2008 BMW X3 Pros and Cons at TrueDelta: Owner Pros and Cons by robertpassman

Powertrain performance

The engine is smooth and responsive and the drivetrain feels solid. Power distribution to wheels demonstrated as excellent on slippery pavement

Safety & braking

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Handling

Compared to other cars tested (Subaru wagon, VW Passat wagon,Toyota Rav 4, Lexus RX 350)the handling was superior

Materials & workmanship

Materials are plain but substantive. Exception would be cheap cup holder and storage compartment between front seats - cheap cheap

Brand reputation & image

BMW reputation for performance and mechanical design is strong. Image is not important but BMW does represent a high end automobile.

Controls and instruments

Controls on instrument panel are not intuitive. Adjusting radio characteristics can only be done safely while stopped.

Audio & nav systems

Audio seems fair when compared to our other car - 2008 Lexus IS250 AWD. $45,000 and no cd changer. Add on features are very costly and should be standard at this price

Feature availability

Most available features such as cd changer, docking station, trailer hitch are very expensive for this type of vehicle (high end)

Ride smoothness

The handling is excellent and at high speed the ride and handling are reassuring. Low speed ride is rough but in line with comparable vehicles.