TESTED 2015 BMW X3 xDrive28d
WHAT IS IT? A diesel-power crossover sport utility with all-wheel drive.
HOW MUCH? $42,825 base; $50,450 as tested including sunroof, heated seats, navigation system, upgraded stereo and “Saddle Brown Nevada leather.”
WHAT MAKES IT RUN? A turbocharged direct-injection 2-liter 4-cylinder engine rated at 180 horsepower, mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.
HOW QUICK IS IT? Assuming a little common sense, quick enough.
IS IT THIRSTY? Not at all: The E.P.A. rating is 27 m.p.g. in town, 34 on the highway. I did better.
ALTERNATIVES Mercedes GLK250 Bluetec 4Matic and Audi Q5 TDI.
In the early 1970s, when BMW owners got together, most of us were driving boxy 2002 models that people routinely thought were made by “British Motor Works.” None of us ever imagined that an enthusiast’s car could have a diesel engine.
But after a recent 442-mile Interstate trip, pulling up to a diesel pump in the X3 xDrive28d seemed neither as odd nor inappropriate as I’d have once imagined. And in contrast to diesel cars of decades past, there was no feeling of clattering kinship with the diesel 18-wheelers that passed by.
When it comes to kinship, the X3, which BMW calls a sports activity vehicle, is a kissing cousin of the old-style station wagon. For 2015, the big news is the availability of a turbo diesel engine for $1,500 more than the base gasoline-burning turbo 4.
I topped off the tank and checked the figures: The average speed for the 442 miles I covered was about 70 miles per hour, and the X3 got 36 m.p.g. — better even than the federal estimate.
But one catch with diesels is making sure the fuel economy is good enough to offset the currently higher price of diesel fuel. The diesel X3’s 27/34 m.p.g. rating compares with 21/28 for its 4-cylinder gas-fed sibling. The E.P.A. calculates that the diesel version will save about $350 a year compared with the gas model, assuming an already outdated premium-fuel price of $3.43 a gallon and a diesel price of $3.64, with 15,000 miles evenly split between city and highway.
There is a Sport setting for the powertrain, but on the Interstate the most fuel-efficient mode is Eco Pro, which compels the transmission to quickly seek the highest gear possible, allowing the engine to loaf.
Eco Pro is a snooze cruise. Should a burst of speed be needed, the delay in acceleration is minimized by the responsive 8-speed automatic and the 280 pound-feet of torque at engine speeds as low as 1,750 r.p.m.
BMW says the diesel takes 7.8 seconds to go from zero to 60 m.p.h. That compares with 6.2 for the 4-cylinder gasoline model.
The suspension is firm, and on a rough surface the X3 skitters a bit under hard cornering. The steering is nicely weighted but a bit selfish about sharing its feelings concerning the road. Still, the X3 heads quickly into a turn, helped by the ideal 50-50 front-back distribution of its weight.
No hardcore sport sedan, the X3 has a different mandate. The diesel sound is easily heard outside, but for the most part is inaudible to occupants. Four adults have adequate room. and there is a reasonable 27.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row. There are no mysteries about the basic controls, including iDrive, which one uses to make changes to the navigation and other systems. Such facility is a pleasant change. When iDrive was introduced a dozen years ago it was so confusing and aggravating that BMW was shunned for crimes against ergonomics.
Considering the extra cost to purchase the diesel, there could be a reasonable debate about whether it makes fiscal sense, particularly if the buyer doesn’t keep the vehicle for long; the more you drive, the more you save.
The X3 is a charming but common-sense package, though with a 17.7-gallon tank you’ll never be able to buy enough diesel at a truck stop to take advantage of a common incentive there: a free shower.