2004 BMW X3 Review
Fuel Economy
18 mpg
Consumer Ratings & Reviews
Upholstery Seats
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 7 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 7 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 6 | Exterior Design: | 7 | ||
Vehicle
2004 BMW X3 2.5i AWD 4dr SUV (2.5L 6cyl 6M)
Review
Bought this vehicle for my wife when it first came out in 2004. Drives well and is very responsive... just like most BMW's... Have had a good experience overall and not much to complain about. However, the upholstery (not leather but vinyl fabric?) on the front driver's seat started cracking during the 3rd year of ownership and the fabric was replaced under warranty during the 4th and final year of warranty. My complaint is that barely a year later, the same cracking is appearing on the same seat. My wife weighs about 105 lbs and there's only 52,000kms (30,000 miles) on the car!
Favorite Features
Driveability and responsive feel for a SUV.
Suggested Improvements
Use fabric for the seats that actually lasts for more than a year or two.
Bimmer Family
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 9 | Fun-to-Drive: | 9 | Build Quality: | 9 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 8 | Reliability: | 9 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2004 BMW X3 3.0i AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
Review
My husband bought this car for me for X-mas. I have been driving it for a couple years now and we are very pleased. We have made several long trips in it, in sun, rain and snow and had no problems. We have the six speed manual and the only thing I don't like is that it's so slow in 1st gear, but once into 2nd, it's very zippy and handles great. Even though the gas mileage could be better, we average 22-23 mpg's which I think is great for a 4-wheel drive vehicle. The navigation system is great! It always projects correct travel times.
Favorite Features
The huge sunroof, the automatic roll down of windows from the remote.
Suggested Improvements
Not what I was expecting from an SUV!
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 9 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 8 |
| Comfort: | 9 | Interior Design: | 9 | Reliability: | 8 |
| Fuel Economy: | 2 | Exterior Design: | 9 | ||
Vehicle
2004 BMW X3 3.0i AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
Review
I was a bit unsure if I should ever own an SUV, but after driving the X3 I was convinced that you can own an SUV and still feel like driving a sports car. I was impressed by the quickness and sportiness of the X3. Road handling feels like driving a 3 series with a kick! I highly recommend this car for those who want to have the fun of driving a BMW and have some luggage to carry with them. Watch out for gas expense! Premium fuel only??!!
Favorite Features
It's an SUV, but feels like a high performance sports car. Love driving it.
Suggested Improvements
Hire a Japanese electrical engineer to fix BMW electrical issues. Moonroof rack not shutting completely, and some other silly electrical issues.
One of the Best
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 10 | Fun-to-Drive: | 10 | Build Quality: | 10 |
| Comfort: | 10 | Interior Design: | 10 | Reliability: | 10 |
| Fuel Economy: | 10 | Exterior Design: | 10 | ||
Vehicle
2004 BMW X3 3.0i AWD 4dr SUV (3.0L 6cyl 6M)
Review
This is a wonderful vehicle. Had good experience with Highlander and Lexus RX300. X3 is different animal, performance and handling is awesome no comparison. I've put 60k miles on it with no issues at all. Drove X3 from Virginia to Jersey in heavy rain and absolutely loved the handling and performance. Drove Highlander and Lexus in heavy rain from DC to Jersey. X3 made highlander and Lexus look like a puppy. I'll keep X3 till it dies. I put my life on my cars and get my car maintained by authorized dealerships.Its maintenance cost over all per annum is almost same as Highlander and Lexus. In fact I ended up paying more for the Highlander and Lexus cause I put more miles.
Favorite Features
Performance and Handling plus acceleration of 3.0
Suggested Improvements
Should be more spacious
Good but not great.
Overall Rating
| Performance: | 8 | Fun-to-Drive: | 7 | Build Quality: | 6 |
| Comfort: | 7 | Interior Design: | 6 | Reliability: | 7 |
| Fuel Economy: | 8 | Exterior Design: | 8 | ||
Vehicle
2004 BMW X3 2.5i AWD 4dr SUV (2.5L 6cyl 6M)
Review
Purchased this car to replace a Tahoe for fuel economy. Gets great fuel economy, 2.5l is adequate but wish I had gone with the 3.0l. Excellent stability in poor driving conditions. Fit and finish is severely lacking. Ash tray lid won't stay closed. Paint chipping on roof rack. Often have issues with door locking system. Radio seems to delete all preset stations every couple days. I also have 330i and experience none of these issues. BMW really missed the mark with this car. Feels like a Kia.
Favorite Features
Fuel economy, stability and handling and overall design.
Suggested Improvements
Make it feel more like a BMW. Cheep and low budget interior isn't what I have come to expect from BMW.
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