THE new BMW X3 is out – BMW’s compact off-roader. Is it worth spending your company’s cash on? Glass’s prestige car editor, Richard Crosthwaite, gives us his expert opinion.I WAS lucky enough to get a drive in a new BMW X3 recently. It proved something of a revelation, especially for someone who held the old model in such low esteem.

Back in what seems the depths of time – but only 2004 actually – I was in Munich pondering the Mk1 version.

The original BMW X3 was touted as a game changer and I guess in a sense it was (it was the first of its type in its sector) but it was just a shame it seemed so rushed to the market.

There were the plastic unpainted bumpers, for example. It was also priced too close to the bigger X5 model, had a poor ride, an average interior, and subdued looks. For many people, it ticked very few boxes marked ‘I must have one’.

Fast forward to 2010.

The new BMW X3 is being readied for launch and it seems that every single lesson that needed to be learnt has been. There are simply no shortcomings; it ticks every box I could ask it to tick.

So what’s good about the new BMW X3?

• First the car has grown up, not far off the same size as the original X5 and slightly larger (by a few centimetres) than the Audi Q5.
• It now actually looks like a sister model to the X5 and more importantly not a ‘cheap X5’.
• The interior is better made, roomier and far more comfortable.
• The price…well it’s effectively the same as the outgoing model and it comes standard with leather, which makes sense for both the customer and for BMW…nobody wants prestige 4x4s coming on to the used market with cloth trim as it devalues the product and the brand.
• For me the biggest disappointment of the old model was the ride; this one is superb and in SE trim it’s very forgiving, handles very well for a 4×4 and on the upgraded 18ins alloys that I tried, it soaked up potholes effortlessly.
• To top all this off the 2.0D is the unit out of the new acclaimed 5 Series, and here it records a very impressive (on paper and the real world) 0-60 time of 8.5 seconds and 50mpg fuel economy. It delivers the 184bhp effortlessly and with a minimum of noise in the cabin.

Verdict on the new BMW X3

So long as the volume is sensible (which wasn’t always the case with the old model) then much improved RVs will be the reward for this all new, good to drive and desirable X3. The current class leader is the Q5 and there seems little doubt a similar level of performance awaits.

But for business car buyers, the key to this car – along with its aforementioned virtues – is that it trumps the competition with a CO2 figure of 149g/km (manual) and 147g/km (auto).

For company car drivers that’s a benefit in kind company car tax band of 22% for the 2011/12 – not bad for a prestige saloon; but fairly exceptional for an SUV.

Further information

You can read more of Richard’s views on the prestige car market here: glassguide.co.uk/Editors-Blog.