Super TestCar reviews - BMW - X3 - rangeBMW modelsOverviewBMW has another go at its coolly received compact SUV: meet the facelifted 2007 X315 Dec 2006 By CHRIS HARRIS REVISION and reposition – this sums up the BMW X3 now that it has just undergone its first facelift, three years after the luxury SUV’s underwhelming debut here. With the upcoming second-generation version of the limelight-hogging X5 set to move up in size and price, the Bavarian brand hopes the 2007 version of its compact SUV can make more of an impact, via better petrol engines, nicer cabin trim and more standard features. Happily, the revised X3 is still an involving drive, but a long hard look is needed to spot any stylistic differences. Model release date: 1 December 2006 to 1 October 2008 All car reviewsAlfa Romeo Abarth Alpine Alpina Audi Aston Martin BMW Bentley Chevrolet Chery Citroen Chrysler Dodge Cupra Ferrari DS Ford Fiat FPV Foton GWM Great Wall Holden Haval HSV Honda Hyundai Hummer Isuzu Infiniti Jeep Jaguar Lamborghini Kia LDV Land Rover Lotus Lexus Maserati Mahindra McLaren Mazda Mercedes-Benz Mercedes-AMG Mini MG Nissan Mitsubishi Peugeot Opel Proton Porsche Renault Ram Rover Rolls-Royce Skoda Saab SsangYong Smart Suzuki Subaru Toyota Tesla Volvo Volkswagen Previous modelPerhaps BMW’s least impressive model of recent years, the original X3 confounded critics and buyers alike with its fussy styling, low-rent cabin fixtures and pricing that put it perilously close to its brilliantly accomplished X5 big brother. And while it has gone on to outsell it globally, the X3 will never be as highly regarded. Two in-line six-cylinder petrol engines – a 141kW/245Nm 2.5i, and a 170kW/300Nm 3.0i – were available, in five-speed automatic guises, although a small percentage of the former’s demographic chose the optional six-speed manual. A round of changes in late 2004 partly addressed some ride quality concerns, while a storming 3.0d version arrived in late 2005, boasting a 160kW/480Nm diesel and a six-speed auto. |
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