Our BMW X3’s Interior Is Good, Not Great

Editor-in-Chief Alistair Weaver puts the X3’s interior into context.

“It’s tough being a luxury brand right now. In days gone by you’d expect a level of technology that differentiated the truly posh from the mainstream. A BMW or a Mercedes offered features you wouldn’t find on a Ford or Chevy. But that’s no longer the case. Today, legislative standards and consumer demand have made safety kit all but universal, while Apple CarPlay and Google integration have democratized how we listen to music or navigate to the shops.” 

“Today, a luxury vehicle is distinguished less by what it has than by how it feels, which is where the X3 falls down. The interior design is handsome enough, the seats are comfy and the screen has a nice resolution, but some of the plastics feel decidedly mainstream. They’re not terrible, but BMW has sought to save money in areas that are seen and felt by the owner. My family’s Genesis GV60 is at a similar price point and size to the BMW but feels like a more premium product.”