|
|
|
|
12/03/2011
By EWAN KENNEDY
|
|
|
|
The SUV market is very important to BMW Australia as around one third of all its sales are in this category. Previously the mid-sized BMW X3 hasn’t had quite the sales success of the big X5, but the just launched second generation version is significantly larger than the outgoing model.
In fact the new BMW X3 is almost as large as the original model X5. BMW has carefully sized it to sit almost exactly between the smaller X1 and the larger X5.
Like a matched set of luggage the three BMW SUVs neatly complement one another in their styling. The gen-two X3 has the familiar slightly boxy shape, but that has been enhanced by the use of not one, or two, but three style lines down each of its flanks. The middle style line sets the pace for the wagon by beginning just behind the front wheel then swooping up to pass through both sets of door handles, before being continued into the shape of the taillight.
Naturally, the new BMW X3 has the traditional Hofmeister kink in the rearmost pillar. It’s large in this X3 application and leaves no doubt at all about which marque you are looking at.
Inside, the styling follows the latest BMW theme, with a large instrument binnacle housing clear round dials and a centre dash section carrying a larger than before screen for satellite navigation and/or other display items.
Spaciousness is a big feature of the latest BMW X3. There is now ample legroom for those in the rear seat and three children will find they have good shoulder room. Fitting in three adults will still be a bit of a squeeze, but that’s hardly unusual in vehicles of this size.
Boot space is good and the luggage area is well shaped and easy to load.
In an interesting move, BMW has declared that it’s so far in front in the handling and road holding aspects of suspension design that it has concentrated on improving ride comfort instead of simply going for added steering feel and road grip.
The new suspension is impressive. Our introduction to the gen-two BMW X3 was done in the far north of NSW and included a lot of hilly roads that are in a poor state. We even did a couple of dozen kilometres on pot-holed dirt road, with the conditions further exacerbated by rain and mud.
Comfort is better than in many sedan cars and, aided at times by electronic traction systems, the mid-sized BMW never looked like getting into trouble.
Note that the X3 sits on the latest design of run-flat tyres, thus proving the German maker is correct in its decision to stick with these units. The BMW X3 shows that you can have the added safety provided by run-flats together with the comfort many buyers demand.
Having spoken in length about comfort, we can now talk handling and road holding and are delighted to report that the BMW X3 provides as much driving pleasure as ever.
Unfortunately we also have to report that large windscreen pillars spoil visibility under some driving situations. And that the head-up display is useless for anyone using polarising sunglasses.
The German car makers’ relentless push to reduce engine emissions while keeping, or even improving, performance continues in these new BMW powerplants. We drove the X3 with the 20d turbo-diesel engine (135 kW of power and 380 Nm of torque) as well as a 28i petrol unit (190 kW, 310 Nm).
The turbo-diesel has been increased in power by four per cent, but CO2 emissions are down by 17 per cent and fuel use has been cut by 16 per cent. Yet it can accelerate from rest to 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds.
The petrol powerplant has even bigger gains, with power being up by 19 per cent on the previous engine, yet its fuel usage is a thrifty 9.0 litres per hundred kilometres.
Both engines are smooth and responsive and have strong torque that makes climbing hills simple. The new eight-speed automatic transmission works nicely with the engines and is the only unit being imported to Australia. It is generally in the right gear for the occasion and has manual overrides if you don’t agree with the computer’s decision.
Still to come is a high-performance 30d diesel engine with the seemingly impossible specs of accelerating to 100 km/h in just 6.2 seconds, but with a combined fuel consumption number of 6.0 litres. It will arrive in Australia in mid June.
BMW’s all-new X3 SUV is larger than the original and seems sure to find a place for itself with family car buyers, whereas the first model was often restricted to couples and singles.
The complete BMW X3 range, with prices (excluding government and dealer charges) is:
X3 xDrive 20d diesel: $62,200 (automatic)
X3 xDrive 28i petrol: $71,900 (automatic)
X3 xDrive 30d diesel: $74,900 (automatic) |
|
|
|
|
|
Print Article
Submit Feedback
Email This Article
