X3 E83

About the X3 E83

BMW's first compact SUV, and the E83 X3 showed that first attempts aren't always polished. Built on the E46 3 Series platform, the M54 inline-six in the 3.0i made 225 hp and the chassis had genuine BMW character. The steering was communicative, the rear-drive bias of xDrive was noticeable, and on a twisty road the X3 rewarded drivers who pushed it. The problem was everything else. The interior was harsh, with materials that felt a class below the 3 Series. The ride was stiff to the point of uncomfortable on rough roads. Road noise was excessive. The M Sport package added visual aggression but didn't fix the NVH issues. The E83 X3 was a good driver's car trapped in a rough package. BMW learned from it and the F25 fixed nearly everything.