2006 BMW X3 Compact Sport Utility Vehicle
2006 BMW X3 Compact Sport Utility Vehicle
Feels like a sports car
Jump to page: 1 | 2
New Car Review of the 2006 BMW X3 Compact Sport Utility Vehicle
Although I've never owned a BMW, I always feel right at home when I drive one.
I'll step inside one of these brand-new German cars -- even some that are so expensive they're intimidating -- and suddenly feel like I'm driving a car I've owned for 10 years. It fits me like a pair of well-worn leather shoes.
Base MSRP: $36,800
Base Invoice: $33,670
Options & Features
Price Quote
New Car Prices
Used Car Prices
Payment Calculator
Rebates & Incentives
Trade In Values
Find A Dealer
Financing
Insurance Rates
Sell Your Car
MSRP As Tested: $38,600
Versions: 3.0i.
Vehicle Category: Compact Sport Utility Vehicle
Engine Location: Front Engine
Drive Wheels: All-Wheel Drive
Standard Engine As Tested: 3.0-liter, Dual Overhead Cam, 24- valves, I-6, 229 – horsepower at 5900 rpm and 214 lb-ft torque at 3500 rpm.
Transmission: 6-Speed manual, 5-Speed automatic.
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 17/25, 16/23.
Standard Safety Features: Dual-airbag Supplementary Restraint System with 2-stage Smart Airbags, Front-seat side-impact airbags, Antilock 4-wheel disc brakes, Brake assist, Antiskid system, Hill descent control, Tire-pressure monitor, Daytime running lights Automatic front safety-belt tensioners & force limiters, Automatic-locking retractors (ALR) on all passenger safety belts (for installation of child restraint seats), LATCH attachments for attachment of child restraint seats, Interlocking door anchoring system for side impacts, Front- & rear-seat Head Protection System, Battery Safety Terminal, Automatic fuel-pump shutoff upon severe accident impact, Intelligent Safety & Information System (ISIS) for deployment of safety systems, BMW Assist Safety Services including automatic collision notification, SOS button, enhanced Roadside, Central locking system with double-lock anti-theft feature, selective unlocking & interior locking switch, Coded Driveaway Protection, Pre-wiring for alarm system.
Competition: Acura MDX, Cadillac SRX, Infiniti FX45, Lexus RX, Lincoln Aviator, Mazda CX-7, Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90.
I can only think of one reason for feeling so comfortable in a car that I drive so rarely, and that's because BMWs perform remarkably like the nimble, ultra-responsive sports cars I've owned through the years. My personal taste is for cars that connect the driver directly to the road, offering intense sensory feedback so I know precisely what the car is doing at any given moment. That's what a BMW does, so I'm in my element.
In fact, the only exception to my "Law of BMW Comfort" came when I drove the X5, BMW's big SUV. It was incredible for an SUV, but that was the whole problem. It still felt like an SUV.
It also ranked fairly high on the stupidity scale because -- let's be honest -- does anybody really need a BMW SUV? It's almost like driving a Ferrari golf cart or cutting your grass with a Mercedes-Benz luxury lawn mower. What's the point?
That's why I didn't have high hopes for BMW's smaller SUV, the X3. Perhaps I should have.
From the moment I turned the key, the X3 gave me the exact same right-at-home feeling that I get from BMW's sports sedans, so I instantly pretended I was Hans Stuck on the Nurburgring. I would look for fun, double-apex corners on exit ramps and pay close attention to braking points when scooting around town.
Jump to page: 1 | 2
