BMW India has started 2022 with the launch of an important product, and it has gone through Life Cycle Impulse or LCI. what is that? Well, that’s BMW terminology for mid-cycle facelift, and the model we’re talking about is the company’s highly sought-after SUV – the BMW X3. The X3 is one of the more popular offerings from the Bavarian car brand in India, and with this 2022 facelift, the SUV now looks sportier, more premium and aggressive than the pre-facelift model. In fact, apart from its refreshed look, the 2022 X3 also gets a host of new and updated features and technology. We recently got a chance to spend a day with it, and here’s what we think about the 2022 BMW X3.
Read also: 2022 BMW X3 facelift launched in India; Prices start from ₹ 59.90 Lakh
design
The X3 petrol is offered in two variants – SportX Plus and M Sport, and it is the latter that we have seen in the exclusive M Brooklyn Gray Metallic colour. I mention this color because, this flat cement gray shade has now become very popular among luxury car brands, and can be seen on many high-end cars globally including the new M3. BMW recently launched a diesel version of the SUV as well, but we’ll share our thoughts on that, another day.
Read also: 2022 BMW X3 Diesel Launched in India; Price ₹ 65.50 Lakh
Visually, the 2022 BMW X3 now gets a bigger grille, full LED headlights looking sharp and a sporty bumper with black colored inserts.
So, coming back to the X3, visually, the car now comes with a large chrome grille, which is in line with BMW’s latest design language. The headlamps have also been redesigned and they now look sharp and come with the new LED daytime running lamp signature in a hexagonal shape. In fact, BMW now offers adaptive full LED headlights as standard. The new bumper also adds to the X3’s aggressive design with its bold sculpted lines and large intakes, which are accentuated by glossy black inserts.
These new 20-inch M wheels are only offered to the first 50 customers with the M Sport trim as an early bird proposition
Now BMW X3 We came up with a set of 20-inch M wheels, however, these are only for the first 50 customers as part of the early bird offer. So, if you’re not one of those early-bird customers, the 19-inch alloys are what you’ll get as standard, of course, as the wheel design will be different for the two variants.
The new LED taillights of the X3 are its biggest highlight and give a distinctive look to the SUV. The beefy bumpers with dual exhaust X3 . Let’s add to the sporty personality of
The rear is where you will notice the biggest change, thanks to the new and bold LED taillights that grab your attention instantly. In fact, they look good even in the daytime. You also get a revised bumper with glossy black inserts and dual chrome-tipped rectangular exhausts, completing the new sporty personality of the SUV.
interior and tech
The cabin of the BMW X3 gets a refreshed look with newly trimmed Senstech leather upholstery, leather dashtop and door panels and
Step inside, and you’ll see that the cabin has also received a nice makeover. The overall layout has been updated to offer a more upmarket feel, be it the faux-leather panels on the dashtop and doors, or the new perforated Senstech leather upholstery. Both front seats are electrically adjustable, and the driver’s seat also comes with a memory function. Apart from this, the SUV also gets spacious rear seats with three-zone climate control, a panoramic sunroof, separate headrests. The M Sport trim also gets brushed aluminum inserts on the dashboard and a sporty M leather multi-functional steering wheel.
The top-end M Sport trim of the X3 gets a 12.3-inch fully digital cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The SUV also gets a panoramic sunroof
In terms of technology, the top-end M Sport trim gets a 12.3-inch fully digital virtual display that offers a ton of information as well as various theme options. At the center, you have the new infotainment system, which is also a 12.3-inch unit and comes with touchscreen functionality, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and gesture controls from BMW, all part of the BMW Live Cockpit Professional Suite. The lower SportX Plus trim gets a 5.7-inch display with an analog instrument cluster and a smaller 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system.
The X3 continues to offer great space for all passengers with separate headrests and separate temperature controls. The SUV also gets a boot space of 550-litres
However, none of them get a wireless phone charger, and the USB ports are all Type-C units, so you’ll need to carry the proper charging cables. You also get BMW’s virtual assistant which is voice-enabled. So, you can use voice commands to control the cabin temperature or set a course on the navigation system. The X3 comes with a 550-litre boot capacity, which should be enough for those weekend family outings, however, if you need more luggage space, it can be expanded up to 1600-litres by folding 40:20:40 . Split the rear seats down.
