2025 BMW X3 first drive review: Ready to rattle the Mercedes GLC?

The Mercedes-Benz GLC has had its segment leadership unrivalled since it was launched in 2016 even though the BMW X3 has been present in the market for much longer (since 2011). The positioning of a BMW X3 is simple – a sweet spot where practicality meets performance, where badge appeal converges with everyday usability. It’s the car for those who want just enough size without excess, and just enough sport without sacrificing comfort. Which is why it is BMW’s worldwide bestseller. Now with this new G45 generation, BMW isn’t just aiming for incremental improvement in India. It’s gunning for the top spot. Question is: does it have what it takes to dethrone the GLC?

2025 BMW X3 exterior design

Online chatter labels the X3’s new look “a bit too much”, or “odd”. I get it – this bold design stirs the pot. BMW has ditched the safe, subtle approach loved in the west for something louder and prouder favoured in the east. It’s a gutsy move! After spending time with it, I see the appeal for its target audience. The upright stance screams SUV, while the stretched bonnet boosts road presence. The grille? It’s a love-it-or-hate-it affair, though I reckon it’ll grow on people, especially with them lighting up in the dark. The side profile plays it sensible – balanced window lines make it look big, flush door handles aid aerodynamics, and the 19-inch alloys dazzle. That said, the gaping wheel arches beg for 21- or 22-inchers to truly pop. For me, the rear steals the show. While the front shouts, the rear soothes with a sleek, XM-inspired sloping roofline that somehow suits the X3 better. It’s now the longest (2865mm), tallest (1660mm), and widest (1920mm) in its class. This generation boasts a slightly larger footprint than its predecessor, with a wheelbase stretched by 1mm, a length extended by 47mm, and a width broadened by 29mm, though it sits 16mm lower in height.

2025 BMW X3 interior design and technology

Step inside, and it’s clear BMW wants to look minimalistic without being boring. Nothing carries over from the last generation. The dash is dominated by a 14.9-inch central display merged with a 12.3-inch instrument cluster in a typical BMW curved display, which wages a war on physical buttons. Not a single button exists on the dash, and the few on the centre console exist so you can activate a menu to control on the screen. Most of the controls though, can only be accessed from within this screen including important ones like AC controls, headlamp settings, even seat ventilation. The realisation that this is neither the most ergonomic nor the best for safety cannot come fast enough. The X3 is now the second BMW to get the latest software in iDrive OS 9, after the iX1 LWB.

Crafted from recycled polyester, the fabric-draped dash boasts a knitted texture that feels soft yet substantial, offering a cozy, almost woven-like quality that contrasts with traditional leather or plastic surfaces. Though I wonder how it’ll fare in India’s dusty conditions. At night, the cabin transforms. The ambient lighting application here might be BMW’s best yet, elevating the vibe without distracting, at least in the front because there is no ambient lighting at the rear. Integrated seamlessly along the dashboard, door panels, the lighting emanates from slim, elegant LED strips that cast a soft, customizable glow. At the heart of it all lies BMW’s so-called "Jewellery Box", which is an open compartment for your phone and small essentials framed by the same ambient light strip. However, the plastic quality in areas such as the air vent controllers on the doors feels somewhat insubstantial.

Rear passengers are greeted by a massive panoramic glass roof (not sunroof) and unlike the 5 Series or iX1 LWB, the X3 includes rear sun blinds. Space is solid with ample knee and headroom. The seats are on the firmer side, especially compared to BMW’s cushier recent offerings. The 570-litre boot expands with a 40:20:40 split, but folding the seats from the cargo area requires stretching to pull the levers on the seats — no handy button near the boot’s edge here.

Tech highlights include ADAS, adaptive LED headlights, ventilated and heated seats, three-zone climate control, a 15-speaker Harman Kardon system, a head-up display, a digital key (your phone and a key card), even a selfie camera while the 360 cameras double up as dash cams with a feature called Drive Recorder. It records up to 60 seconds (around a prang or by manually turning it on) from the front, rear and side cameras and can be viewed on the iDrive screen or downloaded via USB.

