2022 BMW X3

The BMW X3 overtook the 3 Series as the automaker’s best-selling U.S. model in 2018 and it hasn’t looked back. Americans have fallen in love with crossovers, and the X3 offers exactly the kind of SUV practicality and room they’re seeking, with high-end accommodations to boot. But unlike some small SUVs that compromise fuel mileage and road manners for space and utility, the X3 deftly blends its useful shape with the athletic personality of BMW’s cars and (with one notable exception) surprising efficiency. 

For 2022, the X3 gets a visual refresh, front and rear and loses its plug-in hybrid option, but it also adds more features and technology without losing any of the core traits buyers like. Bright new 12.3-inch infotainment and driver’s displays are now optional and standard on the higher trims. The entry-level 30i models can get some new M Sport options, the M40i gets a 48-volt mild-hybrid system for its engine and the X3 M gets more power.

One of the first such vehicles, compact luxury crossovers have proliferated since the original X3’s debut in 2004 and the competition is fierce. The current X3 was new in 2018 and competes with the Mercedes-Benz GLC (due for replacement next year), the Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace and Volvo XC60 as well as newer rivals like the Genesis GV70 and Lexus NX. The GLC and Q5 offer sportier “crossover coupe” variations, but BMW handles that duty with the closely related X4.

What sets the X3 apart from the crowd is its dynamic similarity to BMW’s cars, particularly the 3 and M3, which share the same powertrains and platform. While it clearly feels like an SUV and offers the typically high view of the road, it’s an athlete at heart. The 248-horsepower 30i models are fun while the 503-hp X3 M Competition is pure hooligan. In the sweet spot between speed and livability is the 382-hp M40i, the most popular trim and a good choice for growing enthusiast families.

Those families will find a reasonable amount of back seat space to make travel quite comfortable for four, and cargo space that is among the best in class. The seats are firm and the interior is typically BMW, visually restrained but comfy and made from high-quality materials. There’s plenty of technology, too, although there are many menus to learn for new users. 

BMW also makes many nice features extra-cost options, like wireless charging and its full set of driver-assist gear (a $1,700 upcharge). Features like adaptive cruise control now come standard on some of the X3’s rivals, and its safety scores are above average. It’s free of the more controversial elements of modern BMW styling, but also less distinctive like rivals from Genesis and Volvo. That said, this is a thoroughly enjoyable vehicle to drive that happens to be family-friendly and luxurious. It’s hard to go too wrong.

Performance: 14/15

With the PHEV dropped this year, there are now four ways to order your X3, all of them turbocharged and packing eight-speed automatic transmissions. The 30i models, the rear-drive sDrive and AWD xDrive, are powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine making 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. It may be the base model, but it will still sprint to 60 mph in about 6 seconds and it’s still fun on a twisty road.

Staring out over the X3’s big hood from its high driving position you never feel like you’re in a sports sedan, but it handles with the confidence of one. The X3 M40i steps up the power and sound significantly, with BMW’s “B58” series 3.0-liter inline-six that’s used in many other models and now comes with a 48V mild hybrid system. It is not a full hybrid, and the system is used to augment power and make delivery smoother. There’s also an auto stop-start system which some people dislike but we found unintrusive.

The M40i’s engine makes great noises (augmented by a special M Sport exhaust) and delivers 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, good enough to propel the M40i to 60 mph in just over 4 seconds. While they’re performance SUVs, the 30i and M40i models are also pretty cossetting inside, with a relatively smooth ride. There’s considerably more noise in the M40i, but it requires no compromises in regular real-world errand running like more dedicated performance machines like the X3 M.

The M uses the 3.0-liter S58B30 inline-six also found in the M3 and M4, with a 473 hp, 457 lb-ft wallop. If that’s not enough, there’s also the $7,000 Competition package, which turns the heat up to 503 hp and 479 lb-ft. Both versions of the M are a hoot to drive, with effortless power, herculean grip, sub-4-second zero-to-60 times and raucous exhaust notes, but they’re also loud inside, have much more aggressively bolstered front seats and ride more harshly than the other X3s.

Fuel Economy: 14/15

With the exception of the M, the X3 line is surprisingly fuel-efficient for an SUV targeted at people who like to drive fast. The rear-drive X3 sDrive 30i is rated at 23 mpg city, 29 highway and 25 mpg combined by the EPA while the AWD xDrive 30i loses only 1 to 2 mpg in each measure. That’s equal to or better than most four-cylinder rivals. The PHEV X3 is discontinued now, but only Volvo and Lincoln offer competing PHEVs in this class, both with much better mileage. Lexus’s NX hybrid is best in class.

The six-cylinder M40i is rated at 21 mpg city, 26 highway and 23 mpg combined, but in real-world testing we observed about 24 mpg in combined driving. Six-cylinder competitors are 2 mpg less efficient in city, highway and combined driving on average, but some of them don’t meet their published estimates. 

The X3 M, predictably, uses much more fuel than the other versions and is rated at 15 mpg city, 20 highway and 17 combined. That’s worse than either the Porsche Macan, Mercedes-AMG GLC43 or Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Unfortunately, all X3s drink premium only.

