No longer just a brawny SUV: BMW X3 scores high on comfort and luxury

For is the first time, BMW has introduced a Luxury Line variant to the X3 range. I was curious to find out what this new third-generation vehicle had to offer. 

I observed this vehicle at the BMW India stable from a distance, trying to spot the new features that give the vehicle a very sporty appearance. The vehicle comes with an intelligent, all-wheel drive system and its intelligent lightweight construction ensures that it is 55 kg lighter compared to its predecessor.

There is a generous use of chrome on the vehicle’s exterior, be it the slats of the kidney grilles, the tips of the tail pipe, etc. Not to be missed are the air flap control with thin chrome trims, the decorative mouldings in the sill cladding and door sill finishers with “BMW Luxury Line” designation. LED lighting is plenty too, with accent lighting for turn indicators, low and high-beam LED Technology, hexagonally shaped DRLs, two-part and LED tail lights. 

The exterior mirrors are electrically foldable, with automatic anti-dazzle function. Rain sensors, automatic driving lights, welcome light carpet (which is very pronounced at night), automatic operation of tail gate for opening and closing, panorama glass roof, roof rails and a low-slung roof spoiler make up the external features of the car. The car sits on 19-inch light alloy double-spoke style wheels. The tyres 245/50 R19 are run flat but with reinforced side walls. 

Once I got inside, I noticed that several features had been borrowed from the BMW top-end sedans. There are three climate zones here, one for those seated at the back and two for the driver and co-passenger in front. The rear back seats are foldable and are split 40:20:40. They can be lowered with the press of a button in the boot area or can even be pulled down from the rear seat area. The rear seat windows have roller sunblinds which can be operated mechanically. The rear seat back rest can be adjusted by around 9 degrees. The luggage compartment has a capacity of 550 litres, extendable to 1,600 litres, thanks to rear split seats. Ambient lighting with six dimmable light designs set your mood when you are driving at night. 

The two seats in front can be electrically adjusted with memory function. Like an upmarket five series and seven series sedan, this Sports Activity Vehicle ( another name for an SUV) is luxurious. The X3 comes with two sets of keys, one a display key, the other a normal one. The Luxury Line comes with the BMW Connected iDrive. Again, the rectangular screen and the large knob on the centre console help you navigate through a lot of functions, whether it is your driver profile settings, vehicle settings, audio selection or your navigation. Wherever one can type out functions, one can write, too. The writing can be done with your finger, though it may look and feel a bit juvenile, it’s a function no doubt. That’s the iDrive Touch with handwriting recognition. Then there’s Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth with audio streaming, hands free and USB connectivity. There is also a rear-view camera, park distance control (front and rear), parking assistant, camera and ultrasound-based parking assistance system, a Harman Kardon Surround Sound system with 600 W, 16 loudspeakers), a DVD drive and integrated 20GB hard drive for maps and audio files, wireless charging, etc.  The smartphone holder integrated into the centre console allows inductive wireless charging for mobile phones and the BMW Display key.

Unlike a BMW sedan, this sports activity vehicle is meant for rough roads, so I took it on a path less travelled. I was very impressed by the vehicle’s suspension. 

Adaptive suspensions, electronically controlled automatic differential brakes and locks and dynamic traction control all came into play to make my drive through rough land a treat of sorts. The vehicle also has features like Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control.It is the BMW xDrive, an intelligent all -wheel-drive system, in this all-new BMW X3 which gets to work by distributing the engine’s power between the front and rear axle perfectly to suit driving needs. 

On smooth tarmac, the X3 is like a well-behaved sedan. The two-litre four-cylinder diesel engine of BMW X3 xDrive 20d produces an output of 190 hp and a maximum torque of 400 Nm at 1,750–2,500 rpm. The eight-speed Steptronic automatic transmission performs seamlessly with power delivery, perfectly matched to your driving modes. The steering wheel paddle shifters allow you to explore speedier drives. The driver can choose between different driving modes like Ecopro, Comfort and Sport to suit different driving conditions. There is also an Adaptive mode which automatically engages the Comfort and Sport mode, as and when the need arises while driving. 

The all-new BMW X3 comes with six airbags, dynamic stability control including Cornering Brake Control, electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobiliser and crash sensor, among others. 

The new BMW X3 Luxury Line is definitely a technologically superior car compared to its predecessor and is a lot savvier than I imagined. 

Report: Motown India; www.motownindia.com