MILEAGE: 181.8 km
We are currently at the very beginning of our first ever long-term test-drive in the history of theStyleJungle. With such a great car like BMW X3, there is always a lot of things to discuss. As you guys know, I write daily diary updates on what is going on with the car and what I like about it but today I think a short diary post is not enough to cover everything I want to share with you. Let’s dive into my first thought about the BMW X3.
So the car in our garage is the third generation of BMW X3 (G01) manufactured in 2018. We have top-of-the-range M40d model powered by 3.0L TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line diesel engine with 8-speed sport automatic transmission (Steptronic with gear shift paddles). The list of equipment installed can take a while to go through and as this post is more like an introduction and first impressions on the car, I’m not going to discuss everything in detail right now. For those interested in the list of equipment, I’ll put it at the very bottom of the page.
I just want to point out that we have some extra options coming with this car:
• metallic paint (Phytonic Blue)
• sun protection glazing
• electric folding towbar
• Apple CarPlay preparation
I love this metallic colour very much and I think it suits this car a lot. I’m also extremely happy that it comes with Apple CarPlay because I use iPhone and it helps me to get all important updates on a big 10.25-inch screen without looking at my phone. This is a safe way to use your phone while driving. You can use Siri for voice commands, make phone calls, make virtual assistant read your text messages and you can reply by dictating your message. I also prefer to use Waze App for navigation and Spotify for music and both these applications are supported by Apple CarPlay. We’ll definitely talk about entertainment a little bit more in future posts and diary updates.
What excites me a lot is how these new cars are packed with driver assistance and other smart technology. And this BMW X3 is no different. You can basically make this car drive on its own by using Adaptive Cruise Control and it will keep itself in a lane, keep a safe distance from a car in front, read speed limit signs and adjust the speed. The only thing you need to do is to touch a steering wheel from time to time so the car knows you’re still inside. And it’s not because it isn’t smart enough to do everything, it’s just because it’s illegal not to pay attention to a road (unless you’re in China). It’s definitely important to mention that you also get Parking Assistant with 3D Surrounding View that can automatically park your car almost in any spot available. Even if you don’t use auto parking features, Surrounding view combined with front and rear cameras help you to park more easily and, what is also extremely important, to align with road marking or kerbs.
Surrounding view is also available from your smartphone using BMW Connected App. This application extends some features of your car to any place with Internet access. This is basically a remote control on your phone showing information about the car: fuel level, total range, if the vehicle locked, if doors, windows, boot or bonnet are closed, where the car is located, control messages (tyre pressure, engine oil), when service is required. You can also lock and unlock your car remotely, turn lights on, use a horn, start or schedule ventilation (one of my favourite features ever) and as mentioned earlier take a look at the Surrounding view. And last but now least, you can plan your future trips and send destinations to your car’s navigation system straight from this app. I’m going to do another post on BMW Connected with a more detailed review of its functionality.
To sum up my first thoughts on BMW X3, I should say that it’s extremely fun to drive and it’s very comfortable to spend time in a car. Sport seats with electric adjustment, memory and lumbar support are extremely good doesn’t matter how much time you were driving. The head-up display helps you to focus on driving providing all the necessary information about your speed and destination. Climate control has 3 zones so rear passengers can control the temperature. Gesture control is another cool feature I use quite a lot.
As you can see, there are many features packed into this car and they all are worth a discussion. But at the moment I want to end this post and give myself some more time to explore them all. Make sure to check out daily updates in my BMW X3 diary. And follow me on Instagram if you’re not already. I post some behind the scenes content and other really interesting stuff over there. I’ll see you soon!
Transmission and technology
• 8-speed sport automatic transmission, Steptronic with gear shift paddles
• Adaptive M Suspension
• Automatic Start/Stop function
• BMW 3.0L TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder in-line diesel engine
• Brake-pad wear indicator
• Diesel particle filter
• Driving Experience Control with ECO Pro mode
• M Sport Brakes
• M Sport differential
• Performance Control
• Start/Stop button
• Variable sport steering
• xDrive
Exterior design and features
• 21″ M light alloy wheels Double-spoke style 718 M
• BMW Individual Exterior Line Aluminium satinated
• Black high-gloss kidney struts with kidney strut front surfaces in matt
aluminium and air flap control in black high-gloss
• Exhaust tailpipe, visible, round left and right, chrome finisher
• M Aerodynamics package
• Roof rails in high-gloss Shadow Line
• Running boards in Glacier Silver metallic matt
• Underbody protection in Glacier Silver metallic matt
• xLine
Light and Sight
• Ambient light with welcome light carpet
• Exterior mirrors electrically folding and heated
• Adaptive LED headlights
• High Beam Assist
• Interior and exterior rear-view mirror with automatic anti-dazzle
function
• LED fog lights
• Lights package with extended exterior and interior lighting features
• Rain sensor
Driver assistance
• Driving Assistant Plus, incl. Adaptive Cruise Control
• Park Distance Control (PDC) front and rear
• Parking Assistant Plus, incl. 3D Surround View
• Rear View Camera
• Speed Limit Info
Safety
• Active Protection
• Airbags: driver and front passenger airbags, seat occupancy detector
for front passenger airbag; head airbags in front and rear; side airbags
for driver and front passenger
• Central locking with electric immobiliser
• Crash Sensor
• Dynamic braking lights
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS),
Brake Assistant, Cornering Brake Control (CBC), Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), pullaway assistant, braking readiness, dry braking and fading compensation
• Headrest with active headrests in the front
• Hill Descent Control (HDC)
• Warning triangle and first aid kit
Entertainment, communication and information
• Bluetooth connectivity
• BMW Gesture Control
• Convenience telephony with extended Smartphone connectivity and
wireless charging
• DAB tuner
• Harman Kardon surround sound system
• Head-Up Display
• Instrument panel in Sensatec
• Navigation system Professional, with 10.25” touch display (iDrive 6)
• Multifunctional instrument display
• Trip Computer
• USB audio interface
ConnectedDrive features
• Concierge Services
• ConnectedDrive Services and Apps
• Intelligent Emergency Call
• Real Time Traffic Information (RTTI)
• Remote Services
• TeleServices
Interior design, comfort and equipment
• Armrest, front and rear
• Automatic air conditioning, 3-zone
• Automatic tailgate
• BMW Individual headliner anthracite
• BMW Individual high-gloss Shadow Line
• Comfort access system
• Electric windows front and rear with one-touch open/close
• Galvanic embellisher for controls
• Interior trim finishers Aluminium Rhombicle with highlight trim finishers Pearl Chrome
• Loading sill in the luggage compartment in stainless steel
• Lumbar Support
• M Leather steering wheel
• Rear seat split folding 40/20/40
• Seat adjustment, electric, with memory
• Seat heating for driver and front passenger
• Sport seats for driver and front passenger
• Storage compartment package
• Sun visors with illuminated make-up mirror
• Through loading system
• Upholstery in leather ‘Vernasca’
