BMW X3 Non-EV SUV has ‘traditional’ appeal All-new BMW X3 offers petrol, diesel and plug-in-hybrid powertrains plus cutting-edge infotainment tech
● Petrol, diesel and plug-in hybrid powertrain options due ● Bold new exterior design paired with minimalist interior
Jordan Katsianis Jordan_Katsianis@autovia.co.uk
X3 20 xDrive
M SPORT
Sporty M Sport models feature more aggressive-looking bumpers and darkened design elements
OFFICIAL
THIS is the all-new BMW X3, the firm’s mid-size premium SUV. The three previous generations have become main profit drivers for the German brand globally. Now, this model has been redesigned from the ground up to suit combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains exclusively; an all-electric iX3 won’t be offered, leaving space for the Neue Klasse SUV that’s due next year. Pricing will kick off at £46,800 in the UK, with the first cars arriving by the end of 2024.
The new X3 will initially be offered with a range of four engines, which kick off with a base turbocharged four-cylinder petrol option featuring a 48V mild-hybrid system. Badged xDrive20, it produces 205bhp, and allows the X3 to cover the 0-62mph sprint in 7.8 seconds while still offering a 40.9mpg combined fuel-consumption figure.
In contrast to the recently updated 3 Series, BMW will still offer a diesel powertrain for the X3. The xDrive20d features 2.0-litre turbodiesel unit, also aided by a mild-hybrid system, with peak power sitting at 194bhp. It’ll reach 62mph in 7.7 seconds, all while offering better long-range efficiency for motorway drivers, thanks to up to 48.7mpg. The diesel is rated to Euro 6e emissions regulations.
Above this pair will sit the heavily updated £56,340 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid, which pairs a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 22.3kWh battery pack and an electric motor. The peak combined power is 294bhp, but the headline figures are the 54-mile all-electric range and its 313mpg on the combined cycle. As ever, this economy rating is skewed slightly by the quirks of plug-in hybrids and how they operate during the WLTP testing procedure, but BMW has also released an MPG figure when the batteries are depleted, and it’s still an impressive 39.2mpg.
At the top of the range is the £64,990 M50 xDrive, which features the only six-cylinder powertrain option until a further diesel arrives in 2025. The twin-turbocharge
