since it seems to be somewhat of a tradition here, I'm adding my first 1k impressions of the X3 for what it's worth. Overall I really like driving this car. It's the right balance of comfort/performance/practicality right now. The biggest things I don't like would've been rectified had I found one with the Msport and cold weather packages. Actually found the perfect one back in September (Carbon black, msport etc), but wasn't really sold on the idea at that point. Nothing that really irritates me yet though.
Likes:
-Definitely the best riding BMW I've had. No need to clench my teeth over potholes or rough roads. But doesn't seem to have an undue amount of body lean for being an SUV. I haven't encountered a situation where the car feels floaty or like it's going to understeer through a corner atleast.
-Best electric power steering of the BMWs i've driven. Reasonable feel and no looseness on center. "Sport" mode is nicely weighted without feeling artificially heavy.
-Smoothness of engine. For some reason the n55 in my old 335 had a rough idle - this one is glass smooth.
-Dash design. Simple, infotainment screen integration isn't the "tablet stuck on top" of the latest bmws, everything seems well laid out. Cluster from F10 5 series so it's got large, clear gauges, etc. Climate control also appears to be f10-style so it has the "sync" button that the f30 lacks (small thing but nice)
-Infotainment system (and nav in particular) continues to impress me with how easy and accurate it is. I haven't had any "want to smash the screen" moments like I've had on past vehicles or with Google and Apple Maps for that matter.
Mixed:
-I've always had the "sport seats" or equivalent. I kind of miss the cushion extender thing, but am realizing that the lack of bolsters makes longer trips more comfortable. Wish this car had heated seats though- i miss those. Seats aren't quite as comfortable as the ones i had in the e83- could just be that those were broken in after 100k miles. Headrests aren't adjustable for angle (e90 style) as they are on newer bmws (including f30). The 1st gen x3 had a kind of clever setup where the whole headrest could be adjusted in/out (without being on an angle).
-Steering wheel. I've always had the thicker "M sport" wheel with paddles. Similar to the seats, I kind of prefer the thinner wheel on longer trips. I still instinctively reach for the paddles in certain cases-- enjoyed using them occasionally. Kicking around the idea of buying/installing the msport wheel but probably won't bother.
-Build quality/materials: Overall pretty good. But some of the plastics seem like a step down from the 1st gen (e83) x3 i had. Funny because all the reviews of the 2nd gen fawned over how much more "upscale" it is. The door pockets in particular are hard, shiny, grained plastic with no lining. e83 was all soft touch. If they were in an FCA product, reviewers would jump all over it. Then again, for the price I'm paying anything else would've had plenty of hard plastic as well.
-Exhaust sound: While I like that there's no artificial enhancement. But it doesn't sound nearly as good as the same engine in the 335 did. Almost has a Nissan VQ-ish type of drone sometimes (like what i identify w/ G35s). Still much better than the unaugmented 4 cylinder sound in the 28i model.
-Looks: I've grown accustomed to the headlight design and side flourishes. Am realizing that I actually think it looks better in lighter colors and w/ different wheels. The matte black window trim on the "no line" x3s looks a bit cheap too. Not a car I glance back at- but wasn't really prioritizing that for this purchase.
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