![]() The BMW xLine packages puts the emphasis, one assumes, on elegance, with satin aluminium bits and pieces on the outside, big 19-inch alloys as well as some surprisingly subtle interior trim pieces in the same aluminium. The boot floor is flush with the rear bumper. The rear bench can easily take three adults and is split 40/20/20, creating a flat load space that’s easily accessible. The boot is a good size, although not nearly as big as X5. There’s tons of space, particularly headroom front and rear, and big comfortable seats for front passengers. This BMW X3 is noticeably bigger inside and out than the last one, with enough passenger space to make you wonder if an X5 is necessary. Our X3 had metallic paint ($1900), a huge panoramic sunroof ($3000) and DAB digital radio ($800). There’s also dual-zone climate control, electric tailgate, X logos everywhere, USB and bluetooth, Hi-fi sound package, leather wheel, cruise control, professional sat-nav and a rear-and-around-view camera with parking sensors. Inside, the seats are trimmed in Nevada leather (nicer than the Dakota on other models) with an appealing dark copper trim where one might expect dodgy plastic wood or aluminium elsewhere in the range. ![]() It also sports bi-xenon lights with washer, remote central locking, fog lights, roof rails and auto headlights and wipers. The xLine trim is a little bit fancy-looking, with lots of aluminium trim on the outside and a set of 19-inch double spoke wheels and aluminium look blades along the base of the doors. With xDrive (all-wheel drive), 30d (three-litre turbo diesel) and xLine trim, it weighs in at $77,400 before options. Our (deep breath) X3 xDrive 30d xLine is the top of the range in Australia. Unlike the X1 and X5 ranges, all are all-wheel drive. Another petrol the 28i jumps to $72,930 before the 30d finishes the range. The X3 range starts at a tick under $61,000 with the xDrive 20i, with the 20d arriving at $64,400. To look at it, it’s not exactly obvious but it gave us a great excuse to spend some time with the top of the range model. It’s now time for the X3’s mid-life update. It needs to be because its main rival, the Audi Q5, is a bit of a looker. It also looks a lot better, handsome even. The second generation made a lot more sense as it grew in size to fit much more sensibly between X1 and ever-expanding X5. Funny looking and without an obvious reason to buy it (too close to the X1 in size, why not have an X5 instead price-wise?), it was marooned. The first-gen X3 was one of those, “Quick, we need a car in a segment we don’t yet occupy” cars.
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