One of BMW’s most successful models in sales volume, the X3 SUV, is now in its fourth generation with an all-new look both inside and out. This medium-sized, performance SUV has been one of my favourite drives for 2025 offering all of the performance, prestige and tech that I would expect from a European car company.
The M50 xDrive is the top grade and for Australian customers it features M Sport Package Pro, which includes M lights Shadowline, and M Sport brakes finished in high-gloss red. We also get the BMW Iconic Glow contour lighting as standard equipment, as well as signature twin headlights with new L-shaped light elements. The headlights incorporate adaptive LED headlights with matrix high beam and blue design detailing. This X3 feels substantial on the road, not in a negative way, but a positive one, it has real presence. This is added to by the inclusion of metallic paint at no extra cost on the M50, with this colour being Arctic Race Blue.
Adaptive suspension, which is standard across the range for Australia, sharpens the handling of the new BMW X3 at the same time as increasing its ride comfort. Even on these 21” M light alloy wheels Star-spoke style 1037 M Bicolour wheels the ride was very comfortable. There are three drive modes to select from, Personal, Sport, and Efficient and the digital driver’s dash changes design depending on your drive mode. In Sport mode the ambient lighting colours default to M colours and it’s also here that the X3’s performance also really shines.
The 3.0-litre M TwinPower Turbo unit in the X3 M50 xDrive produces a maximum 293kW of power and 580Nm of torque and channels drive to the road via an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission with plastic steering wheel mounted paddle shifters. BMW xDrive, an intelligent all-wheel drive, assists in achieving a standard sprint time of just 4.6-seconds, an improvement of 0.2-seconds on the X3 M40i. The official combined fuel consumption is 8.2L/100km and for my week with this X3 I used 8.9L/100km. My overall impression of the X3 was that engine delivered good speed with a nice noise for you to enjoy, particularly on a cold start and under hard acceleration.
The engine also has 48V mild-hybrid engine technology and the X3 M50 definitely takes the award for ‘Best use of Mild Hybrid Technology’ of any vehicle I have driven utilising it. Allow me to introduce you to Boost mode! To engage you hold the left-hand paddle shifter for approximately two seconds, the driver’s dash flashes to show that its engaged and you are get a temporary boost is available for a duration of 10 seconds for speedy overtakes or just a little bit on fun in a straight line.
The robust BMW key fob can remain safely in your handbag as the X3 has keyless entry on both front doors and keyless start. Highlight elements on the interior include the high-definition BMW Curved Display, BMW Interaction Bar, a flat-bottomed steering wheel, a new-look gear selector lever, and M seat belts. The sporty looking steering wheel is heated, with the option to adjust the intensity of the heating, and has manual steering column adjustment. On the steering wheel is the button you press to activate the voice control, which worked well and got my input correct on the first attempt for making a phone call, changing the radio station and entering a destination on the sat nav. I did find the head-up display graphic was too large though, so I turned it off.
The optional BMW Individual leather ‘Merino’ Black/Atlas Grey ($4,000) is lovely to touch and delivers a nice aroma in the cabin. It also contrasts beautifully with the BMW Individual Magnolia fine-wood trim with fine print. I also liked that there was a limited gloss black plastic used in the cabin and in its place was a clear plastic resin look, which came to life at night with the ambient lighting options.
Both front seats have power adjustment for recline, forward/back, seat height/tilt front and rear, four-way lumbar support and manual front leg extension. The driver’s seat also has side bolster support and two memory positions. In addition to seat heating, which has adjustment for the distribution of heat between the back and base, the front seats in this generation of the X3 are also cooled. Both functions work well, but the cooled seats were very noisy when operating.
The centre console area that BMW calls the ‘jewellery box’, includes a wireless phone charger, a second phone pad, two USB-C ports, and one 12V socket located under the arm rest. The two large cupholders are easy to access and all four doors also have good-sized drink bottle storage cubbies in them.
This latest generation top spec X3 now gets a 15-speaker, 750-watt harmon/kardon surround system and a fixed panoramic sunroof with a thick sunshade. The climate control also features a combination of digital air speed touch controls for the front vents and manual direction control below the air vents I liked that the X3 had a top and bottom central air vents so I was able to blow warm air onto my knees.
I found that the rear seats had a good amount of head and leg room and the under-thigh support was adequate. The centre seat folds down as an arm rest with two cup holders in it that have grippy sides and there are two ISOFix/three rear tether child seat restraint points. But the centre tether point is not labelled as such and this could lead to some confusion for parents.
The outer seats are heated and there are manual blinds on the rear windows, two new features of this generation X3. Rear passengers get two central air vents with individual direction control and one central on/off roller switch. The screen below for the climate controls was blacked out and not working on the X3 that I drove, but thankfully you can also adjust the rear temperature from the front of the cabin as well. Below the screen there are two USB-C ports for charging devices.
The X3 boot can be accessed using the gesture open and close tailgate or you can open/close from the external button, button in the cabin and the key fob. The boot space has four substantial tie down points, two hooks, two lights and one 12V socket with a tyre repair kit under the boot floor. The cargo cover is also substantial and there is a cargo net that separates the boot from passenger area and this is stored under the boot floor for when needed. If more space is required the 60:40 split fold rear seats can be lowered, but the seats do not lie completely flat, or you can lower the centre seat separately for longer items
The fourth generation BMW X3 is currently unrated by ANCAP, but there are many advanced driver aid systems come as standard on Australian-delivered BMW X3 variants. Headline elements include front collision warning, Steering and Lane Control Assistant, Lane Departure Warning, Driving Assistant Professional and Parking Assistant Plus with surround view camera and front and rear parking sensors. Other systems fitted include adaptive cruise control, hill decent control, blind spot monitoring, and an attentiveness assistant, which is not intrusive as I didn’t even realise it was active while I was driving the X3. For convenience you also auto wipers with a light on the stalk to indicate that you have selected auto mode. The auto lights and high beam assist can be activated by pressing the end of blinker stalk. A graphic of the X3 is then displayed on the infotainment screen and here you can select these functions.
All new BMWs have a five years/unlimited kilometre warranty and BMW Roadside Assistance, with Accident Management complimentary for three years. The service interval for the X3 is every 12 months or 16,000kms, whichever occur first and a basic service package for this period is $2,475.
The BMW X3 M50 xDrive offers you and your family an abundance of power, luxury, and equipment. As tested this BMW X3 M50 xDrive was $148,373 drive away in NSW. You can Build & Price your new BMW X3 online or visit your preferred BMW dealer for more information.
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| Pros | Cons |
| The boost mode | Cooled seats were noisy when operating |
| The cabin ambience | The head-up display was too large |
| Ample room in the rear seats | Centre rear tether point not labelled |
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.