X3 2.5 loaner review

My 330 was in for oil service yesterday and they gave me an X3 2.5 as a loaner. Road manners were very good and the high center of gravity feeling when driving an SUV seemed to be dialed out in most driving circumstances. Though you could still feel the momentum (heft) and the high COG at times. The 2.5 was a little underpowered for accelerating but keeping the revs up ala the 325i helped. The plastic cubbyhole in the dash where the NAV would be and the plastic-icky wood trim were cheesy. It had premium with the panorama roof which made for slow heating of the interior on a cold day. The heated seats were a must to have on. Overall I felt very secure driving around (tank like ) though you did have to plan your lane changes because of the increased height differential between you and traffic. I really missed my sport seats especially the thigh bolsters. Never really found a comfortable seating position. On the plus side it had plenty of room for stuff, braking was excellent, and looked good from the outside.

Pluses: Looks, driving dynamics considering weight and COG, brakes, room
Minuses: Non sport-seats, plastic bits

Though it drives like my 330 in normal traffic conditions, I still prefer my 330 .... even in the snow.

I have a stick, and black leather interior with aluminum trim. Also have the SP. This combo will eliminate most of your complaints.

We test drove one a while back as a possible replacement for my wife's 3. My observations were similar, but being used to my 5er I decided when the time came we'd look into a CPO'd X5 instead. OTOH: I'm getting rid of my 5er anyway, so I may feel different about it later.

Dean