This may be the face lifted X3 but in India it’s playing a
larger role as the launch vehicle for BMW’s latest 2-litre diesel engine. The
new engine is of particular importance because it will also replace the base
diesel engines in the 3- and 5-series over the coming year. Identical 1995cc
displacement and basic layout apart (four-cylinders, common-rail,
turbocharger), the company says there’s little else common between old and new
engines.
The new engine is a wee bit more powerful than the one it
replaces - it produces 187bhp at 4000rpm (3bhp up on the old engine) and
40.7kgm between 1750-2500rpm (up 2kgm). The benefit of the added power is a
claimed 0-100kph time of 8.1 seconds that is 0.4 seconds faster than that of the
earlier car.
While that may be an almost imperceptible gain in performance,
what is very evident is that the new engine is a whole lot quieter than the one
it replaces. Idle is all but free from the coarse clatter of the old motor and
even on the move; the engine is significantly less noisy. It’s still not the
most refined of engines around but in average driving, the eight-speed gearbox
does well to keep revs under 2000rpm where the engine functions at its quietest
(and most efficient) best. As for the gearbox, it responds quickly to most
throttle inputs but in full-auto mode there’s an occasional lag to downshift
when you want a sudden burst of power. Manual control on the gear lever (there
are no paddle shifters) does make it possible to work around this issue,
though.
Performance, on the whole, is impressive. There’s strong punch
right from the word go and with manual mode engaged, the engine also revs to a
solid 4800rpm before the electronics automatically upshift. The driving modes
further help tailor the engine and gearbox’s characteristics to your driving
style. That, coupled with the top-spec X3 line’s dynamic damper control let you
truly exploit this SUVs inherent sportiness. Turn-in is sharp, the steering
feels nicely weighted and the advantages of that 50:50 weight distribution can
be felt at just about every corner. It is a genuinely fun SUV to drive. It’s
also one that’s quite adept at dealing with the rough stuff on Indian roads.
Ride quality is on the firmer side but the fact is you hear the bumps more than
you feel them.
Just wish they had also reworked the rear seats with this
update. The seat base is a tad low and the resulting knees-up seating position
compromises thigh support. But, as before, the front seats remain hard to fault
for comfort or support.
Changes to the interior are limited to a tidied up centre
console, more glossy black plastics, and more metal highlights. There’s also a
larger 16.5cm screen for the iDrive system. Small as these changes are, they
help uplift the ambience inside an already well-finished cabin. As for the
exteriors, there are few visual cues to tell you this is the new-for-2014 X3.
The most prominent change is in the attractive new headlights that are larger
than before and now fuse with the kidney grille, ala the 3-series and new X5.
Look closely and you’ll notice both bumpers have been restyled too.
It has been launched in two variants. The Expedition variant
that costs Rs. 44.9 lakh (ex-showroom, India) gets a fair amount of kit
including driving modes, bi-xenon headlamps, powered front seats, parking
sensors, the carmaker’s iDrive system and Bluetooth connectivity. However, if
you can, we’d recommend you go for the xLine variant we’ve featured here. It
does cost a fair bit more at Rs. 49.9 lakh but does get you features such as a
panoramic sunroof, dynamic damper control, leather upholstery and larger
18-inch wheels.
But, irrespective of which version you go for, your money will
buy you an X3 that’s marginally better to look at, slightly nicer on the inside
and significantly quieter than before. Performance from the new 2-litre engine
is also always more than satisfactory. But if you want even more power, perhaps
you should wait for one with a 3-litre straight six diesel that’s on its way.
That would be quite the package.
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