By Otsile Kadiege

The BMW X3 has been, for many years, one of the brand’s popular and important ‘Sports Activity Vehicles’. In some markets, the nameplate sold more units than the sporty 3 Series sedan, eventually making it BMW’s best-selling model. In a bid to remain relevant in a increasingly competitive segment, BMW has finally lifted the veil off the all-new, fourth-generation X3 – code-named G45. The newcomer ushers in a daring new design philosophy, new exterior paint options, a minimalist interior with new technology and improved practicality, an upgraded chassis, improved ADAS features, and hybridised powertrains to name a few.

Bold new design

Thanks to a new design philosophy, the new BMW X3 sports a monolithic appearance with typical X series proportions and modern BMW styling cues. Highlights upfront includes an upright grille with vertical and diagonal slats, and optional BMW Iconic Glow contour lighting. The kidney grille is flanked by angular LED headlights with boomerang-shaped LED daytime running lights. Customers can opt for Adaptive LED headlights with Matrix high beam.

On its sides, the new X3 boasts a minimalist profile with a few sharp creases and flared rear haunches. As standard, it’s shod with 18-inch light-alloy wheels while customers can opt for wheel sizes up to 21-inches. At the rear, the new X3 sports LED taillights with T-shaped graphics and an integrated roof spoiler and quad tailpipes for the M50 derivative.

The new BMW X3 can be ordered in a choice of one solid and eight metallic shades for the exterior paintwork, including the new Dune Grey metallic finish. Models produced at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg will additionally be available from launch with three BMW Individual paint finishes (including two matt shimmering Frozen options), as well as over 15 BMW Individual special paint finishes.

The exterior is 34 millimetres longer than its predecessor, at 4,755 millimetres, and 29 millimetres wider (now 1,920 millimetres). Together with a 25-millimetre drop in vehicle height to 1,660 millimetres, this produces a very powerful and sporty look that clearly hints at the car’s greater dynamic prowess, which is further improved by the increase in track width by up to 16 millimetres at the front (to 1,636 millimetres) and up to 45 millimetres at the rear (to 1,681 millimetres). The wheelbase of the SAV is virtually unchanged, measuring 2,865 millimetres.

M Sport and M Sport Pro packages

An M Sport package can be added as an option to give the new X3 a sporty appearance. It features extra-large air intakes at the front, black bars for the BMW kidney grille, M-specific side skirts, M High-gloss Shadowline trim and a striking rear apron with integral diffuser element. M light-alloy wheels measuring 19-inches also form part of the M Sport package.

An M Sport package Pro is also available. It builds on the content of the M Sport package by adding, among other things, a black surround and the Iconic Glow contour lighting for the BMW kidney grille, M Sport brakes with red-painted callipers, M Shadowline lights and extended M High-gloss Shadowline trim.

Minimalist and modern interior

Inside, the new X3 boasts a progressive, sophisticated and sporty ambiance. Highlights include a BMW iX sourced multifunctional steering wheel (X3 M Sport and M50 get a flat-bottom steering wheel with M colour stitching and a red 12 o’clock marker), an optional Head-up Display, BMW’s Curved Display comprising 12.3-inch Information Display and a 14.9-inch Control Display running on BMW’s latest Operating System 9, animated ambient lighting, and front door panels with BMW’s fancy Interaction Bar control display with control panels for the airflow and for switching on the hazard warning lights.

Other highlights include a new, standard Econeer trim with materials made from recycled PET, a knitted look on the dashboard and door panels of the M Sport and M Performance derivatives, an optional 15 speakers Harman Kardon sound system, a wireless charger, increased knee-room and improved ease of entry, and 570 litres of boot space (or 1 700 litres with rear 40:20:40 split seats folded down).

Safety and driver assistance systems

The BMW X3 comes with a significantly expanded range of standard and optional systems for semi-automated driving and parking designed to assist the driver. As standard, the new X3 comes with BMW’s Driving Assistant package which includes the following advanced driver assistance systems:  front collision warning with brake intervention, Lane Change Warning with active lane return, Rear Collision Prevention, Rear Crossing Traffic Warning with brake function, manual Speed Limit Assist, and an exit warning function.

The optional Driving Assistant Plus adds features like Lane Keeping Assistant with active side collision protection, Road Priority Warning, Wrong-way Warning, Front Crossing Traffic Warning, the Emergency Stop Assistant and the Emergency Lane Assistant. With this package, Steering and Lane Control Assistant and Active Cruise Control can be used when travelling at up to 210 km/h.

Electrified powertrains

Powering the new BMW X3 is a range of hybridised four-cylinder and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines. The power and torque outputs of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol and diesel engine are 153kW/330Nm and 145kW/400Nm respectively.

The plug-in hybrid derivative is also powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, however, thanks to assistance from BMW’s fifth-generation eDrive technology, the total system output increases to 220kW and 450Nm. It accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed 6.2 seconds. Top speed is 215 km/h with the car reaching a maximum of 140 km/h in pure electric mode.

At the heart of the potent X3 M50 is the much-loved B58 3.0-litre straight-six turbo-petrol engine. It now develops an uprated power and torque of 293kW and 580Nm. Thanks to the xDrive all-wheel drive system (standard feature across the X3 range), the X3 M50 accelerates from zero to 100km/h in a claimed 4.6 seconds and has a top speed of 250km/h. in 2025, BMW will add a six-cylinder diesel engine to the G45 X3 engine lineup.

All powertrains are paired with an eight-speed Steptronic transmission with gearshift paddles as standard.

Availability

The new BMW X3 will be built at BMW Group Plant Spartanburg (USA) and Plant Rosslyn (South Africa) using a production process focused on conserving resources and circularity. Its South African market launch will get underway in the fourth quarter of 2024.