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Used 2021 BMW X3 Consumer Reviews

4.2 out of 5 stars
31 reviews
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5 out of 5 stars

My first BMW

Matt Strausser, 01/04/2021
2021 BMW X3 M40i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
32 of 34 people found this review helpful

My first and definitely not last. I'm 6'1" 225 and this fits me well. I also have back issues that I do not experience at all in this vehicle. I looked at all the competitors in this class and for me the BMW won because of the 6 cylinder, the space for rear passengers, and wow is it fun to drive.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
Value
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Volvo to BMW - great upgrade

wbm, 07/26/2021
2021 BMW X3 xDrive30e 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A)
12 of 12 people found this review helpful

We had a Volvo S60 Inscription - nice car, but small details, such as no roof rack, and small trunk after installing a spare tire mean that it was not suitable for long trips. We looked at the XC60 hybrid, but with no spare, it did not seem ready for camping trips (we did use the spare on the Volvo - it paid for itself first time when we had a flat on the way to the airport on an interstate...). The BMW has run flat tires, which may not be optimal, but they at least allow one to get off a dangerous auto route when one has a flat. We have now put in 2000 miles on short and long trips on the BMW. Overall, we found the BMW X3 hybrid with executive package to be more refined than the Volvo - great handling, lots of power, comfortable, quiet, nice sound system, android auto works so one can use google maps. In terms of gas mileage, I assume the EPA 24 mpg comes from gas only. However, the hybrid system seems to work well, and without charging, we are getting consistently around 32 mpg (same as the S60, which is a sedan), so the range in practice is about 420 miles. At home, we get around 18-20 miles per change on electric only, and so we rarely buy gas when not on a trip (got a Mustart charger that plugs into the dryer outlet - charging is 4 hours). Finally, as others have pointed out, the car has great safety numbers. A Gripe: With the kick opening of trunk means the BMW hitch does not work, and one has to use a stealth hitch, which works well. However, with a bike rack installed, one has to be careful with both the kick opening (which can open and hit the rack), and backing up - need to turn off parking, otherwise car slams on brakes since it thinks the hitch is a wall. Since bikes stick out, the lane warning light is often on. Would be handy if there was bike rack detection or setting. Overall, we are very happy with the car, and just have to learn to turn off the park assist when backing up with bikes...

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Great Update On The X3!

MoparFan71, 12/22/2020
2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
46 of 51 people found this review helpful

Having owned both an 2007 X3 and a 2013 X3, I can definitely say that this X3 is an improvement over the previous generation. The interior is better laid-out and has higher-quality finishes than before and compared to the Mercedes GLC300 and Land Rover Discovery Sport that I also looked at. The seats are also much more comfortable than the last X3 and I love the new iDrive and all the tech features! Plenty of power on tap, with seamless acceleration. My only complaint is that you can't hear much engine noise upon hard acceleration. I like that "grunt" I've always received from BMWs and without it I often find myself going 60 on back roads without even feeling like I am.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
4 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
4 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

Fun SUV. A definite sleeper to play with.

Rick, 10/19/2021
updated 04/22/2024
2021 BMW X3 M40i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)
13 of 14 people found this review helpful

My previous ride was a 2019 BMW X5 40i and I thought it was the best of the best. Then I decided to trade it due to high mileage and I ordered a 2021 BMW X3M40i. OMG!!!! What a boost in power and handling. I had to rethink my driving. This suv is not for the inexperienced driver. I ordered the M-differential and the M-sport suspension with 20" tires. It came with Bridgestone Alenza 001 RFT's and wow do they ever corner. They came with a speed rating of 168mph since my new suv now had a speed limiter preset at 155mph. The speed limiter was raised from 130 to 155 due to the summer performance tires that had the speed rating of 168mph. Had I ordered the 19" all weather tires, the speed limiter would have been preset at 130mph. My X3M40i is Glacier Silver Metallic exterior with Cognac leather seats and I also opted for red brake calipers instead of the standard blue calipers. I've had lots of fun with other people pulling alongside of me and getting me to race them. The look on their faces when my suv blows past them. This X3M40 is a rocket on steroids. With the M-sport suspension on it, I have gone hard into corners and felt it somewhat squat as I exited the corner at a higher rate of speed. No leaning and no body roll. However, due to this suspension, it has a very firm ride and that is fine with me. I recently took it on a trip to Wyoming and got 29.8mpg on it at 74mph. I had it on the ECO mode. The speed limit in Wyoming is 80mph and it had plenty of power at that speed. I've already decided to buy another one in a few years. UPDATE: This suv is on steroids. It is very fun to drive and is known as a sleeper. It doesn't look fast but I've yet to lose a race. It handles as well as it performs too due to having a sport suspension along with the M-differential and Michelin all-weather non-runflat z-rated tires. With all the power this suv has, one would not believe the gas mileage it can get. I set my cruise at 75mph on a trip from Indiana to Wyoming last summer and I got 29.8mpg overall. Not bad for having a high-performance vehicle that is capable of top speeds of 155mph. Currently I have about 28k miles on it. Seats are comfy. The ride was quite firm until I replaced the runflats with non-runflats. I've now got 72k miles and they've all been wonderful. No problems at all. I do oil changes every 11k miles and on my 2nd set of tires. I got rid of the runflats and installed Michelin all-weather tires z-rated for 186mph. I've learned to over-inflate my tires about 2-3psi. My best gas mileage is 34.7mpg at 70mph on ECO-mode on cruise. Hard to believe I got this on a performance motor. Currently, I am waiting on my next one to arrive. I ordered another X3M40i. It is mostly the same except it is a mild hybrid and white exterior with cranberry red interior, black wheels, and red calipers.

Safety
5 out of 5 stars
Technology
5 out of 5 stars
Performance
5 out of 5 stars
Interior
5 out of 5 stars
Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars

From RDX to X

Jeff Finkel, 12/18/2020
2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)
23 of 26 people found this review helpful

Just traded in 2019 Acura RDX for this model. Couldn’t be happier. Although the RDX tech model seemed perfect. (Although there was some tech problems at first) . But, I found this model to be just the right stuff. My X3 gave me a step up in comfort and in tech extras. It’s a great choice.

Safety
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Interior
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Comfort
5 out of 5 stars
Reliability
5 out of 5 stars
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5 out of 5 stars
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