The benefit of buying a supposedly practical vehicle—in this case, a small SUV—from a performance company is that even if you don’t go crazy with the engine, tire, and suspension upgrades (and believe me, you can) all the other details about the car are typically elevated far beyond the average. Even the base X3 compact SUV rides like a well-tuned performance sedan, and the suspension and powertrain are dialed-in brilliantly, particularly in the X3 M variant. It’s a fun place to be, and well worth the premium you pay for buying a BMW.

From the base model’s 248-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder to the X3 M’s insane 503-horsepower twin-turbo six-cylinder, the entire lineup displays BMW‘s traditional versatile and fun-to-drive characteristics. BMW

The question, of course, is whether there are enough of those little perks—build quality, design, details like electric parking brakes—to make it worthwhile. That’s up to buyers to decide, and certainly many who can afford BMW’s still err on the side of Mazdas and Hondas because those tweaks aren’t worth it to them. But in the case of the X3, as with so many premium products, the answer is yes for those who do appreciate nuances in performance and usability.

The driver-centric cockpit is ergonomically designed, though the infotainment switchgear requires a short orientation period for those new to the brand. BMW

Take one of the least-tangible qualities, design. The interior of the X3 is engineered for comfort, convenience, and excellent driver visibility. The infotainment system is tweaked for immediate responsiveness and access to precisely what you want. The ride is smooth and powerful, while still being efficient. That all adds up to an effect that certain folks notice and respect—less cumulative fatigue on long trips, thanks to the ride quality, or easier conversation when using hands-free voice communication, thanks to the quiet ride. Or the psychological perk of a solidly good audio system. Even the seats are compliant and accommodating, with 10-way adjustability. Finally, there’s the fact that this is the first “sport activity vehicle” that BMW offers with a factory-installed trailer hitch. Not a big deal, but it makes toting bicycles a lot easier when you can use a hitch mount instead of a trunk mount. Again, it’s the little things—and they all add up.

There are, of course, limits to any vehicle’s successes, and they’re usually the constraints of the segment. A small crossover is essentially a slightly elevated station wagon—though without quite the length and thus storage capacity of the latter. So they aren’t inherently impressive or exciting, and the X3 is no exception. It’s a small car that looks good and rides great, but it doesn’t have nearly the floating-cloud vibe that a 5-Series sedan or X5 SUV will have. Nor is its interior particularly accommodating for adults in the rear. That’s the limits of the category, but they’re limits some won’t care about at all.

Not the most spacious second-row in the segment, it makes up for the close-quarters with attention to detail and quality materials. BMW

They especially won’t care when they do see all that they’re truly getting with the badge. Again, it goes back to thoughtful design. The panoramic moonroof makes the comparatively cramped interior feel open and airy, while the assorted leather and the paddle-shifters for the eight-speed transmission call to you when out and about to inject some thrills into your ride. That’s the DNA of the brand, and BMW works hard to infuse it even into its more “popular” models. 

The exterior design is indisputably clean and exotic, especially with BMW’s broad range of rich, satisfying paint options. The proportions are perfect, which is helped along by the car’s relatively modest dimensions. The visuals might also matter little to many car buyers, but the truth is they matter a lot to just as many, and the X3 is a step above most everything else it competes with.

From every angle, the X3’s design exudes a purposeful vibe without being too clinical. BMW