Elon Musk’s obsession with the letter ‘X’ is well-documented, but BMW’s obsession is far more practical. When I reviewed the outgoing X3 last year, I felt it was clearly the driver’s choice in the luxury segment, though it fell short on cabin materials.
Enter the new X3 30 xDrive M Sport Pro. Locally produced at the BMW Group Plant Chennai, this isn’t just a minor facelift, but a power-up that has addressed my previous gripes and doubling down on the adrenaline factor.
Pro exterior
The X3 – although a midsize SUV – was already a large SUV, but the M Sport Pro package pushes it into the ‘substantial’ territory. A love-me-or-hate-me design is the BMW Iconic Glow illuminated kidney grille, which now features a fully blacked-out, high-gloss finish.
The SUV rides on 20-inch M light alloy wheels, and its red brake callipers are a hallmark of high-performance sports cars.
Evolved interiors
The outgoing X3 didn’t match the cabin of the GLC, as its mediocre plastics looked very plasticky. The new X3 has fine-quality plastics and vegan leather upholstery. Visually, the cabin of the GLC still looks slightly more premium, but the X3 adds a sporty touch to that premiumness. The BMW Interaction Bar – a light bar stretching across the dashboard and into the doors – is picked from the 7 Series, and looks good.
Spirited performance
In my review of the outgoing X3, I calculated a 0-100 km/h time of about 8 seconds – good, but not enthralling. The X3 30 xDrive M Sport Pro has shaved-off almost 2 seconds from that – and is almost in the electric car territory. On the road, it means effortless overtaking and a level of agility that only a BMW can offer.
Unlike most SUVs that suffer from body roll, the X3 has low centre of gravity and remains planted on corners.
What I didn’t like
Two ‘touchy’ affairs: Most vehicle controls have been moved inside the touchscreen – and fiddling with the screen while driving such a powerful SUV can be risky. The glossy black parts inside the cabin attract a lot of fingerprints, and dust.
The huge protrusion on the dashboard on the front passenger side looks unusually bulky and invasive – my co-passenger called it “hideous.”
Should you buy it?
Visually, the X3 30 xDrive M Sport Pro (Rs 74.5 lakh) appears to have stronger road presence compared to Mercedes-Benz GLC (Rs 75.5 lakh) and Audi Q5 (Rs 63.75 lakh). But the GLC still is a step ahead in terms of luxury quotient, and the Q5 a step ahead in terms of value – the Bimmer, however, is many steps ahead in driving pleasure. Don’t buy it if you want to sit in the backseat.