Safety & Driver Assistance Tech: 12/15

The 2022 BMW X3 earns a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a slate of “Good” ratings in tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ rating in October 2022 like it had in 2020, but its LATCH system still scores only a “Marginal.”  

On the active-safety front, BMW equips the X3 with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, forward collision warnings, blind spot monitoring, lane departure warnings and rear cross-traffic alerts. 

Additional features are available as part of the $1,700 Driving Assistant Professional package, which includes adaptive cruise control with stop and go, lane keep assist with side collision prevention and traffic jam assist for limited access highways. A $700 parking assistance package adds proximity sensors and surround-view monitoring. These are nice additions, but some competitors now offer adaptive cruise and certain other functions as standard features.

Comfort & Room: 13/15

The X3 is a comfy machine for four but a crowded one for five, and some other rivals have more room inside. There are 40.3 inches of front legroom, which is less than some rivals but enough for even long-legged tall people to feel comfortable up there. The front seats are supportive and firm without ever feeling uncomfortably so, and don’t wear you out on a long drive.

In the back, there are 36.4 inches of rear legroom, which is much more than the Porsche Macan (though Porsche does not publish a number, we’ve been in it) and even with the Jaguar F-Pace, but an inch or more less than competitors from Mercedes, Genesis and Volvo. Six-footers can fit back there just fine though taller folks might find it a touch cramped. For driving enthusiast families, there’s plenty of space for child seats and large door openings for easily loading them.

Infotainment: 13/15

A 10-inch infotainment screen Is standard on the X3, with larger 12.3-inch units for both the center screen (as seen in the larger X5) and driver’s display newly optional and standard on the M40i and X3 M. Both of the infotainment screens run BMW’s familiar iDrive7 interface and can be controlled by touch, steering wheel controls or the round controller dial on the console. There are also optional gesture controls for some settings, though they’re a bit hit-or-miss.

iDrive is easy to manage once you learn it and offers lots of functionality, but for users new to BMW it comes with a bit of a learning curve and adjusting simple things like the bass or treble means cycling through a bunch of menus. Happily, many hard controls for HVAC and other functions are retained and (wireless) Apple CarPlay and (wired) Android Auto are standard. A Wi-Fi hotspot and a pair of USB ports come standard too, and some nice extras like a head-up display and a wireless charging pad are optional. 

Cargo Space & Storage: 14/15

There are 28.7 cubic-feet of cargo space behind the X3’s rear seats, and 62.7 with them folded, numbers which are nearly best in class among luxury crossovers. The Volvo XC60 has only 17.1 behind its rear seats, but 63.3 overall. The Jaguar F-Pace, which is right on the edge of midsize, is tops in this group with 31.5 and 69.1 overall, while Cadillac’s XT5 offers 30 and 63. The GV70 has about the same amount with the seats in place, but less overall, while Mercedes offers less in both dimensions.

A power tailgate with a hands-free opening function is standard, and there are some hidden storage compartments beneath the floor in the cargo area. BMW also doesn’t skimp on small-item storage.

Style & Design: 7/10

BMW famously doesn’t shy away from controversial styling, and one need only look at the 4 Series or iX for proof of that. The X3 is distinctly a BMW design,  but it isn’t polarizing like they are. It isn’t conventionally handsome either in the way the Mercedes-Benz GLC and Genesis GV70 are, and its collection of scoops and strakes looks a little busy. It also comes primarily in dark colors that end up hiding most of the details, while the most vibrant hues cost $1,500 extra. 

Any business on the outside is made up for with a clean, logical cabin. The X3 keep’s alive BMW’s tradition of functional luxury, and while it might appear spartan in pictures the materials and workmanship are top-notch, from the colorful stitching on the M Sport steering wheel to the tiny rear HVAC controls.

Is the 2022 BMW X3 Worth it? Which X3 is the Best Value? 

At $44,695 (including a $995 destination fee), the sDrive 30i is the least expensive way to get into an X3 and leaves room in the budget for some of the many optional extras, the most important of them being the $1,700 Driver Assistance package. If you don’t need the AWD, this is the best value.

The M40i is a substantial step up in price at $58,795 but it also comes with the much more powerful six-cylinder engine and many nice features that are extra-cost options on the four-cylinder X3s. It nets you the M Sport exhaust, brakes and adaptive suspension as well as meaner-looking visuals and the 12.3-inch displays. It’s no really any less fuel-efficient for its speed, either. 

BMW makes many options available a-la-carte, which is nice if you’re going to detail exactly the build you want, but it can also drive up the sticker. There are Premium packages that bundle in the head-up display and gesture controls, special paint colors and the shadowline blackout trim package, although we’d pass on that one.

The X3 M is lots of fun and comes with upgraded materials including nice Merino leather, but it also costs $71,095 to start and can get much more expensive with options like the Competition package. 

How Much Does it Cost to Insure the BMW X3?

The X3 costs a little more than its rivals to insure, but not much. According to our data, the average 30-year-old female driver with a good record can expect an average annual premium of $2,408 for the X3 M40i. A similar Genesis GV70 Sport Prestige would run to $2,467, an Audi Q5 $2,192, a Volvo XC60 $2,120 and the Acura RDX $1,725. To get a more accurate picture of your potential insurance expenses, see our car insurance calculator.