First time renting an X3 from Sixt and as a disclosure own a G30 5 series (2023), 3 VW sport wagons, and an A6 TDI.

I really enjoyed this rental in AZ and even got to take it off road outside Tucson. This likely was a basic package but it did have D- Assist Pro.

The Good:

1) Handling was far better than I expected
2) Composed around corners even at speed
3) Extremely comfortable seats (Miss bolster adjustments).
4) Great visibility and seating position (I don't mind the large hood)
5) Seems to be better than average turning radius (Fast U turner)
6) MPG seemed decent (33-35 Highway at 75))
7) I don't mind the exterior looks even though most complain
8) Acceleration on the 2.0 L seemed very good
9) Mild hybrid stop start smoothness

The Bad:

1) Door panels and hard plastics are not even close to premium (Big Letdown)
2) Turn signal switches seem cheap
3) Ride was slightly firmer than I expected (I assume this had Run flats)
4) Lack of a grab handle on doors and odd geo of the entire grab/handle area
5) Infotainment screen centric ikons drove me nuts
6) While some hard buttons remain near the shifter the entire panel moves, making them less tactile than normal (My G30 interior is perfect)
7) Glass looking turn knob seems fiddly (Odd shape and look)
8) Steering wheel buttons also not as nice as older generation (But I liked the actual wheel shape and thickness)
9) Driver Assist pro features if changed (Lane assist expanded) seemed to resort to a default setting if you turned the car off and restarted. Why would these settings remain sticky?
10) My phone had to be pared every time I restarted car (Likely since it was a rental and I did not have a BMW profile)
11) Changing driver modes (Sport, Efficient etc.) takes 2 steps and it seems that every time you get into a menu it never automatically resorts back to the previous screen (Need to hit the back button or arrow). This drove me nuts.
12) Driver assist cruise control distance settings hidden in menus.
13) Could not figure out where or how the dash displayed MPG on a continual basis versus having to keep going to the trip data screen separately. My G30 has that on the dash all the time while in Eco Pro.

Overall, this car impressed me for its handling, comfort of seats, turning radius and composure off road and in sharp turns. I don't have much experience in the past generation (Obviously had a nicer interior). I assume this is an upgrade in handling and comfort and a downgrade for interior.

Did the MPG go up much from your real life driving? I am sure many of you have owned both this and previous Gen. I think the weight of the new X3 is nearly the same as the previous? Can you pull 35-40 MPG on the highway at 80 MPH? The car did not feel top heavy, but wondering how composed they are in spirited snow driving compared to a sedan?

My rental was only 2 days, so limited in feedback, however I rent different models often (5 series, 3 series, 4 GC), just not SUV for the most part.

BMW no longer fits run flat tyres to the G45 X3, or other new models. So unless the rental company changed the tyres, probably just normal tyres.

I think it depends on country maybe, in Oz the X3 20i comes with run flats by default. If you go larger, they are not run flats.

Grimreaper289 wrote

I think it depends on country maybe, in Oz the X3 20i comes with run flats by default. If you go larger, they are not run flats.

They are not fitted to any US model or UK X3 20i.

avi66 wrote

BMW no longer fits run flat tyres to the G45 X3, or other new models. So unless the rental company changed the tyres, probably just normal tyres.

Thanks. Then they were non run flats however ride was a tad firm. Especially noticeable off road.

stormchaser wrote

Thanks. Then they were non run flats however ride was a tad firm. Especially noticeable off road.

Maybe it didn’t have adaptive suspension, because with that it’s actually quite comfortable.

stormchaser wrote

The Bad:

3) Ride was slightly firmer than I expected (I assume this had Run flats

Most likely the car had no adaptive suspension and there are no RFTs offered for the G45. Actually with the adaptive suspension it's more comfortable than the G01 X3.

9) Driver Assist pro features if changed (Lane assist expanded) seemed to resort to a default setting if you turned the car off and restarted. Why would these settings remain sticky?

At least in most countrys it's now mandatory to do so.

10) My phone had to be pared every time I restarted car (Likely since it was a rental and I did not have a BMW profile)

Gave the answer yourself. You need a BMW profile. I have both phones paired and they repair every time automatically

12) Driver assist cruise control distance settings hidden in menus.

This setting is not required anymore imho, as the auto speed adaptive distance is working realy great. Found mysrlf changing distance all the time with the G01 X3 and have never touched the setting again in the G45 X3 after setting it up initially on the first day.

