2021 BMW X3 Review

Name: 2021 BMW X3 Review
Brand: BMW

Price Range: $19,900 - $43,998

+381

Though it doesn't stand out in any one category, the 2021 BMW X3 is a capable all-rounder. It's comfortable and enjoyable to drive. The cabin isn't as pretty as those of its contemporaries, but overall the X3 is a solid pick for a small luxury SUV.

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Price & Payment

95 cars

$31,143 avg. price

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2021 BMW X3 Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Many advanced safety features are now standard
Android Auto is finally available
A few previously optional features are now standard
Part of the third X3 generation introduced for 2018

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 BMW X3 sDrive30i 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Texas

$164/mo

$154/mo

Avg. Midsize SUV

Calculate my fuel costs

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

3/5Average

#16 out of 18 among Luxury Compact SUVs

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the BMW X3 from 2008-2022.}

$741/yr

vs. $559/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

1.71x/yr

vs. 1.23x/yr
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

13.6%

vs. 8.6%
for Average Luxury Compact SUV

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

BMW X3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

4.2

31 reviews

5(64%)

4(13%)

3(9%)

2(3%)

1(11%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

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)

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 …

My first BMW

Matt Strausser, 01/04/2021

2021 BMW X3 M40i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

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.

Great Update On The X3!

MoparFan71, 12/22/2020

2021 BMW X3 xDrive30i 4dr SUV AWD (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A)

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 …

Fun SUV. A definite sleeper to play with.

Rick, 10/19/2021

2021 BMW X3 M40i 4dr SUV AWD (3.0L 6cyl Turbo 8A)

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.

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2021 X3 Highlights

Type:

SUV

Trim:

sDrive30i

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$43,000
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	27 MPG
Cost to Drive	$164/month
Seating	5 seats
Cargo Capacity All Seats In Place	28.7 cu.ft.
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the X3 models:

Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go: Maintains a set distance between the X3 and the car in front. Can bring the X3 to a stop and resume speed when the car in front moves.
Adaptive Brake Lights: Brightens the brake lights to indicate a sudden stop and flashes them to indicate an emergency stop.
Parking Assistant Plus: Guides the X3 into a vacant parallel parking spot with minimal driver intervention.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover4 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover17.2%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Good
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Good
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2021 BMW X3 Review

Price & Payment

2021 BMW X3 Review

What's new

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 BMW X3 sDrive30i 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

BMW X3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Volvo to BMW - great upgrade

My first BMW

Great Update On The X3!

Fun SUV. A definite sleeper to play with.

2021 X3 Highlights

Safety

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2021 BMW X3 Review

Price & Payment

2021 BMW X3 Review

What's new

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2021 BMW X3 sDrive30i 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

BMW X3 Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Volvo to BMW - great upgrade

My first BMW

Great Update On The X3!

Fun SUV. A definite sleeper to play with.

2021 X3 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2021 BMW X3 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of BMW

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2021 BMW X3 sDrive30i 4dr SUV (2.0L 4cyl Turbo 8A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $3.52 per gallon for premium unleaded in Texas.}