Willem van de Putte

It’s a big deal when BMW updates a model but it’s even more so when it’s manufactured locally and it’s the German manufacturer's best-selling car globally.

We’re talking here of the X3 produced at BMW Group Plant Rosslyn in Pretoria.

After a R4.2 billion investment towards electrification, it produced the new plug-in hybrid — and the 2.0-litre diesel version — exclusively for local consumption and international export (97%).

As the first plant outside of Germany in 1973, it currently operates with an installed capacity of 77,000 units annually, employs 5,700 people, and operates three shifts, five days a week. Interestingly, every job at BMW provides five supplier jobs and an additional 50,000 jobs indirectly.

Five variations

There are five variations of the X3 with two spec levels and three engine options.

The xDrive 30d is replaced by the plug-in hybrid xDrive 30e fwhich features a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 19.7-kWh lithium-ion battery and a rear-mounted electric motor, delivering 220kW and 450Nm.

With a claimed electric range of 90 kilometres, it has a top speed of 215km/h and will get to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.

The most popular in the range, the BMW X3 20d xDrive, boasts a mild hybrid system coupled to the 2.0-litre diesel engine that produces 145kW and 400Nm, with the electric system adding an additional 8kW and 25Nm for short bursts. It has a claimed 0-100km/h time of 7.7 seconds.

Sourced from the BMW plant in Spartanburg, America, the M50 xDrive (replacing the M40i) sits at the top of the range until the company’s M Division sprinkles its magic over it.

It’s fitted with BMW’s fantastic 3.0-litre straight six turbo-charged engine with 293kW and 580Nm coupled to the mild hybrid system that provides an extra 13kW and 200Nm.

The M50 gets to 0-100km/h in a quick 4.6 seconds and is limited to a top speed of 250km/h.

All models are coupled to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels.

Exterior

At almost five metres long the X3 has grown significantly since it was first introduced in 2003 and its design has also changed radically.

From gentle lines and curves, the fourth generation X3 is a lot more angular and certainly attracts your attention to what BMW calls a monolithic appearance.

Love it or hate it the large BMW kidney grill is still front and centre with an angular rear that looks a lot better in the metal than it does in pictures.

The angular rear looks a lot better in the metal than it does in pictures.

The X3 20d and 30e xDrive models come standard with 19-inch alloys and 20-inch for the X3 M50 xDrive while 20 and 21-inch rims come as optional.

South Africans love their M Sport packages so you get 19-inch M light-alloy wheels and design cues for optimising airflow and aerodynamic balance while the M Sport package Pro further adds the Glow contour lighting and M Sport brakes with red callipers.

Interior

The interior has received a complete overhaul both in look and feel.

This includes the digital Curved display with the instrument cluster and infotainment system, Interaction Bar, flat-bottomed steering wheel, new-look gear selector and some fancy interior lighting depending on the drive mode such as a flashing red light bar across the dash when the hazard lights are in use.

In keeping with the green theme much of the interior is made from recycled products.

The infotainment system though is still a bit clumsy and not particularly user-friendly and as one colleague said: “if that’s what my smartphone’s screen looked like, I wouldn’t want it.”

It’s not the most intuitive system with most settings including the air-conditioning requiring some form of double tap to get to the right menu.

At least it still has a volume-control dial.

The interior has received a complete overhaul both in look and feel.

Can we please, though, get an agreement across the industry that, at a minimum, we have physical buttons for volume and aircon because faffing with the screen while driving is distracting and, especially in South Africa, dangerous.

The head-up display, though, is one of the best and clearest ones I’ve encountered.

What’s it like to drive?

We spent most of our drive in the BMW X3 20d xDrive, which required a detour to the overnight venue. I came away suitably impressed.

It’s no racer by any means, but the mild hybrid system adds to the driving experience when the car requires some extra oomph.

It gets along briskly when asked to do so, with smooth and well-calibrated gear changes. The route didn’t include serious twisties, but the steering felt light and responsive every time we swerved to avoid a pothole—of which the roads in North West, during the constant rain we’ve been having, has many.

Speaking of rain, the automatic wipers worked a treat as the heavens continued to bucket down and cars ahead of us threw plumes of spray.

All models have shift paddles, but at no stage did we feel the need for them.

Our average fuel consumption stood at 7.3L/100km, which will likely improve with more highway driving and less water resistance from the rain.

It will take a while to find the optimum driving style for the plug-in hybrid xDrive 30e.

There is some regenerative braking, but it won’t recharge the battery to significantly make a difference over long distances.

It will take a while to find the optimum driving style for the plug-in hybrid xDrive 30e.

It will drain quickly when you stomp on the loud pedal, which provides an enjoyable exhaust note that’s piped into the cabin.

The M50 xDrive is a doozy to drive

It accelerates quickly, also with piped exhaust noise in the cabin. It feels like there’s no end to the torque and will accelerate happily to its limited speed and sit there all day.

Sadly, because of the constant rain and heavily congested roads, we couldn’t experience everything it has to offer, so we’ll have to wait until we get it on test to fully see what it can do.

We did, however, manage to keep consumption under 10L/100km.

Your head tells you the 20d is the sensible option, the 30e makes you feel good about the bunnies, but your heart wants the M50.

Either way, the build quality, precision fittings, refined driving, and noise suppression make you proud to say: Built in SA!

Pricing (February 2025)

X3 20d xDrive: R1 136 417

X3 20d xDrive M Sport: R1 186 417

X3 30e xDrive: R1 260 000

X3 30e xDrive M Sport: R1 310 000

X3 M50 xDrive: R1 545 447