering a tactile letdown, heavy and artificial like the new 5-series sedan’s.

Curb weight has been kept in check in the generational changeover. Despite being larger and adding some new equipment, our 4211-pound, top-spec xDrive35i tester and its single-turbo inline-six weighed just 70 pounds more than the last naturally aspirated xDrive30i we sampled.

With eight automatically shifted gears—a manual is no longer available—and 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque on hand from its N55 six-cylinder, the X3 xDrive35i delivers strong acceleration. Our test results matched BMW’s 5.5-second 0-to-60-mph estimate, and power delivery is velvety smooth across the rev range, with only slight dips during otherwise unobtrusive gearswaps. The quarter-mile goes by in 14.2 seconds at 97 mph, with the firm, reassuring brakes halting the X3 from 70 mph in 165 feet. (The outgoing X3 xDrive30i was 1.6 seconds slower to 60 and 1.3 seconds slower to the quarter-mile post, but notched essentially the same braking figure at 169 feet.) The new X3’s acceleration and braking numbers are strong enough to outdo all the players in the aforementioned comparison test by a significant margin, including the Lexus RX350, Mercedes-Benz GLK350 4MATIC, and Volvo XC60 T6 AWD. (Unfortunately, an early December blizzard covered the high-speed oval and skidpad at our test facility, preventing us from measuring skidpad grip and top speed for now.)

You’d think the slow-moving winter traffic during our test might have helped our observed fuel economy, but we saw just 18 mpg. The X3 xDrive 35i is rated by the EPA for 19 mpg city/26 highway.

No 3-Series Wagon

The X3 looks fresh in its new duds, and the comprehensive overhaul keeps it among the leaders in its class. That said, a few of our main complaints have carried over: The new model still offers little value when laden with options, and while the back seat is larger, it could still be more accommodating. Of the newly introduced niggles, we expect BMW to continue tweaking the electric steering system’s programming until it delivers the feel and performance we’re used to in the brand’s vehicles. BMW’s own 3-series wagon offers better dynamics with similar practicality for less money—albeit with no turbocharged engine option—but in this SUV and crossover-crazed country, that’s largely irrelevant. And so those who look at wagons with scorn in their eyes and contempt in their bellies will largely be pleased with the new X3, which at least now feels like a contemporary BMW on stilts.

Source: Car & Driver