2026 BMW X3 30 Review: The Everyday SUV That Just Works

Let’s say you’re the average car shopper. You’re looking to buy a compact SUV for about $50,000. That is the most common class of car sold today in America, and the average price of a car is now $50,000. So this kind of search is actually very average. It just so happens BMW offers a compact SUV that starts at $49,950. It’s called the BMW X3 30, and while it might be seen as the “safe and practical” choice of their current lineup, the SUV is actually really great. It is, however, marred in controversy, but we’ll talk about that later and why a lot of it is just nonsense.

New Generation, Familiar Formula

The G45 is a complete redesign of the prior G01 generation X3 we have become used to since 2018. In addition to a new chassis, a larger overall length, and some interesting styling, BMW has made some changes to the powertrains. There are currently only two models in the US: the X3 30 with a new mild-hybrid B48 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine that is good for 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.

The spicy one is the X3 M50 with the glorious inline-6 B58, a 3.0 liter turbocharged engine with a 48V mild-hybrid system that makes 393 hp and 428 lb-ft of torque. Hopefully, we will get another X3M with an S58, but no word on that yet.

Space, Comfort, and Practicality

For a week, I had the X3 30 to daily drive and test with my family to see how it does as just a regular commuter and family hauler. How did it do? Really well. There are cars you buy because they are aspirational or because they evoke a certain emotion from them. Then there are cars that you buy because they are practical and make your life easier. The latter is exactly what this car is. Let’s get practicality out of the way.

The G45 generation X3 is 187 inches long. That makes it 4 inches longer than the first generation X5 and within 3 inches of the second generation X5. This is hardly a “compact” SUV and has enough room to comfortably fit four full-sized adults and their luggage in the 31.5 cu ft trunk (although cargo volume expands to over 67 cu ft with the rear seats folded down).

The back seats have plenty of legroom, and the ability to place your feet easily underneath the front seats only adds to the cavernous interior space. While the glass roof does not open as a sunroof, that comes with the added benefit of providing a great amount of headroom. Overall, this X3 is now big enough to be a true family hauler, and there really isn’t much need to look at the X5 unless you want added luxury or powertrain features available only to that model.

Real-World Fuel Economy Surprises

If you’re looking for a practical family car, you’ll probably want to know what the efficiency and powertrain are like. Fuel is the most expensive cost on a vehicle, and the more fuel-efficient, the more reasonably anyone can afford the extra payment going towards a luxury vehicle.

BMW claims 27 mpg in the city and 33 for a combined 29 mpg rating. In my week with the car, driving over 750 miles, I was easily able to achieve 33 mpg. On the highway, it was not difficult to see between 34–38 mpg. The mild-hybrid system is incredibly effective, as I have found out in my own 2025 M340i that is equipped with the same system. The mild-hybrid addition to the B48 in the X3 is new for the G45 generation.

The ZF 8-Speed Is Smooth As Always

How does it work? Essentially, there is a small electric motor in the ZF 8-speed transmission and an electric motor that takes the place of the belt-driven systems (such as the starter motor and HVAC). With more power compared to 12V systems, this 48V electric motor can instantly turn the engine off and on depending on demand. At a stoplight, it can keep the car off and turn back on so quickly and seamlessly you’ll not even think about turning it off as it is not intrusive.

In addition, while driving, if the car detects that no throttle is needed, the engine will actually instantly shut off and decouple from the transmission. This essentially allows the car to act as a glider, cutting off a lot of the parasitic losses (engine braking) that are associated with slowing a car down off-throttle typically.

Periodically letting the car glide like this adds a surprising amount of efficiency with very little penalty in terms of weight added compared to traditional full hybrid systems. Despite the need for premium fuel, the fuel efficiency of such a large SUV is not just impressive, it really goes to help make the X3 a good value as the running costs are far lower when it comes to fuel consumption compared to other competitors in its class.

Tech and Interior: Mostly Great, Some Frustrations

Then there is the tech. There is a mixed bag here, and most of it is good, with a few exceptions. iDrive 9 is an iterative improvement over iDrive 8.5, but in some ways, a step backward. Some of the small buttons around the cabin have been removed from earlier BMW models like the previous X3 and 3 Series.

The trip setting button is gone and now buried under three menus in the main infotainment screen. In fact, pretty much everything is now buried in the infotainment screen except for two volume knobs. There is space below the screen for an addition of HVAC controls like in iDrive 7, and I sure hope BMW will just add that back in. The turn signal stalk is also a point of controversy. It is so complicated, with so many overlaying functions on it, that it is not possible to elaborate—suffice it to say that this is why we need more buttons.

The “Door Controversy” Explained

I wanted to discuss the doors for a minute. They are controversial. I have two things to say about this. The first is that, yes, some of the materials feel cheap given the price tag of the car, and the design is certainly polarizing. My second thought about this is that they are just doors. You will barely look at them except when you are opening or closing the car.

Does it really matter? If the big flaw on the interior is some cheaper-feeling materials (that functionally do not glare, will last through a lot of abuse, and are cheaper to replace) and some weird door designs, then maybe we are starting to just find things to complain about. Overall, the seats are incredibly comfortable, the tech is good but just needs some buttons, and if you care more about vehicle dynamics than material choice, I think you’ll like being in this space.

The Plug-In Hybrid We’re Missing

During my week with the car, I kept thinking about the one thing I wish I really had while driving in the often slow, traffic-packed Southern California freeways—the X3 30e. Sadly, we do not get the plug-in hybrid in the US. It offers the same B48 powertrain in the X3 I drove, but with the addition of a 19.7 kWh battery, it can offer up to 56 miles of electric range. PHEVs can be either the best of both worlds or the worst compromise.

The previous G01 X3 xDrive30e only had a range of about 27 miles at best with its smaller 12 kWh battery. I believe this did not sell well because it was not enough range for most people in the US to drive in all-electric mode for daily needs but added the extra cost and complexity.

Remember, the average American drives 37 miles per day. Fifty-six miles blows past that easily. So the much more potent and capable PHEV X3 would be an awesome car for many urban drivers that still want the flexibility to use gas on extended road trips and be connected to both infrastructures for powering our vehicles. I hope we get it in the States soon.

The Best Value In The X3 Family?

Overall, I loved my week with the new X3. It helped me drive my parents around Southern California comfortably. It was quiet, luxurious, but still very capable, feeling competent and planted at all times. While the styling and interior are polarizing, once you’ve spent time with it, you’ll come to love the X3 for its capability and practicality.

It’s hard to call a $50,000 car a good value, but that is now the price of the average car in America, and honestly, you get a lot for your money here. For what most Americans are looking for in a compact luxury SUV, the X3 delivers just that. This SUV doesn’t take any big risks; it just does the job of what most of us need and want in a compact SUV in a BMW way, and you’d be hard-pressed to find many better options in the segment.

This is the safe bet BMW, and it’s something I would love to have in my garage each day, ready for the commute and whatever life throws at me.