Car Statistics: BMW - X3  Series 03 (3 stars)

Styling (3 stars)

Revisions haven't done much to sharpen BMW's weakest recent effort. The X3's frumpy back end and narrow-looking construction means it can't come close to matching the X5 for road presence.

Handling (4 stars)

Decent by the standards of mid-sized SUVs, the X3 grips keenly and delivers plenty of feedback to the driver.

Comfort (4 stars)

Ride compliance is now pretty good thanks to softened chassis settings. Refinement is good at cruising speeds, too.

Quality (3 stars)

Some very dubious bits of interior trim when compared to the X5 and 3 Series. Not up to BMW's usual high standards.

Performance (4 stars)

All engines except the most basic 2.0 litre petrol have decent amounts of urge. The 3.0 litre diesel is particularly good, while the twin-turbo 3.0 Sd has rocketship performance.

Roominess (4 stars)

Front and rear seat occupants enjoy plenty of space and the boot is impressively commodious too - it's slightly bigger than the X5's

Costs (3 stars)

Tightly controlled supply is keeping depreciation under control at the moment. Petrol engines thirsty, diesels are frugal, but all are expensive to insure.

Value (2 stars)

Compared to rivals like the Toyota Rav-4 and second generation Land Rover Freelander the X3 looks very expensive. You're paying for the badge rather than the car.

Stereo (4 stars)

Decent standard audio system works well, optional satnav is familiar from other cars in the BMW range - easy to use once you've got the hang of it.

Other

Replacement: 2009

JD power stars: 3

Best models: 3.0sd Sport and 2.0D SE

Worst models: 2.0i

Overall Rating (3 stars)