16 April 2009 - 11:00
Spring clean
It's turning into SUV week here at Top Gear. We've already seen a blinger VW, an even uglier Audi (didn't think it was possible, huh?) and now we've got a greener BMW X3.
This is the clunkily named X3 xDrive18d, but here's the important bit: it's the most economical X3 ever - and one of the cleanest, most frugal SUVs we've ever seen.
The X3 xDrive18d (no, sorry, we can't keep writing that. How about X318d, BMW?) is powered by a 2.0-litre turbodiesel, which puts out 143bhp and a handy 258lb ft of torque.
It'll see the X3 to 62mph in just over 10 seconds - which, let's face it, is as fast as you ever really need to go in a porky SUV - and, more importantly, will return 45.6mpg and emit just 165g/km of CO2.
That's impressive stuff - in fact, consumption is eight per cent lower than the stop-start Freelander, while emissions are 10g/km lower than the cleanest Audi Q5. That said, the new hybrid Lexus RX will manage 148g/km and is quicker into the bargain, hitting 62mph in 7.9 seconds.
The X318d (yes, we're sticking with that) starts at £27,865. Go and buy one. Or don't. Your choice.
Now watch Clarkson take the X3 off road, with disastrous results:
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Yes, it's ugly as sin and probably had to be carried away by an helicopter after that photo shooting on the rocks.
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If that X3 is ugly then there needs to be a massive urgent cull of all SUVs Except X5. Porsche cayenne will be first to the slaughter followed by the soulless classles Q7.If anyone thinks the X3 is as ugly as a sin then we all need a face lift ourselves or perhaps spec savers need to expand their stores in order to admit more visually impaired folks. That is a massive improvement on the early X3. I hate X3 anyway but that is much better. Tiguan, Q5, and co please stay indoors. It is for the best.
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Well, a little improvement is that it no longer shows grey plastic on half the outside. But it still has the indicators from another car and that constellation of holes under the headlights is truly ghastly. And at BMW they liked so much the needless twisted c-pillar it's still there. But of course most SUVs look disgusting. The G-Class is no SUV and is all you need if you want a classy off-roader. Or get a Defender a Range Rover o a Lada Niva
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that is truly hideous
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Dont like it, and I think the whole nation is getting to Green Conscious!
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X5 is (or will be) better. Next!
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Give the Germans some credit! They produce BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW, Skoda (owned by VW), Lamborghini (owned by Audi), Opel (Vauxhall), Porsche, Rover has BMW engine, SMART is produced by Mercedes, and so on. If you would present only the British cars in your show, then in a week you would finish "Top Gear" for the next 10 years! :ppppp
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If it's a 2 litre why are they calling it the blah blah blah 18d, that annoys me about BMW, if it's a 3 litre call it at 330 not a 335 because it has a turbo.
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still ugly and have u seen how expensive u can spec them up to. I managed to get a X3 speced to 50 grand the same as a bmw M3 or M5
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How could you make an X3 even uglier?Beats me but BMW have done it.
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So it has the same amount of seats and boot space as a two-litre Focus diesel estate while being slower than one, it eats (a little) more fuel and produces more carbon dioxide, and worst of all, it looks like that. I can't see a reason to buy the X3, aside from the BMW badge.
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pointless. I want an efficient petrol STI impreza, not a car thats supposed to go offroad but cant so bmw have decided to make it more efficient. not helpful bmw
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lol i agree with StigsIrishCousn. the 3 16 is actually a 3 18 just detuned. what the hell?
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I have had many cars,including a Porsche Boxster which curetly own. I have had a 3.0 i sport X3 which wa pretty good. It was almost as fast as the Boxster and in the snow, obviously much better. The X3 is not that bad looking . The Sangyong and Suburu tribecca are ugly.Even the Porsche Cayenne is ugly. The X3 is average but not all that bad. Mine had loads of room in, Heated leather seats, Full Satnav/Tv, full Parking sensors,bluetooth, cruise control, cd changer etc. etc. They may be too expensive new, but second hand they are good value. Compare it to the second hand Freelander,which is very unreliable and slow, and the few grand more for the BMW seems worth it. I really liked the car. In the snow it was excellent, it is not good off road but I would buy a tractor if I wanted to drive in a field!!
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By the way, the X3 DOES have the same 4X4 system as a Mitsubishi Evo, as Clarkson pointed out in the video, so it can't be that bad. The car is fine in the mud, it is the tyres that let it down, as with all 4X4 cars with low profile tyres. If any other 4X4 did the same test as the X3, with low profile tyres, it would get stuck in mud. The recent snow that we had in winter 2009 showed how good it really is, as all other cars in my road got stuck except me. Ride is unbelievably firm but it handles very well.
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I have owned my X3 for 3 years and love it. The X5 is too big and less economical. The X3 is fast, handles better than almost all other 4X4 cars and has all the luxury you would expect from BMW. I have owned 4 other BMW cars and it is rubbish that this car is poorly made. It is not as good as an X5, maybe, but compare it too other 4X4 cars such as Landrover and it is far superior. It fits in a single garage, unlike an X5 but has almost as much room inside. It is extremely reliable too, unlike a Landrover. This car is very under rated.
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Open Car Bar
Shivank commented on this article
16 April 2009
well,i don't understand why should anyone buy this SUV??..or the X3,it looks as ugly as it can,not at all practical,not a good off-roader too.And the other part is its bad bad suspension...i think prospective buyers' should rather work hard for 1 more year and then invest their hard-earned money to buy the big brother of the beemer family-the X5..
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