Image: BMW press kit
The fourth-gen X3 is the segment's most complete driver's luxury SUV, but the touch-heavy cabin and steep pricing demand you try before you buy.
The 2025 BMW X3 (G45) arrives as a longer, wider, more comfort-oriented luxury SUV that still preserves the brand's driver-first DNA. It impresses with refined diesel and petrol options, segment-best ride quality and a tech-rich cabin, but the over-reliance on touchscreens and a sharp price hike are real sore points.
The G45 X3 grows in length and width while losing height, and the result is a monolithic, almost station-wagon-like stance that divides opinion in photos but lands well in person. The illuminated kidney grille, L-shaped adaptive LED headlights with welcome animations, flush aerodynamic door handles and the M-projecting puddle lamps add genuine theatre, especially at night. Faisal Khan notes the bonnet has been deliberately stripped of cuts and creases for a cleaner sculpt, while the rear keeps things deliberately old-school with no connected light bar and conventional indicators. The M Sport package brings a blacked-out grille, M-specific side skirts, red brake calipers and a black roof on the new X30i Sport Pro, with 19-inch M alloys standard and a staggered 20-inch setup (255/45 front, 285/40 rear) on the top trim. Five exterior colours and two interior themes are on offer. It is recognisably an X3, just a more grown-up, less aggressive one than its predecessor.
Inside, the X3 swings hard towards minimalism, and that is where opinions sour. The dashboard is dominated by the curved display housing a 12.3-inch driver cluster and a 14.9-inch touchscreen running BMW OS9, flanked by the new BMW Interaction Bar and 15-colour ambient lighting that genuinely lifts the cabin at night. The knitted recycled-polyester trim looks fresh but will show Indian dust quickly, and the cabin uses 100% vegan upholstery. Practical irritants pile up: the glovebox is so small that the 400-page manual lives in the boot, the AC vent direction is controlled by fiddly haptic sliders, seat ventilation is buried inside the climate menu, and the panel housing the right-side vent feels worryingly flimsy. Rear seat space is decent rather than generous, with a tall transmission tunnel compromising the middle passenger. You do get three-zone climate, twin USB-C ports at the rear, a fixed 1.8m panoramic roof, memory seats with lumbar adjustment and a 15-speaker 750W Harman Kardon system that genuinely delivers.
India gets three engines, all 2.0-litre four-cylinders with a 48V mild-hybrid system and an 8-speed ZF torque-converter automatic. The B47 diesel produces 197 hp and 400 Nm, claims 7.7s to 100 km/h (tested at 7.4s, a full second quicker than the predecessor) and returns a claimed 17 km/l from a 60-litre tank. The standard B48 petrol X3 20i makes 190 hp and 310 Nm, a noticeable step down from the outgoing 30i, which is why BMW has now added the X30i Sport with the same engine retuned to 258 hp and 400 Nm, hitting 100 km/h in a claimed 6.3 seconds. MotorBeam rates the X30i as clearly more fun than the regular petrol and sharper than the GLC 300. The diesel is the quiet star: refined enough that you barely register it idling, with the mild-hybrid masking turbo lag at low revs. Power delivery is flat rather than peaky thanks to stricter emission norms, but real-world urgency is excellent. A 10-second sport-boost paddle and rear-biased xDrive complete the package.
This is where the new X3 makes its strongest case. The shift from run-flat to conventional tubeless tyres, combined with adaptive dampers that tangibly change character between Comfort, Personal and Sport, transforms low-speed ride over broken Indian tarmac. There is the occasional thump from the low-profile rubber, but the car genuinely glides where the previous generation thudded. At highway speeds it stays planted with that signature BMW high-speed composure, and body roll is well contained even though the chassis has been softened versus the outgoing model. The steering is light at parking speeds, weights up nicely, and Namaste Car highlights the variable-ratio Servotronic setup as one of the cabin highlights. The 50:50 weight distribution is felt the moment you commit to a corner. ADAS is calibrated brilliantly, intervening at the right time without being intrusive, with forward collision warning, AEB, lane-keep and rear cross-traffic alert all included, though a blind-spot view camera is missed.
Build feels solid in the way BMWs traditionally do: doors shut with a proper thud, the M Sport seats offer width and lumbar adjustment, and the aluminium-finish jewellery box around the gear selector and iDrive controller adds tactile richness. The crystal-cut ambient strips, illuminated grille and dynamic welcome carpet feel genuinely premium. However, the X3 is not blemish-free. Hard plastics appear lower down in the doors and on the rear of the front seats, the AC vent panel feels like it could pop out, and BMW's decision to use a tiny stub for the gear selector instead of the classic lever continues to disappoint enthusiasts. Safety kit is comprehensive: 8 airbags, ABS, ESC, hill descent, 360-degree camera with car-wash and 3D views, reversing assistant that retraces 50m of path, attentiveness assistant, and ISOFIX. Euro NCAP and China NCAP both rate it 5 stars. The drive recorder using all four cameras is a standout feature.
Value is where the X3 invites the sharpest scrutiny. The petrol 20i starts at around Rs. 71.2 lakh ex-showroom, the 20d at roughly Rs. 73 lakh ex-showroom, and the new X30i M Sport Pro is expected near Rs. 76 lakh, with the diesel M Sport reaching Rs. 94 lakh on-road in Mumbai. That makes the X3 about Rs. 1 lakh dearer than the equivalent Mercedes GLC 300d and broadly level with the outgoing Audi Q5. A few generations ago this money fetched an X5, which is the most uncomfortable comparison BMW will face. Against the GLC, the X3 feels sharper to drive and rides better; against the soon-to-arrive new Q5 and the Volvo XC60, it brings the strongest dynamics and ADAS. You can extend the warranty up to 10 years and add the BMW Secure advance package. For buyers who actually drive their luxury SUV, the X3 justifies the premium; for those chauffeured most of the time, a 5 Series LWB delivers more car for similar money.
TeamBHP's community echoes the editorial consensus: the new X3 is a genuinely improved everyday luxury SUV with class-leading ride and refinement, but the touchscreen-heavy UX and steep price walk are recurring complaints from prospective owners. Long-term observations from forum members highlight the diesel's real-world efficiency (15+ km/l on highways) and the welcome return to conventional tyres, while flagging that small-item storage and rear-bench width are weaker than expected at this price point.
"Loves the dynamics, ADAS and ride, but says the cumbersome touchscreen UI and missing physical buttons are deal-breakers for him personally despite calling it a lovely car."
"Treats the X3 as a feature-and-spec showcase, highlighting the illuminated grille, Interaction Bar, vegan upholstery, panoramic roof and three engine options as defining strengths of the G45."
"Rates the new X30i Sport Pro as the enthusiast's pick over the standard petrol and the GLC 300, calling it the best all-rounder in the segment for self-driven owners who want performance without losing practicality."