2026 BMW X3 Review

The truth may resist simplicity, but it doesn’t altogether turn its back on it, and the simple truth here is that the 2026 BMW X3 is good.

There are vehicles out there that we recommend with qualifications, others that are good for certain applications, and then there are vehicles we like (but might not recommend to someone we love). But there’s no need for all those qualifiers here. If you’re in the market for a premium compact crossover, BMW’s probably got what you’re looking for.

Design: 9/10

Like a gawky teenager coming into their features, BMW’s design appears to have found its footing after a period of oversized awkwardness. Not only is its grille appropriately sized, with the X3, the automaker has finally found a way to create simple, minimally creased body panels that remain visually interesting. The result is an SUV that looks… good.

That theme continues inside, where a relatively simple cabin is filled with just enough gear to prevent it from feeling spartan, like some other modernist vehicles. The key is the clever use of materials. Rather than relying on acres of leather to convey a sense of premium quality, the automaker combines leather upholstery with a woven dashboard (a $500 option that’s well worth it, in my opinion), and colourful glass panels and trim. Thanks to the simplicity of the design, the variety of materials doesn’t feel overwhelming and helps give the interior a sense of modern quality.

Driving Feel: 9/10

That sense of quality continues when you grab a hold of the steering wheel. The X3 communicates a soothing sense of solidity to the driver. The wheel is reassuringly weighty (though not laughably firm), the suspension is stable, and the overall quality of the build makes this crossover feel solid.

Power: 9/10

Acceleration is also solid. The entry-level model is the X3 30 xDrive, which gets a perfectly sensible 2.0L four-cylinder engine that makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Our tester was the X3 M50 xDrive, which adds two cylinders and a hearty helping of horsepower. The turbocharged 3.0L inline six-cylinder makes 393 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to provide you with an aggressive snap of acceleration and to make passing manoeuvres a cinch.

Fuel Economy: 9/10

Even more impressive is the BMW’s performance in fuel economy testing. Despite its big six-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive powertrain, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) estimates that the X3 M50 tested here will consume 8.6 L/100 km of premium fuel in combined driving. Our tester burned a little more than that, but was equipped with winter tires, and driven during a cold snap. In warmer weather, a 2025 model tested by AutoTrader Editor-in-Chief Jodi Lai more or less equalled NRCan’s estimates, which are just 0.5 L/100 km worse than the entry-level X3 and its four-cylinder engine.

What really puts the crossover’s fuel economy in perspective, though, is its performance relative to competitors. For instance, NRCan estimates that the Mercedes-AMG GLC 43 burns 10.8 L/100 km combined, while the six-cylinder Genesis GV70 is expected to burn 11.5. As far as non-plug-in-hybrid (PHEV) premium SUVs go, it’s hard to do much better.

Comfort: 8/10

Our tester was perfectly comfortable around town, but since it was given the once-over by BMW’s M division, it tended toward sporty stiffness. As a result, it wasn’t sumptuously comfortable, especially on bumpy roads marred by a cold winter. However, especially with smaller winter wheels and the extra rubber of the cold-weather tires, the X3 felt perfectly acceptable in our testing. With a heated steering wheel, as well as heated and ventilated seats (a $900 option), and plenty of space for occupants, BMW did a good job balancing the M50 trim’s sporting ambitions against the X3’s family-vehicle nature.

Practicality: 7.5/10

While the X3 hardly feels cramped, practicality is one area in which it does not lead the segment. Behind the rear seats, there’s an estimated 570 L of space to stow stuff. That’s a reasonable amount, but it lags behind what competitors from Audi and Genesis offer. With the rear seats folded (they tumble in a much appreciated 40/20/40 configuration), the space increases to an impressive 1,700 L. Inside the cabin, there are well-sized bottle holders and a small-ish cubby between the seats, but not much else, meaning that there really isn’t anywhere to empty your pockets.

