This is my review of a 2007 X3 we got as a loaner while our car was in the shop.

At first glance I'd have to say that the X5 looks a lot better. The proportions strike me as being better and it looks more aggressive than the X3, which looks like what it basically is, a sport sedan that has been jacked up and given awd. With fat tires and wheels it might look better, but even the sport package offers the same 8" wide wheels and 235mm wide tires. Overall, looks isn't why I'd buy this vehicle.

The interior shares some of the elements of the sedan, but it doesn't come off as well. The seating position is more upright and of course higher, which I love. But the dash elements aren't as nice looking to me. This vehicle was pretty loaded, with real leather seats, which I couldn't tell were leather or leatherette for sure till I looked at the sticker in the glove box.

Interior room is about the same, but a little less claustrophobic. Rear seat room was maybe bigger, but still no limosine. Rear cargo space was laughably small for a vehicle with pretentions to utility, but still better than the sedan if you have tall or bulky objects, like a TV set, to move. It becomes usable when you fold down the rear seats (an option in the sedan), but then you have to strap the kids to the roof.

Seat comfort is good, I felt more comfortable than in the sedan. It may be that I often drive a pickup and prefer the higher more upright seating position. I certainly enjoy the improved visability.

Performance, even with the more powerful version of the 3.0L inline 6, is about the same as the lighter 325i sedans'. Select sport mode if you want anything approaching responsive acceleration, the regular mode is smooth but shifts too soon. BMW says they have identical 0-60 times, but you can feel the extra 500 lbs or so of weight in the X3 vs the sedan.

Braking was excellent, though again weight might cost you a few extra feet in a panic stop. Handling, even without the sport package, was confidence inspiring but there is some body lean and you can tell your center of gravity is higher. Still, compared to a pickup truck or truck based SUV, it's much more car-like. Ride quality was excellent for an SUV, and the ride was pretty quiet. I think they improved the ride and harshness problem of the previous version.

If you overlooked the styling, I would say it would be a tossup between the 325i/328i sedan and the X3. You gain visability, a degree of comfort, and some practicality, but you give up some performance. The problem is, this SUV costs about $5000 more than a comparable rwd sedan version. I wouldn't be tempted to pay anything near the $40,000-$45,000 these things will cost. I would rather stretch the budget to an X5, but I simply do not buy vehicles that expensive.

Unfortunately, the competition has not got their act together. Any sporty SUV has flaws that make it undersireable (turbo laggy Mazda CX-7). And any good looking car based SUV out there can't handle well enough. The Nissan Murano comes closest in concept, but it is an older design and my test drive was very disappointing in terms of steering and handling. It felt much heavier and cumbersome than I expected.

This is a vehicle I would enjoy driving. But not paying for. I also am in search of a vehicle that doesn't attract trouble in some areas of town like BMW's do. Part of the fun of owning a "truck" is that they are meant to take abuse. The X3 is still a bmw, and you have to baby it just like their sedans to protect its value. You won't be going off road much if you want to sell it for anything near what it's worth down the line. It still uses tires that wear quickly, and it still requires costly repairs after 50K miles. When the domestics come up with a good looking, simple, good handling crossover SUV, I'll consider them.