What Car? Awards 2012

BMW X3

Winner best 4x4s and SUVs

The winner of our best 4x4/SUV of 2012 is the BMW X3. Of all its attributes, it’s probably the fact that this big and powerful SUV manages to average more than 50mpg that’s most impressive.

This means it’s significantly more fuel-efficient than not only its four-wheel-drive rivals, but also most of the front-drive ones.

Refinement is another X3 strength, because road and suspension noise are extremely well suppressed. What’s more, the suspension strikes a superb balance between comfort and control, and the steering is well weighted.

You also get a cabin that’s built from high-quality materials with real attention to fit and finish. It has plenty of space for all the family and their gear.   The only SUV that came close to beating the X3 was the Range Rover Evoque. It’s a fine car and has more dramatic styling, but the X3 has the edge in just about every other area.

That said, we would recommend spending an extra £1525 on the smooth eight-speed auto ’box.The manual has a rather stiff action, while the auto shifts smoothly, and doesn’t affect economy.

Read the full BMW X3 review