2025 BMW X3 First Drive: Fresh Face, Familiar Vibe

• The fourth-generation BMW X3 hits showrooms for the 2025 model year.
• New styling, new tech and updated powertrains are all in the mix.
• The X3 remains one of the strongest luxury SUVs in its class.

If it ain't broke ...

The fourth-generation X3 certainly looks different than its predecessor, with smoother, tighter lines reminiscent of those on the iX and X1. The grille, while larger than before, isn't nearly as big or divisive as the ones on the iX and 7 Series. The X3's design isn't as bold or as cool as the Vision Neue Klasse X Concept, but it's handsome and gives the new SUV a much fresher face than before.

The X3 has grown, but only marginally. The wheelbase hasn't changed, so the interior dimensions are roughly the same. Rear legroom remains tighter than what you get in competitors like the Mercedes-Benz GLC or Acura RDX, but the X3, like many BMWs, offers more cargo space than almost all its rivals. With the seats up, the X3 offers 31.5 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold the rear seats flat and the space opens up to 67.1 cubic feet.

While passenger space has not changed significantly, the interior looks much different from the prior X3. The infotainment screen and digital instrument cluster still sit under one large piece of glass — no separate screens for each here. It's a much cleaner design, and the infotainment system's user interface is a huge improvement. The screen is larger, the interface is snappier, the navigation is less cluttered, and there's better integration with your smartphone. The move to touchscreen controls for the climate system is a loss, but improvements to the interface as a whole are worth the trade-off.

The color-changing panels from other recent BMW models have also been carried over to the X3. It's almost subtle, but it's neat to see the colors shift when you change drive modes. The cupholders are better placed, and there's a bit more storage up front for items like sunglasses, keys or smartphones. USB ports and wireless chargers are better positioned as well.

The fourth-gen X3's powertrains should be familiar to current owners, though the models have been updated with a bit more power and slightly tweaked badges. The increase in power for both engines comes in part via a mild hybrid system. That means there's no penalty to fuel economy despite the increase in performance.

The X3 30 xDrive uses a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four that makes 255 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque, up 7 hp and 37 lb-ft over the old xDrive30i. The X3 M50 xDrive is powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, making 393 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. That's up 11 hp and 59 lb-ft of torque over the old X3 M40i. Both engines are paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions and all-wheel drive.

November rain

The day of the drive was a rainy one in the area around BMW's facility in South Carolina. That's been a theme for me as of late. It's not a night-and-day difference, but the new model feels zippier than before. The increased torque reveals itself when taking off from a stoplight or moving through traffic. It's not a bullet, but the X3 feels peppy around town.

The extra power is more noticeable in the 30 xDrive than it is in the M50. I wouldn't call the old four-cylinder underpowered, but the new one feels stronger than you expect. The M50 is a ripper and a lot of fun to drive, but don't sleep on the base engine. The rain provided an opportunity to test the X3's all-wheel-drive system, and the X3 never had an issue putting power to the road.

The mild hybrid system — new for the X3 — has a few benefits. It's "mild" in the sense that the electric portion of the powertrain doesn't power the wheels. It just provides a little extra oomph without drastically changing how the car drives. Think of better response for the engine start-stop system, smoother shifts, quicker-spooling turbochargers, and a slight boost in fuel efficiency.

The new X3 isn't vastly different from the model it replaced; it just does everything I want from a luxury SUV a little better. It's quicker and a bit sportier to drive. The ride is a little more compliant, and the base engine is both more powerful and more fuel-efficient. The tech has been improved, too, fixing one of the last model's weak spots. The X3 doesn't break any new ground, but it does refine and improve on everything this luxury SUV already had to offer.