The BMW X3 is a staple of the compact luxury SUV class, and the redesigned 2018 X3 now better competes with the booming class of also-recently-redesigned players like the Audi Q5, Volvo XC60 and Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. But as reviewer Kelsey Mays explains in his video review, the most compelling competition might come from within BMW's showroom itself in the 2018 X1 subcompact SUV, which isn't so sub-sized after all.
Related: 2018 BMW X3 Review
The 2018 BMW X3 is available in xDrive30i trim with a 248-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or the performance-oriented six-cylinder M40i with a 355-hp, turbocharged six-cylinder. Both versions have an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all-wheel drive is standard. Even though all-wheel drive is standard, the X3's layout is rear-wheel-drive-based, as opposed to the front-wheel-drive layout of the X1, which is also only all-wheel drive but with a transverse-mounted Used Engine like most front-wheel-drive cars.
This configuration helps open interior room, a notable strength of the X1 that feels a class larger than other subcompact SUVs such as the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class or Audi Q3, and it's what makes the X3-versus-X1 debate so compelling. But there's more to consider than just interior room, so watch the video for a deeper comparison of the BMW SUVs.
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