2025 BMW X3 First Drive Review

Enhanced performance and updated styling improve this popular compact luxury crossover SUV.

Perry Stern | 

Dec 20, 2024 | 5 min read

Perry Stern

BMW markets its vehicles under the now-famous slogan "The Ultimate Driving Machine." Though applying that tagline to the first X3 that debuted 20 years ago was a bit of a stretch, the new 2025 X3 easily lives up to the promise with satisfying performance, an upscale interior with plenty of comfort and utility, and the latest infotainment and advanced safety technologies.

In other words, the all-new X3 is anything but basic.

Residing in the BMW SUV lineup between the BMW X1 and X5, the 2025 X3 comes in X3 30 xDrive and X3 M50 xDrive models. Each has standard all-wheel drive, and base prices range from the low $50,000s to the mid-$60,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from BMW's assembly plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, to your local dealership.

Perry Stern

Fresh Styling and Enhanced Performance

The 2025 X3 has a distinctive new look that clearly differentiates it from the previous generation.

Longer, wider, and lower than its predecessor, the new X3 adopts design traits first seen on the BMW iX electric SUV, such as amorphous flanks, flush door handles, and a more technical appearance. BMW also updates the iconic kidney grille with a new pattern and available lighting elements, while the sport-tuned M50 shows off its higher-performance powertrain with bold quad exhaust outlets.

Significant styling and feature updates throughout the cabin make this compact crossover more upscale. For example, a BMW Curved Display housing the instrumentation and infotainment screen is standard, giving the X3 a clean, high-tech look. Angular dashboard design elements add to the modern vibe.

Perry Stern

The 2025 BMW X3 also gets improvements under the hood. The X3 30 xDrive's turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine provides 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. That's an almost 40-lb-ft advantage over the previous version, giving the base model more spritely performance. The X3 M50's turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine boasts a robust 393 horsepower and 428 lb-ft of torque.

Both engines use a 48-volt mild hybrid system that integrates an electric motor into the eight-speed automatic transmission. Benefits include smoother power delivery, quicker response time, and improved fuel economy.

Capable Driving Dynamics Make the New X3 a Delight on the Road

For this review, BMW provided a 2025 BMW X3 M50 xDrive at the company's Performance Center outside Greenville, South Carolina. With its Vegas Red paint; ventilated front seats; and Premium, M Sport Professional, and Driving Assistance Pro option packages, the manufacturer's suggested retail price came to $72,225, including the $1,175 destination charge.

Perry Stern

Leaving the BMW Performance Center requires a right turn onto a road with fast-flowing traffic moving at freeway speeds. This situation can be tricky in many vehicles, but it wasn't an issue for the strikingly quick X3 M50 xDrive. BMW backs that impression up with a claim that the M50 can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 4.4 seconds.

More impressive are the driving dynamics. This is one SUV that can handle a twisty country road as easily as it cruises on a freeway. The precise steering supplies impressive feedback, the suspension controls undesirable body motions, and the brakes haul it down from speed with haste. Eager, agile, and communicative, the X3 is enjoyable to drive with enthusiasm.

At the same time, the X3 provides a confident, quiet ride on the highway. There's almost no road noise, and the suspension blunts the rough patches, keeping the driver and passengers comfortable. I would happily take a long road trip in the 2025 BMW X3.

Perry Stern

Technology Advancements Modernize the X3

The 2025 BMW X3 features numerous advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), including a limited hands-free driving system as part of the Driving Assistance Professional package. While traveling on the freeway with the adaptive cruise control set to 60 mph, traffic got heavy, and the X3's speed dropped below 40 mph, automatically engaging the hands-free Traffic Jam Assist system.

Traffic Jam Assist works on designated limited-access highways, taking control of the steering, braking, and acceleration. When traffic ground to a halt, it brought the X3 to a stop and automatically accelerated again when the cars ahead began moving. This technology can help alleviate the stress of stop-and-go traffic, but it does not give you an excuse to check your phone or take a nap. It requires the driver to pay attention to the road.

The X3 also has new BMW Operating System 9 software that powers the infotainment system. It improves input response time and provides a canvas for more digital content, including streaming, gaming, and information services. An intuitive screen layout puts the most-used functions on the homepage, overlaid on the map, which is always visible.

Perry Stern

The BMW X3 Is All Grown Up

The new 2025 X3's two most significant rivals are the redesigned 2025 Audi Q5 and the recently overhauled Mercedes-Benz GLC. Each is a compelling choice in the compact luxury crossover segment, but the BMW's potent engines, spacious cabin, and new technology ensure the X3 can defend its turf.

In addition, I think the X3 is terrific to drive. I remember evaluating the first X3 two decades ago and questioning if it was good enough to be considered a BMW. No such concerns entered my mind with this latest version. More than ever, the redesigned 2025 BMW X3 delivers the performance, comfort, and advanced technology expected of an Ultimate Driving Machine.

BMW provided the vehicle for this 2025 X3 review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

Perry Stern

As a small child, Perry was constantly playing with toy cars and trucks, and that enthusiasm for anything motorized with wheels never faded. After college, he moved to Seattle and began his long automotive career working in an automotive consulting firm, helping customers choose the right vehicle for their needs. In the late 1990s, Perry joined Microsoft to work on CarPoint, part of the new Microsoft Network (MSN). He went on to become editor of the site, remaining on staff for 20 years before venturing out on his own. Today, in addition to his work on Capital One Auto Navigator, he still contributes to MSN, as well as J.D. Power, TrueCar.com, and U.S. News & World Report. Perry lives in the small town of Dexter, Michigan, with his wife and dog, and he still smiles when he sees his 2006 Mazda Miata in the garage.