BMW X3 M Competition review

The regular BMW X3 is among the best large SUVs for front seat space, and the X3 M Competition is no different. Its high roofline ensures that tall adults will have no problems with head room, while leg room is generous, too. A couple of tall adults can sit in the back in comfort, but fitting three abreast is as much a squeeze as it would be in an Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio or a Mercedes-AMG GLC 63S.

You get large door bins up front and the glovebox is usefully large, while lifting up the armrest reveals a generous cubbyhole. In the rear, you get sizeable door bins, while the middle seatback folds down to double as an armrest, complete with cupholders.

The boot of the X3 M Competition is identical in shape and capacity to that of any other X3; there’s more than enough space for the clobber involved in a typical family weekend, as well as enough sturdy hooks and tethering points to prevent your luggage from enduring a spin cycle during rapid cornering or heavy acceleration. 

The rear seats split-fold in a 40/20/40 configuration; there are control levers for this both in the boot and incorporated into the seat bases. Once folded, the seats form a flat load floor that's large enough to handle the spoils of a trip to Ikea.