[blackpear]

Originally Posted by bmw335ie90

The interior is a travesty, if this sells well expect even cheaper materials and layouts in the future.

My bet is that it will sell well. It’s still a great drive, has the badge and is still a top pick for an SUV.

I think BMW will ignore the criticism because the cost cutting means their margins improve and the sales will justify the means.

[Ev0lutionx]

Thanks for sharing. IMHO, still a disappointment and downgrade from previous versions in terms of design.

Here’s to hoping the design team shake up will get BMW designing desirable vehicles again. 👌🏻

[avi66]

Originally Posted by blackpear

My bet is that it will sell well. It’s still a great drive, has the badge and is still a top pick for an SUV.

I think BMW will ignore the criticism because the cost cutting means their margins improve and the sales will justify the means.

Although BYD will start take away sales from BMW in Europe.

It will be interesting when Chinese brands start to be considered more premium based on execution rather than name.

[Mr. Jonathan]

Not sure why BMW went with the B58 vs S58 which is in the X3M. Not throwing shade on the B58 by any means just nagging question in my mind.

I drove the X3M40 and wasn’t impressed with the interior build quality which ultimately made me shy away from getting the X3M assuming it was the same.

How was the interior of the X3M50 over the X3M40?

[readyact]

Looks solid. I just hope that the red color is slightly more vivid than this imo.

[avi66]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jonathan

Not sure why BMW went with the B58 vs S58 which is in the X3M. Not throwing shade on the B58 by any means just nagging question in my mind.

I drove the X3M40 and wasn’t impressed with the interior build quality which ultimately made me shy away from getting the X3M assuming it was the same.

How was the interior of the X3M50 over the X3M40?

There’s no way the M50 is a proper M replacement. It takes more than twin pipes, but adding pipes is easy and cheap.

If you like cheap hard black plastic, and blandness, the interior will appeal to you. The only thing sporting about the interior is the red band on the steering wheel lol.

“ Sounds good, doesn’t it? But then you slip into the driving seat, and it all goes sideways very quickly. Getting in is fine, and the sportily sculpted seats are perfectly pleasant, even with the sustainable fabric that feels a bit rough but is otherwise comfortable. You’re greeted by a cleanly designed and minimalist new dashboard that’s topped with a massive screen housing, and there’s lots of ambient lighting all over the place. And then you close the door…

At that point, things start to unravel, because the handle built into the arm rest feels terribly cheap. The sort of cheapness we kind of accepted in the Volkswagen Up! a decade ago, but certainly won’t tolerate in a premium SUV today. And once your hand has recoiled from the tackiness in the manner of a 21st Century Jack Sparrow picking up dog dirt, you realise most of the door card feels equally low-rent. The arm rest itself is fine, but the plastic on the top of the door is no better than acceptable, and the door catch is dire. It’s thin and lightweight, the texture is naff and the whole thing feels like it’s made from old wheelie bins. It even makes the same noise as a wheelie bin lid closing when you let it spring back into place.”

https://www.driving.co.uk/car-review...3-2024-review/

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by -JLT-

Just saw and test-drove the new 2025 BMW X3 M50 in person. Long story short, it looks better in person than in pics. Front end is much better looking in person. Still not sure if I’ll pull the trigger but the door is still open. Gonna check out and test-drive other rides when time comes for a new ride and decide then.

Biggest surprise to me was the interior. I really thought it was gonna look a lot worse than it was. Definitely would have preferred the G01 interior but it is what it is. I can’t believe I’m saying this but I would get the woven dash over the very cheap looking upholstery panel dash. A win by default I guess. Steering wheel is nice and thick, like an /// M wheel should be.

Regarding the way it drives, it doesn’t disappoint. The B58 motor is one of the best around. Less pumped in sound, which is a good thing. Drives good, suspension is good too.

Here are some pics I took.

I know you said seats were good - were they better than the old ones? Or about the same?

[SterlingE30]

Guess they’re putting M badges on anything these days?

