BMW X3
This is the 2nd iteration of the X3. The first one was kind of fun, with its slightly shrunken X5 and sharkskin dash. There were really just a few issues, compared to its X5 siblings it felt cheaply built and wasn't as spacious, and of course was almost as expensive. For me that was a deal killer. For many, a way to get into a baby X5. It worked, it sold, but I was left just a little disappointed with what could have been.
New X3 and a new chance to redeem itself. Let's get this out of the way, I feel it has. Build quality is what one expects from BMW with nary a rattle or cheap material to be seen. It is hard to tell what old age would do to it, but from new it seems a different animal.
One need to remember that most buying this are not buying the 4x4 dream of adventure and the great outdoors, certainly not in exquisitely turbo'd petrol form. What one gets is a quick, spacious, go-anywhere station wagon. At this it excels.
A few numbers reveal a lot: 0-100 in 5.7 seconds; 225kW; 400NM from just 1200 rpm to 5000; combined fuel consumption of 8.8l/100km; 8 speed auto box.
We are talking quick and reasonably economical. The handling is there. The chassis and drivetrain with some, albeit optional trickery, is a sporty proposition that walks it's walk. It isn't faultless mind you. There is what at times feels like turbo lag, but knowing the exquisite 35i BMW motor, one knows isn't. It seems to emanate from the gearbox, which also surprises me. There is for such a quick car what feels like a lurch. Stab the accelerator and before that surge of torque and power unleashes, there is a momentarily pedestrian experience. It seems to be in the setup of the combined drivetrain. Almost like the engine management stops to consider your request and then condescendingly agrees. It may just have been on this test unit, and it was moderately improved in sport + mode. That really is my main complaint. Otherwise and under normal driving, a solid way to get a lot of car places quickly and comfortably.
The interior has some great gadgets, with some of them requiring some seriously pricey ticking on the options list. The amazing panoramic sunroof comes with the R31k Exclusive Package, but costs a whopping R17,400 on its own! PDC and xenon headlights are a similar deal. Keyless go comes free, but things like heads up display, Bluetooth, iPod controllers, heated steering wheels or seats and the like will cost you! There is for the first time a weird bit of ergonomic design creeping in, the aforementioned R2,300 heated steering wheel's on button is hidden under the steering shaft mounted adjuster. Invisible to the untrained eye. Odd that.
At R598 000 it is 10% cheaper than its X5 sister, and that isn't enough to go that way. What is, is the dynamics, it is much faster, more lithe and way more economical. That should clinch the deal. By the way it is spacious this time round too.