Security
The 2022 X3’s long list of safety features include – 6 airbags, ABS with brake assist, electric parking brake with auto hold, cornering brake control (CBC), dynamic stability control (DSC) and attention assistant.
On the safety front too, the X3 facelift comes with a long list of features, including BMW’s Parking Assistant Plus with 360-degree view camera. Additionally, you get 6 airbags, anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist, electric parking brake with auto hold, cornering brake control (CBC), dynamic stability control (DSC) and attention assistant. The BMW X3 also gets ISOFIX child seat mounts, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS), run-flat tires and 3-point seatbelts for all 5 passengers. And all these features come as standard.
Display
The X3 we drove was powered by a 2.0-litre twin turbocharged petrol engine that produced 248 Bhp and 350 Nm of torque.
As mentioned earlier, BMW offers the X3 in two powertrain options – a 2.0-litre petrol, and a 2.0-litre diesel engine – and both are twin turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. The M Sport trim we drove came with the former. The engine is tuned to churn out a decent 248 bhp while torque output is clocked at 350 Nm, starting as early as 1,450 rpm. There is slight turbo lag in the starting RPMs, however, once you move up the rev band and cross the 2,500 RPM mark, the engine revs up nicely, propelling the SUV with great enthusiasm . Peak power is achieved at 5,200 rpm.
The 8-speed automatic Steptronic Sport transmission of the X3 offers smooth and quick changes and comes as standard with both petrol and diesel trims
The motor comes mated to an 8-speed automatic Steptronic Sport transmission as standard, and it does its job well. Changes are nice, smooth and fast. However, if you want to do some more enthusiastic driving, there’s also a manual mode, and you can use the paddle shifters to get the regime in your hand. This makes the X3 a lot more engaging and fun to drive. You also get an automatic hold function.
The X3 offers great handling and comes with adaptive suspension with individual electronically controlled dampers that adapt to both the road conditions and driving style.
BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system comes as standard with the car, and it adds to the overall maneuverability. The X3 feels stable and planted even when you’re aggressively taking a corner, but you also feel some body roll. The X3 also handles like a charm. Yes, the suspension does feel a bit stiff, but that only helps with better handling. That said, BMW also offers Adaptive Suspension which comes with individual electronically controlled dampers that can adapt to both road conditions and driving style to offer a comfortable ride. Plus, you also get four driving modes – EcoPro, Comfort, Sport and Sport+, so you can set the car’s performance according to your driving style. Even the feedback from the steering is quite good, all you have to do is point the car in the right direction, and it goes, plus, it has a nice height that gives more confidence.
Price and Verdict
2022 BMW X3 is at par with its rivals in terms of both performance and price
The 2022 BMW X3 price in India is Rs 59.90 lakh, which goes up to Rs 65.90 lakh (ex-showroom, India) for the top-end M Sport trim. In comparison, the rival Mercedes-Benz GLC is slightly more expensive at a starting price of ₹ 61 Lakh and tops out at ₹ 66.90 Lakh. At the same time, the Audi Q5 marginally undercuts the X3 at a starting price of Rs 59.22 lakh, while the top-end trim is Rs 64.09 lakh cheaper than the M Sport trim. The Volvo XC60, on the other hand, comes in only one variant, which is priced at Rs 63.50 lakh. All above prices are ex-showroom India.
| model | Price (Ex-showroom, India) |
|---|---|
| BMW X3 | ₹ 59.90 Lakh to ₹ 65.90 Lakh |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC | ₹ 61.00 Lakh to ₹ 66.90 Lakh |
| Audi Q5 | ₹ 59.22 Lakh to ₹ 64.09 Lakh |
| Volvo XC60 | ₹ 63.50 lakh |
0 notes
So, in a nutshell, the BMW X3 is definitely at par with its rivals both in terms of performance and price. In fact, in some cases, it’s even better. And yes, the GLC and X3 are the only models that currently offer a diesel version. However, if you are looking for a petrol SUV in the ₹60 Lakh to ₹70 Lakh price bracket, the X3 is stylish, offers a good number of features and technology, and offers great performance and handling. And we think you should definitely consider it as an option.
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