[avi66]

Originally Posted by NGT2

I know you said seats were good - were they better than the old ones? Or about the same?

Which old ones ? BMW ordered different seat options in different markets.

[NGT2]

Originally Posted by avi66

Which old ones ? BMW ordered different seat options in different markets.

Sorry - the US market for the previous X3 (not the M seats)

[Mavus]

If you put side by side views of m50 and xm you can see the m50 design is based on xm. The obvious ones are roof line, green house, upper half rear end incl roof line and then front end. They played with a few lines here and there and front/rear lights to smooth out design and make it more appealing to avg target consumer.

[Montaver]

Tesla did the appliance thing too well. The new X3 is a built to margins lease machine that doesn’t really move the game forward over the previous gen, and in many respects is actually a downgrade. The cap ex requirements to invest in an electric future is suffocating car makers, and the result is an inferior product. It’s a real shame for enthusiasts as we are left with disposable electric cars, and ICE versions that are being homogenised from a styling and design perspective with nerfed quality levels. The best small SUV is the Macan, which has had two facelifts but was released 10 years ago. Just shows how confused the car industry is right now, other brands like Mercedes are faring even worse.

[Killed by Death]

I’ll pass!!! Horrible job BMW

[Alpine300zhp]

Originally Posted by Mako

What does the 50 stand for?
Bigger number than before?
Does it have a 5 liter or 500 horsepower?

Literally means nothing. It’s up 9 horsepower over the M40.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by avi66

Looks out of proportion imo, and that flat front end.

It has a lot to do with the photograph. Yes it’s longer, but if photographed incorrectly, the hood looks extremely long, which is not as long as it appears.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Montaver

Tesla did the appliance thing too well. The new X3 is a built to margins lease machine that doesn’t really move the game forward over the previous gen, and in many respects is actually a downgrade. The cap ex requirements to invest in an electric future is suffocating car makers, and the result is an inferior product. It’s a real shame for enthusiasts as we are left with disposable electric cars, and ICE versions that are being homogenised from a styling and design perspective with nerfed quality levels. The best small SUV is the Macan, which has had two facelifts but was released 10 years ago. Just shows how confused the car industry is right now, other brands like Mercedes are faring even worse.

Clearly you see the world from your own perspective…

The new Electric Macan is absolutely amazing and is far from an Appliance

People don’t like change, but don’t knock it until you’ve actually tried it

[Chihuahua]

The red and white ones are sharp. Looks like a winner to me.

[Montaver]

Originally Posted by ///M TOWN

Clearly you see the world from your own perspective…

The new Electric Macan is absolutely amazing and is far from an Appliance

People don’t like change, but don’t knock it until you’ve actually tried it

I mean electric cars in general are very disposable, Porsche will be the exception. The issue with all electric cars is they do not hold value at all because no one actually wants to own them, look at the Taycan turbo. You could buy an X3 M50 with just the depreciation on that thing after 2 years. So the ‘don’t knock it until you’ve tried it’ doesn’t really add up.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Montaver

I mean electric cars in general are very disposable, Porsche will be the exception. The issue with all electric cars is they do not hold value at all because no one actually wants to own them, look at the Taycan turbo. You could buy an X3 M50 with just the depreciation on that thing after 2 years. So the ‘don’t knock it until you’ve tried it’ doesn’t really add up.

Because it’s an evolving technology, but that doesn’t mean it’ll stay that way forever

Entire car industry is on its ear and that’s not specifically because of the electric car movement

Just because you believe certain things doesn’t make it actually true

You’re better off leasing an electric car at this point

EV’s are like cell phones on wheels…

As soon as the camera gets better, the battery gets better and the screen gets better….
You’re going to want a new one. At some point that will all level out.

[Sedan_Clan]

That red X3 looks really good.

[thaalrasha]

That huge piece of gloss black plastic in the front looks so cheap... wonder if this will scratch like crazy in no time as well ... can't understand the design choice there.

[///M TOWN]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

That red X3 looks really good.

Agreed…

A bunch of haters as usual