2022 X3 M40i to new 2025 X3 M50

Hi Everyone,

I have viewed this thread for years ever since my first 3 series in 2006. Just went from a 2022 X3 M40i to the new X3 M50. Before that I had the 1st and 2nd generation X4’s. Like many here I had some apprehension with this new generation of X3. So I just wanted to share my thoughts for anyone who is on the fence as I can directly compare the previous generation to the new one.

Exterior: Like all new BMW’s before it this car looks so much better in person than it does in pictures and videos. It definitely has more visual heft and more visual presence than the prior car. Despite only being an inch longer and wider it looks much bigger. I chose Dune Grey. I have always owned Black, Blue and Grey cars. I wanted to change it up this time. Like Brooklyn Grey its look depends on the light. Bright light it is almost like chalk . In lower light it’s more like putty. It is definitely more stealthy than Vegas Red and at the speeds you will go in this car I felt less cop attention is better lol. I wish they had maybe kept more suggestion of the quad corona rings that are so iconic for BMW but this new look is not bad. My one big gripe. Why can’t we get the cool horizontal amber turn signals that the Europeans do. All we get is a flashing red brake light. C’mon BMW !

Interior: This issue has been so controversial on these forums so my two cents. Like the exterior it looks and feels a lot better in person. I would almost say it is an apples to oranges in comparison to the old interior as it so different. I would say fit and finish are on par with previous BMW’s. It is well put together and everything feels solid without any squeaks or loose pieces. The one weak spot is the instrument cluster on the door and that hard shiny black plastic on the door pull. I went with the Amber/Atlas gray Merino and I feel that it luxes up and warms the interior quite a bit. The dash is in Sensatec and I think would be a lot easier to maintain in the long run. I feel the seats are much softer and more comfortable than the previous generation. I wasn’t sure that I would like this new interior but having spent the weekend in it I have grown to really like it. I like the minimalist look. I like the clean, smooth uncluttered surfaces without a sea of buttons/switches. The display screens are clear and sharp. The ambient lighting is really beautiful. My advice is turn it down so it is not so garishly bright. What I miss. Ambient lighting in the back. Metal doors sills. A cover for the jewelry box to hide the contents.

Driving : My biggest gripe with the previous X3 was the ride. Granted I had 21 inch run flats on that car and I live in the city but I felt the ride to be a little harsh at times as was the road noise. Made me yearn for an X5. This car fixes that. I have 21 inchers again but the ride is definitely more luxurious. In comfort the ride is planted and smooth and absorbs sharp impacts ( the prior car’s weakness ) quietly with none of the harshness the previous gen had. Sport sharpens things up but is still plenty comfortable and corners as if on rails. The engine. What can I say but the B58 has got to be the best engine BMW makes and paired with this transmission this car is a beast. Power is smooth/instantaneous and just keeps coming.

Infotainment: So going from iDrive 7 to iDrive 9 was quite the learning curve for me. Very different interface and interactivity. This is where people who like physical buttons will have the most issue. Had to actually read the manual and sit down with the car for several hours to program everything. I don’t like having to take my eyes off the road to make sure I’m pushing the right button on the screen. Thank god they left the directional control wheel on this model. Big Plus = I don’t know that they did but the Harmon Kardon system sounds MUCH better in this car. Maybe they added more wattage or they added more bass woofers but even in the factory setting without fiddling with the equalizer it’s sounds was really good. No more muddy bass which was the previous gens weakness. Bass IMO was deep, clear and balanced and seemed to emanate from the rear of the car. As far as I can tell the speaker arrangement is the same so must be added amps or different types of speakers that make it sound so much better.

Having lived with the car for a week I have really grown to appreciate this new X3. If you are sitting on the fence thinking of taking the plunge I recommend you do it. This car is still at its heart a BMW. Sure the interior is different and there have been some content deletions/cost cutting and more use of plastics. Some of this I suggest may not have been solely a cost cutting mechanic but perhaps to not cut into X5 sales if they made it too luxurious. But I can say it still performs and handles like a BMW and that after all is what really draws us back to this marque.