 2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
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Review and photos by Jil McIntosh
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2008 BMW x3
Oshawa, Ontario – Sometimes, even the companies commonly considered to be fairly bulletproof can have a mis-step. BMW stumbled a little in 2003, when it launched the X3 for model-year 2004. It was the right size for a segment that was becoming extremely popular, but it had its weak points, including a rough ride, plasticky interior and droopy front-end styling that always reminded me of a bulldog’s face.
The company addressed much of that with several enhancements for model-year 2007, including adding more horsepower, improving the ride, smoothing out the styling and giving the interior a more upscale appearance. All of that continues for 2008, along with the introduction of active head restraints and a rollover system on all models.
The X3 is available in two versions: the 3.0i, and my tester, the 3.0si. Both use a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder, but while the 3.0i makes 215 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, the 3.0si produces 260 horsepower and 225 lb-ft of torque. Both base with a six-speed manual transmission, but mine was optioned to a six-speed automatic; both models feature xDrive, BMW’s excellent proactive all-wheel drive system. The 3.0i starts at $45,300, while my 3.0si tester’s base price was $51,100. The automatic transmission is a no-charge option on both.
 2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
Although I’ve driven X3 models before, this was my first time with an autobox; in keeping with its sports sedan background, BMW is one of the few that equips this segment with a manual transmission. It’s very well-done, shifting smoothly and almost seamlessly, but the throttle could use some work. Tip-in is abrupt and it’s not easy to modulate: while acceleration is very strong and nicely throaty on hard pedal, it can be tough to take off smoothly from a light or to inch forward in stop-and-go traffic.
The X3’s xDrive system is a pretty slick one: it uses a variety of sensors that work together to figure out if there’s a risk the vehicle is going to start to understeer or oversteer. By working as proactively as possible, the system can respond by shifting torque before it’s necessary to brake a wheel or decrease engine power, resulting in a smoother driving experience. No system can completely compensate for poor or overly aggressive driving, but this one does a good job of keeping the vehicle on the straight and narrow.
2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
Despite this trucklet’s all-wheel system and ground clearance – BMW prefers the term “sports activity vehicle”, or SAV, to the more common SUV – the X3 is more of a gentle off-roader than rock crawler – and works well on a rough road to the cottage or ski slope. A hill descent button on the centre console controls descent speed should you be looking at a steep incline down along the way. What the X3 lacks in rugged capability, it makes up on the asphalt, where the ride is smooth and quiet, with only a bit of choppiness on really rough roads, and with no banging over bumps. Most of them probably won’t go any further off the pavement than onto the odd gravel driveway anyway, and it’s a very pleasant vehicle for a long-distance highway ride.
Against a published fuel economy rating of 12.2 L/100 km in the city and 8.4 L/100 km on the highway for the automatic transmission, I got 13.0 L/100 km in cold winter weather. The recommendation is for 91 octane fuel.
As nice as the interior has become, it’s an effort to get in if you’re not very tall, as the sill is very wide. Getting out again requires that you take a huge step to avoid brushing your pant leg against the road grime on it. BMW offers add-on aluminum running boards that were thankfully left off my test vehicle, as they’re too narrow to be useful steps and they make it an even longer reach to get out with clothing unscathed.
  2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
Both models come with heated seats clad in “leatherette” upholstery as standard equipment. Optioning my seats involved two separate packages. Real leather came as part of a Premium Package, which also added a heated wheel, panorama sunroof, auto-dimming mirror and lighting package, and while I prefer cloth seats overall, there was no denying the buttery feel of the upgraded upholstery, as well as that characteristic tanned-leather smell (BMWs have such a distinctive aroma that you can pretty much get into one with your eyes closed and know the vehicle’s brand). A separate Comfort Package turned the front chairs into Comfort Seats, along with a garage door opener, heated rear seats and Park Distance Control. The front seat includes a multi-position adjustable backrest which, oddly enough, I had difficulty getting to exactly the right position for my shoulders – it’s possible to have too many ways to adjust a seat. The 3.0si’s standard memory feature is very helpful for keeping its kink in place once the proper spot is determined.
While there’s still a lot of plastic in the X3’s dash, it’s all soft-touch or textured, along with just enough wood trim. The instrument cluster is simple and elegant, and the centre stack is mercifully free of iDrive, BMW’s system of joystick controller and computer screens for many of the functions. The stack’s buttons could be a bit larger, but given a choice between small buttons or iDrive, I’ll take the manual system any day. The dash-mounted vents are easy to operate and close completely via large thumbwheels. A nice touch is a dial on top that lets you control the temperature of the air coming out of the centre vents separately, so that you can blast red-hot air onto your feet without your eyes feeling like you’re facing the noonday wind in the Sahara.
 2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
All in all, everything is nicely set up: the wheel is the right size, the seating position is good, rear-seat passengers get enough legroom, and there’s a fair bit of small-item storage, including a dash-mounted cubby, large glovebox (including a small flashlight that charges itself while it’s stored), centre console box, fairly roomy map pockets and passenger-side tunnel net. The driver’s coffee mug stores in a console-mounted cupholder, but the front passenger makes do with a version that swings out of the dash, and while it holds the cup quite well, I’ve never been comfortable with hot liquid swinging in space above my pant leg.
I also like the fact that the X3 starts with a twist of the key, instead of a starter button, and that the automatic transmission’s gearshift lever is a standard unit, instead of the awkward push-pull electronic unit on the X5. I find that feature can be downright dangerous, especially for drivers unfamiliar with the vehicle, since the downward pull that puts the car into Reverse on almost every other car instead sends the X5 into Drive.
 2008 BMW X3 3.0si. Click image to enlarge |
The rear seats are as comfortable as the front ones, and made even nicer for your carpoolers on cold mornings with the optional heated seats. (The heated wheel is a really nice touch as well, for those of us who detest winter weather.) The rear seats fold almost flat, and open the rear cargo area from a length of 94 cm to about 158 cm. The rear hatch is very well balanced and closes with just a slight tug.
I have to admit, I still have a bit of a problem wrapping my head around the idea of a top-heavy SUV as a sporty vehicle. That said, if anything’s going to fit the bill, it’s going to be the X3. It’s available with a really sweet manual transmission, its handling is very sharp for the segment, and its xDrive system helps keep it flat whether it’s a nasty snowstorm or a corner to be carved. I also find it a far better vehicle than the pricier and not terribly impressive X5. There are cheaper SUVs than the X3, and more capable off-road ones, but this BMW has made itself a niche that it manages to fill very well.
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Pricing: 2008 BMW X3 3.0si
Base price: $51,100 Freight: $1,400
Specifications
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