2025 BMW X3 performance and ride quality

BMWs typically shine from behind the wheel and particularly so the X3 which BMW India says 65 per cent are self driven, among the largest proportion in their portfolio. The front seats are BMW’s Sport Seats, featuring adjustable lumbar support, with the driver’s seat offering customisable side bolstering to lock you in securely during hard cornering. And corner hard, I did.

Despite its size, body roll is well-controlled. I stand by my belief that even if BMW made a tractor, they’d still ensure its dynamics were spot on. The 50:50 weight distribution and xDrive system inspire confidence, delivering a typically-BMW rear-bias, and making the X3 eager to comply with spirited driving demands. However, the steering feel is a bit of a letdown. Even in Sport mode, it never feels weighty enough. The average driver may not notice, but that’s what Comfort mode is for — where the steering is light enough to navigate city traffic with a single finger.

As has been the case with recent BMWs, the ride quality is superb, especially on smooth roads and this car is equipped with adaptive suspension which automatically adjusts based on driving conditions. As you build up speed, you will notice the ride is impressively soft and compliant. At low speeds, however, it’s slightly stiff — not a dealbreaker, just a subtle gripe from someone accustomed to the cushier feel of the 5 Series. The X3 offers three distinct drive modes to suit your mood and style: Efficient, Sport, and a fully customizable Personal mode. Efficient dials everything back to its gentlest settings, prioritizing smoothness and economy, while Sport offers a sharper, more dynamic edge. Within both Sport and Personal modes, you can tweak the suspension to either Comfort for a balanced ride or Sport, where it firms up significantly to enhance the driving excitement. Elevating the experience, each drive mode brings its own unique flair, transforming the cabin with distinct themes. These shift the ambient lighting, reconfigure the instrument cluster display, and even adapt the Head-up display. It is noteworthy that for the first time, X3 is now offered with tubeless tyres instead of run-flats – adding to the ride comfort.

Engine options are the 20d diesel (2-litre, 194bhp, 400Nm) and 20 petrol (2-litre, 187bhp, 310Nm). The 20i moniker from the earlier generations has become 20 as BMW now reserves the ‘i’ only for their EV line-up. Both the engines are equipped with a 48V mild hybrid system that torque fills and smooths out any turbo lag while also recuperating energy and thus boosting efficiency. We were driving the 20d and BMW claimed a 0-100kmph time of 7.7 seconds, but our VBOX recorded 6.9 seconds – quick and impressive for a car of this weight. Side note – why is BMW so modest with its performance figures? For context, the GLC and X3 are neck-and-neck in diesel power, but in petrol form, the GLC surges ahead with a far punchier 251bhp engine.

The 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox is smooth and you hardly ever feel the gear changes. The power delivery is linear and this engine-gearbox combination delivers a smooth driving experience, keeping the passengers comfortable in their luxury car. The in-gear acceleration is decent and you will never feel it to be underpowered. If you need to make a quick overtake, I suggest using the Boost function which puts everything in its highest setting for a limited period. Even then, I miss the 30i and 30d engines from previous generations which gave an even more enthusiastic response to your demand from the accelerator pedal.

2025 BMW X3 competition and verdict

Priced at ₹75.8 lakh for the petrol and ₹77.8 lakh for the diesel, the X3 faces competition from the Mercedes-Benz GLC, Audi Q5 (new one coming next year), Volvo XC60, and Range Rover Discovery Sport. Additionally, buyers might have the options of sedans like the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3 Series LWB, and even the Audi A6. And I haven’t even mentioned all the EVs. At this price point, manufacturers face a tricky balancing act. Buyers still hunt for value, but they also crave an emotional spark that matches their needs. That’s why many in this segment happily cross-shop between SUVs and sedans. So does this new X3 have what it takes to fix that one gap in their portfolio in a critical volume segment?

By preserving the finest traits of its heritage while tackling its most significant shortcomings (stiff ride and lack of tech), this X3 emerges as the finest iteration to date. It excels across the board, offering a compelling blend of size, practicality, comfort, cutting-edge technology, and impressive driving dynamics. Among its key rivals, G45 is a choice buyers will find impossible to overlook.Despite its size, body roll is well-controlled