One of my absolute favorite cars on the road right now is the BMW X3 M40i. For my personal lifestyle, the X3 M40i is the near-perfect machine (a 3 Series wagon would be absolutely perfect). With a small family of my own, having the space to fit a child seat w/child, dog, baby jogger, diaper bag and all of the rest of the seemingly endless gear they require is massively helpful. But to have that space in a car that’s fast, fun to drive and luxurious? Perfection. Which is why I’m personally incredibly jealous that Motor Trend will be getting the Hot X3 as part of their long-term test fleet.

Not only did MT get one of my favorite cars currently on sale but it’s in my perfect color combo; Phytonic Blue with black interior. What a car.

Under the hood of that metallic blue family hauler is a 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 engine, dubbed B58 internally. That B58 mill makes a very healthy 335 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. But, more importantly than that, it sounds and feels like a proper BMW I6. It’s growly and metallic sounding, while also being turbine smooth. Oh, and the shove. How could I forget the shove. The BMW X3 M40i is feels faster than its numbers suggest.

But more importantly that even all of that, the X3 M40i feels like a proper BMW. It’s been a long time since I’ve driven it but I still remember the feeling of shock when I first turned the wheel. “This feels like an old-school BMW”, I thought. It’s remarkable that a tall-riding X3 feels more like the BMWs we remember so fondly; cars like the E46 and E39; than the F30 3 Series or even F32 4 Series.

The BMW X3 M40i is a fantastic driving machine and one that blends performance, fun, comfort and practicality into one good looking and usable package. Of all the cars on the market to choose from, if I could, the X3 M40i might be my choice. So damn you, Motor Trend. Damn you.