Under the hood of the sDrive28i and xDrive28i is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (240 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque), while the xDrive28d uses a diesel engine of the same displacement (180 hp, 280 lb-ft). An eight-speed automatic is standard across the board.

Apart from their powertrains, the sDrive28i, xDrive28i and xDrive28d are equipped equally. Standard equipment includes 18-inch wheels, roof rails, rear privacy glass, automatic headlights, LED foglights, automatic wipers, a power liftgate, power-folding auto-dimming mirrors, cruise control, dual-zone automatic climate control, eight-way power front seats with driver-seat memory functions, SensaTec simulated leather upholstery, a 40/20/40-split folding rear seat, a leather-wrapped tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, ambient lighting, Bluetooth, the iDrive electronics interface, and a nine-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack.

A Premium package is available for these trims, adding keyless ignition and entry, front seat power lumbar adjustment, a panoramic sunroof and satellite radio. This package is standard on the xDrive35i, along with the six-cylinder engine (300 hp, 300 lb-ft), adaptive xenon headlights and a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system (available on the other models as a stand-alone option).

The optional Technology package gets you a head-up display, a navigation system (includes a larger central iDrive screen and an upgraded controller that accepts handwritten inputs), an enhanced driver information display in the gauge cluster, smartphone app integration and BMW Remote Services.

The Dynamic Handling package adds a driver-adjustable suspension, variable-ratio steering and an enhanced version of the all-wheel-drive system (sDrive28i excluded). The M Sport package features 19-inch wheels, torque-vectoring all-wheel drive, an enhanced body kit, sport front seats, special interior trim and a sport steering wheel. Also, all trims except the xDrive28d get an eight-speed sport transmission with shift paddles, while the xDrive28d gets the shift paddles minus the transmission upgrade.

A Driver Assistance package is also offered that bundles front and rear parking sensors with a rearview camera, while the Driver Assistance Plus package throws in a surround-view camera system, an active blind-spot monitor, a forward collision mitigation system with automatic braking, and a lane departure warning system. Adaptive cruise control is available with the Driver Assistance Plus package at additional cost. The Lighting package adds adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beams to the xDrive35i, while the lesser trims get xenon headlights included, or LED headlights for an extra fee.

Some of the above items (e.g., the panoramic sunroof and the navigation system) are available as stand-alone options, and the xDrive35i's Harman Kardon audio system is optional on other X3 models. You may also encounter X3 models with an optional Mobile Assistance package that combines certain features from the Premium, Cold Weather and Technology packages.