User Friendliness: 6.5/10

Much like the rest of the industry, BMW is relying increasingly on touchscreens for user controls. Although the automaker’s reliance on submenus has improved over the years, the X3 is still caught between two worlds thanks to its use of a rotary knob between the seats. While it’s nice to have a physical point of contact with the infotainment system, the knob doesn’t really solve the problem of requiring the driver to focus on a screen (and not the road) to, say, change the radio station. Unfortunately, it also requires UX designers to organize the screen in such a way that it can be operated by a rotary controller. As a result, it has all of the disadvantages of a touchscreen without being organized as intuitively as a touch-first system like, say, a phone screen.

Features: 8/10

The issue of usability is made all the more difficult by the X3’s wealth of features. From changeable mood lighting to three-zone climate control, multi-directional adjustable seats, and augmented reality navigation thanks to the head-up display that’s available as part of the Premium package (a $5,250 option), almost everything must be operated through the 14.9-inch touchscreen (or the rotary selector).

While most of the options are welcome, some are just mystifying. The driving modes, for example, are somewhat confusingly titled. It’s not hard to imagine what the “Relax” mode wants to achieve, but it provides no information about what will happen when you turn it on. Worse still, the light show takes over the infotainment screen completely, which is distracting and makes the mode feel like it’s getting in your way, which isn’t very relaxing at all. It’s nice to see BMW experimenting with what the giant screens in its vehicles can do, but this is a failed experiment. Weird light shows notwithstanding, there are plenty of features for BMW buyers to play with here.

Value: 7/10

The biggest problem with those options is how much they cost. The X3 M50 xDrive’s starting price of $77,900 is pretty reasonable. It’s about $4,000 less than the Mercedes GLC 43, and even less than a Genesis GV70 Sport, though at that price the latter is more or less equipped with everything you could ever want.

The X3, on the other hand, is not — and costs mount quickly. Our tester had nearly $20,000 in options; and while it’s hardly a shock to see big figures attached to a German automaker’s options sheet, that’s still an impressive figure. And while you can almost certainly get away with spending less, you’re unlikely to escape any gasp-inducing extras.

For instance, the Premium Package costs a whopping $5,250 — and you have to equip it to get lumbar adjustment for the front seats. Not only that, but you have to spend another $1,000 on top of that to get the most advanced driver assistance system BMW has to offer. Meanwhile, some individual options cost an arm and a leg on their own. Our tester’s Merino leather seats added a staggering $4,250 to the price tag.

Safety: 9/10

Conversely, we’re happy to see BMW making the majority of its safety technology standard in the X3. Its tech suite provides drivers with warnings if there are dangers while the vehicle is changing lanes or while you're opening your doors. It also tells you if you’re speeding, and will help you brake if a collision is imminent.

On the more passive side, the X3 performs well in independent crash testing, earning the highest rating of a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). It has also earned four out of five stars in crash testing from America’s government road safety organization, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The Verdict

OK, so the 2026 BMW X3 isn’t perfect, but it is good. In most ways, it’s very good, and at its worst, it’s forgivably flawed. Provided you can control yourself around an options sheet, it’s hard to beat.

Specifications

Trim Tested

2026 BMW X3 M50 xDrive

Base Price

$77,900

Optional Equipment

$19,000 — Premium package, $5,250; Amber/Atlas Grey Merino leather, $4,250; M Sport Pro Package, $1,600; Tanzanite Blue Metallic paint, $1,500; Driving Assistant Professional, $1,000; Rear Comfort package, $1,000; 21-inch aero wheel, $1,000; Adaptive M Suspension, $1,000; Ventilated front seats, $900; Trailer hitch, $750; Upholstered dashboard, $500; Magnolia open-pore wood trim, $250

A/C Tax

$100

Destination Fee

$2,955

Price as Tested

$99,955

Engine Displacement

3.0L

Cylinder Count/Configuration

Turbo I6

Max Power

393 hp @ 5,200-6,250 rpm

Max Torque

428 lb-ft @ 1,900-4,800 rpm

Fuel Economy

9.3 / 7.7 / 8.6 L/100 km cty/hwy/cmb

Cargo Space

570 / 1,700 L seats up/down