Driven: 2025 BMW X3 Looks Better Than It Drives

BMW completely redesigned the X3 for 2025. The small luxury SUV now looks more aggressive and distinctive than ever before. Despite that, it sticks to the traditional formula of offering either a turbocharged four-cylinder or six-cylinder engine, with the latter offering a few other sporty upgrades. BMW also gave it a bit more space and updated infotainment to keep it competitive.

To see just how competitive the X3 is, we spent a week behind the wheel of what’s likely a volume seller: a four-cylinder X3 30 xDrive with the M Sport package. Based on our time with it, we found it to be exceedingly stylish inside and out. But when it came to driving, this version of the X3 left us wanting.

What’s Changed For This Model Year?

The 2025 BMW X3 has been fully redesigned, with the styling being the most noticeable changes. The SUV adopts the bolder and more angular design introduced on such vehicles as the iX and XM, which carries through into the interior. It’s also slightly larger, and features more powerful turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines.

The extra size has added a bit of space on the inside, increasing cargo capacity behind the second row by 2.8 cubic feet to 31.5, and capacity behind the first row by 4.4 cubic feet to 67.1. The extra power isn’t much, though, has left 0-60 mph times unchanged. BMW claims a stiffer chassis, and the X3 features the latest iDrive 9 operating system.

Exterior: BMW Finds A Styling Balance

Modern BMW design has been divisive, to put it mildly. Enormous grilles and large, blunt bevels and corners have made the cars distinctive, but not pretty. On the X3, though, BMW seems to have found a good balance between some of its new ideas, and combining them with a milder shape. You’ll still find the new cues with the flat, trapezoidal surfaces around the wheel arches, the relatively unadorned doors, and intersecting grille lines. It’s a shame that some of the sensor guards detract from the detailing.

You’ll also see welcome signs of restraint with the fairly conventional overall shape and a grille that doesn’t reach planetary proportions. In an age of complex pop-out door handles, we also appreciate BMW’s conventional, but modern-looking units. The whole thing looks sportier, too, with the scowling headlights, and the way the lines sweep up to the rear. It has a poised shape that seems fitting of an “Ultimate Driving Machine.”

BMW offers ways to personalize the looks. The M Sport Package and six-cylinder X3 each get different grille inserts, wheels, and painted calipers. An illuminated grille surround is available on the four-cylinder examples and standard on the six-cylinder, though we think it’s a little much for an otherwise clean-looking SUV. A Shadowline package adds dark accents and lights, and wheels from 19 to 21 inches in diameter are available.

Interior: Even Funkier Than The Outside

Like the exterior, the X3 features a thoroughly modernized BMW interior. That means that it has a dramatically angled dash with a pair of dual screens nestled in the slope. The dash is normally plastic, but woven fabric accents are available to make it even more unique. Wood trim or aluminum are available, with the latter coming as part of the M Sport package. Unfortunately, the application of aluminum and wood is minimal, so most of the dash and door panels are plastic, and you can tell. Customizable illuminated trim is found on the doors and center stack. They’re some of the most interesting ambient lighting applications on the market, as the smoked transparent surfaces are faceted, which makes them look almost jewel-like when lit up. Though if you find them obnoxious, they can be turned off completely. The M Sport package also adds a flat-bottom steering wheel. It looks sporty, but it’s also quite thick and isn’t the most comfortable to hold.

Perhaps the best feature of the interior are the front seats. They come standard with power adjustment, memory, and heating. They’re extremely supportive with good lumbar adjustment, bolstering, and adjustable thigh support. The rear seats aren’t quite as remarkable, but they’re well-sculpted and have good leg and headroom, just like the front seats. Seat ventilation, rear seat heating, and a heated steering wheel are all optional.

Infotainment: A Mixed Bag

BMW’s latest operating system, iDrive 9, is relatively user-friendly. It has shortcuts at the bottom of the screen for climate controls and to access functions such as the phone, navigation, and audio. The user can also set up mini displays to show up over the navigation screen for information about some of those features. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard and wireless, and BMW even offers video and game streaming through the infotainment system. The screens and graphics are high-resolution and visually striking, though the low contrast and busy designs can make them a little hard to read at a glance.

Everything operates quickly and smoothly. We appreciate the redundant physical controls in the center console. What we don’t appreciate are the touch-sensitive buttons everywhere. They’re used for the door locks, memory seat buttons, and even the adjustments for opening and closing air vents. They look fancy, but simply aren’t as nice to use as traditional buttons and sliders.

Powertrain & Driving: Not The Ultimate Driving Machine

We only had the opportunity to try out the BMW X3 30 xDrive. This model comes with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, rather than the M50’s six-cylinder. It still comes standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Our tester was equipped with the M Sport Package, which adds slightly stiffer suspension, adaptive steering feel, and M Sport brakes, and it was fitted with 21-inch wheels with staggered performance tires (Goodyear Eagle F1s, with 255-mm tires up front and 285-mm tires at the rear).

The standard wheel and tire combination on the X3 30 is a set of 19-inch wheels with 245-mm tires at each corner. Adaptive suspension is an option on the X3 30, and it’s standard on the M50. The M50 also gets an electronically controlled limited-slip rear differential.

The four-cylinder BMW X3 is unimpressive when it comes to driving. The engine is primarily responsible for this. It’s fairly noisy, and the sound is nasal. It makes the X3 feel slower and more burdened than its claimed 6.0-second time to 60 mph would suggest. The automatic transmission doesn’t shift anywhere as quickly or smoothly as it does in other BMWs; setting off, it can feel a little hesitant. We suspect the six-cylinder option sounds far better and feels far more exciting and engaging with around 140 more horsepower.

The M Sport suspension also doesn’t feel especially good at any one thing. It feels a bit bumpy and busy at times, and a softer tune would probably be more comfortable. It also doesn’t eliminate body roll or control the car well enough to feel particularly great as a sporty suspension either, so we’d suggest looking at either an X3 without the M Sport package, or one with adaptive suspension, as they’re likely better choices for your needs.

Steering is dead, to put it bluntly, and the M Sport’s steering settings go between light and numb and heavy and numb. The X3 does feel responsive, balanced, and grippy in corners, but it seems like the copious amounts of rubber likely played a big role. Still, it bodes well for the sportier six-cylinder version. Capping off the generally uninspired driving experience is the fact that it’s a little noisy for a luxury SUV with noticeable road and engine noise.

Verdict & Pricing: Go Big Or Go Elsewhere

The X3 30 xDrive starts at $49,950. With the $1,175 destination charge, that comes to $51,125. That makes it one of the more expensive options in the segment, on par with the Mercedes-Benz GLC. Similarly-sized competitors such as the Audi Q5, Lexus NX, and Acura RDX all start for thousands less.

If you want more power, the X3 M50 xDrive starts at $64,700, or $65,875 destination included. This puts it right between the Audi SQ5 at the low end, and the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 at the high end. Our tester came to a total price of $60,875 with options.

As interesting as the X3 looks, it offers a mediocre drive. That’s not what you expect from BMW. It’s also a problem considering the price. For less money, there are more fun-to-drive options, such as the Acura RDX, or even the Mazda CX-5 and CX-50 Turbo models. We suspect the M50 is far more entertaining, and its adaptive suspension is probably more comfortable. It’s priced more reasonably, too, considering the competition. So, unless you’re really taken with the styling, and simply can’t afford to upgrade to the M50, we’d suggest looking somewhere other than your local BMW dealer for a small luxury SUV.