Top Dog

The locally built BMW X3 is the newly crowned SA 2025 Car of the Year. Now in its 39th year, the competition is hosted by the SA Guild of Mobility Journalists and sponsored by Old Mutual Insure.

It marks a successful double for the German manufacturer after the luxurious 7 Series scooped the 2024 title and is BMW’s eighth win in the competition — the most of any manufacturer.

Produced at BMW’s Rosslyn plant near Pretoria in a R4.2-billion investment, the fourth-generation BMW X3 is an executive midsized SUV that recently hit our streets in three guises: the diesel 20d, the high-performance M50, and the 30e petrol–electric plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Their outputs vary significantly but all models put their power down through an eight-speed Steptronic Sport transmission and xDrive intelligent all-wheel drive.

The M50 sports SUV (R1.54-million) is the high-adrenaline range leader with its 3.0l turbocharged six-cylinder engine and mild-hybrid 48-volt system. It flexes visual muscles with four tailpipes and a horizontal kidney grille (other X3s have a controversial diagonal grille) and backs it up with outputs of 293kW — good for a 0-100km/h blast in just 4.6 seconds and a governed 250km/h top speed.

I drove the M50 at the X3’s recent media launch and those numbers hold no false promise. The sports SUV is a potent performer and its thrust is matched by an emotively deep-throated sound. The test car’s 9.6l/100km was unexpectedly frugal too, given the enthusiastic way it was driven sometimes.

The X3 30e plug-in hybrid model (R1.26-million) is not as fast but musters an entertainingly thrustful 220kW from a 2.0l petrol engine and an electric motor. It covers the 0-100km/h sprint in a claimed 6.2 seconds and reaches a 215km/h top speed.

Its party trick is that it’s able to run on the sniff of an oil rag, as it’s able to drive in pure electric mode for up to 90km. That gives it the remarkable ability to sip just 1.1l/100km if driven in the right conditions, according to BMW. The figure may well be possible if driven mostly in stop-start urban driving, and you’ll use zero petrol if your daily commuting distance is under 90km. The 30e test car I drove averaged 8.1l/100km on a mix of petrol and electric power on mostly open roads.

The X3 30e takes around two hours to charge on a public AC charger and about eight hours at a wall socket. However, there isn’t enough battery regeneration during driving and the car needs to be plugged in to get fully charged.

The only diesel in the new X3 range is the 20d (R1.13-million), which produces 145kW from a 2.0l turbo engine with a mild-hybrid 48V system. With a 0-100km/h sprint of 7.7 seconds it is less sporty than the other two models but its strength lies in its easy cruising pace and low thirst; the test car averaged a frugal 6.9l/100km on the open road.

All versions of the new X3 impress with their premium feel and plush ride quality, especially with the suspension set to comfort mode. Selecting sport mode gives the SUV a noticeably sharper feel, particularly through corners. The body is lighter but more rigid than the old X3, making for improvements in both agility and ride comfort.

A panoramic 14.9-inch Curved Display touchscreen dominates the dashboard, and the climate control has new haptic sliders and digital controls, but physical buttons have not been consigned to history; the traditional iDrive knob remains, along with buttons on the steering wheel.

The deluxe cabin has ambient lighting and a new cloth-textured dash made from recycled polyester. The vegan interior comes out of the box with artificial leather but you can spec real cowhide as an option.

In awarding it the 2025 title, Car of the Year judges praised the new X3’s refinement, digital features, and relative value for money. The winning package is rounded off by retaining the brand’s trademark driving pleasure.