13) Could not figure out where or how the dash displayed MPG on a continual basis versus having to keep going to the trip data screen separately. My G30 has that on the dash all the time while in Eco Pro.

You can have either a live vehicle widget on the central display or a display setting for the middle dashboard section to do the same.

I understand the response but still think if a driver wants a certain sensitivity or setting for the driver assist features, it should be sticky. I noticed if you shut the car down for more than a few hours it would resort back to the original setting (Annoying). You are correct. No run flats. on the adaptive, I did not think we got that in the States if you did not order M sport.

I just had the M50 for a couple days.

It’s great, for an SUV. I don’t know why I thought it would have a more car-like drive, but as soon as I got back into my F30 335i with the Dinan Performance Pack I was like “this is more like it”.

I want to want a X3 but I don’t know if I can pull the trigger. And the interior issues you mention are a part of it.

The one thing that really annoys me is the steering weight even in sport mode. It’s for soccer moms. In “comfort” mode or whatever fine, make it light. But it should be tight and heavy all the time in sport mode. It felt to me that the steering only really had noticeable weight during more “spirited” driving and that as soon as you slow down it reverts back to being light.

Also it needs to downshift earlier in sport mode during city driving, especially when coasting or decelerating.

Best SUV I’ve tested from a driving perspective, but didn’t blow me away like I hoped it would.

stormchaser wrote

First time renting an X3 from Sixt and as a disclosure own a G30 5 series (2023), 3 VW sport wagons, and an A6 TDI.

I really enjoyed this rental in AZ and even got to take it off road outside Tucson. This likely was a basic package but it did have D- Assist Pro.

The Good:

1) Handling was far better than I expected
2) Composed around corners even at speed
3) Extremely comfortable seats (Miss bolster adjustments).
4) Great visibility and seating position (I don't mind the large hood)
5) Seems to be better than average turning radius (Fast U turner)
6) MPG seemed decent (33-35 Highway at 75))
7) I don't mind the exterior looks even though most complain
8) Acceleration on the 2.0 L seemed very good
9) Mild hybrid stop start smoothness

The Bad:

1) Door panels and hard plastics are not even close to premium (Big Letdown)
2) Turn signal switches seem cheap
3) Ride was slightly firmer than I expected (I assume this had Run flats)
4) Lack of a grab handle on doors and odd geo of the entire grab/handle area
5) Infotainment screen centric ikons drove me nuts
6) While some hard buttons remain near the shifter the entire panel moves, making them less tactile than normal (My G30 interior is perfect)
7) Glass looking turn knob seems fiddly (Odd shape and look)
8) Steering wheel buttons also not as nice as older generation (But I liked the actual wheel shape and thickness)
9) Driver Assist pro features if changed (Lane assist expanded) seemed to resort to a default setting if you turned the car off and restarted. Why would these settings remain [...]

Was this an M50 or the four-cylinder also most likely you had a base from my understanding rental companies only by base model vehicles.. the X3 50 has a Marino leather package upgrade.

jtuds wrote

I just had the M50 for a couple days.

It’s great, for an SUV. I don’t know why I thought it would have a more car-like drive, but as soon as I got back into my F30 335i with the Dinan Performance Pack I was like “this is more like it”.

I want to want a X3 but I don’t know if I can pull the trigger. And the interior issues you mention are a part of it.

The one thing that really annoys me is the steering weight even in sport mode. It’s for soccer moms. In “comfort” mode or whatever fine, make it light. But it should be tight and heavy all the time in sport mode. It felt to me that the steering only really had noticeable weight during more “spirited” driving and that as soon as you slow down it reverts back to being light.

Also it needs to downshift earlier in sport mode during city driving, especially when coasting or decelerating.

Best SUV I’ve tested from a driving perspective, but didn’t blow me away like I hoped it would.

Lol.. the X3M50 is a phenomenal vehicle go drive one fully loaded with the B58 engine

FrozenGT wrote

Was this an M50 or the four-cylinder also most likely you had a base from my understanding rental companies only by base model vehicles.. the X3 50 has a Marino leather package upgrade.

Here, the base xLine models can also have the same optional Merino leather.

There isn’t a whole lot of difference in the interior look and material quality from base xLine to M50, especially if the M Sport pack is optioned.

For MY26 the interior difference is even less here, with base models getting more piano black, common dash covering etc