BMW X3 long-term test: report 4

The car BMW X3 20 xDrive M Sport Run by Steve Huntingford, editor

Why it's here To see if the latest version of this popular SUV is worth a place on your shortlist

Needs to Combine a refined and enjoyable drive with family-friendly practicality and good real-world efficiency

Mileage 4202 List price £51,985 Target Price £49,995 Price as tested £61,260 Test economy 40.8mpg Official economy 40.4mpg

15 June 2025 – Peak performance

I’m usually a fan of road trips. However, it turns out that a 5am start is enough to dampen my enthusiasm – particularly when the majority of the journey is going to be on the motorway.

It was earlier this week, and I had to get from my home in West London to the Peak District for a video shoot. But while that felt more like a chore than a treat as I climbed into my BMW X3 and stifled a yawn, I was quickly reminded of what an excellent mile-muncher this car is.

At high speed, and with its adaptive suspension (a £550 option) set to Comfort, it takes the sting out of bumps and expansion joints. Yet, just as importantly, the suspension swiftly brings the X3’s body back under control, instead of letting it – and the people sitting inside – bounce around.

It also helps that the driver’s seat is very supportive, and wind and road noise are well suppressed. Plus, when the automatic gearbox is set to Comfort, it shifts up pretty quickly to quieten down the engine, but isn’t so determined to stay in a high gear that you feel like it’s blunting performance.

In fact, the only thing that caused irritation was the sat-nav. First, after I stopped at services for a caffeine hit, it required me to reselect my destination, which felt like something that shouldn’t be necessary. And second, while it’s generally great that directions are projected onto the windscreen via the head-up display (HUD), the amount of information this tries to get across can actually be a bit distracting at more complex junctions.

Interestingly, this second issue has been addressed for the new BMW iX3, where the same info is split over two separate displays: the HUD and a panoramic readout that runs along the base of the windscreen.

As I neared my destination and swapped the motorway for winding lanes that were lined by dry stone walls, I switched into Sport mode, which makes the whole car feel tauter.

I particularly like the way the ride retains enough suppleness to stop the X3 being knocked off line by mid-corner bumps. However, I did feel the need to dip into the personalisation menu and put the gearbox back into Comfort; in Sport it’s actually a little too eager to kick down for my taste, making progress a bit jerky.

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