The guys from Car Advice and Drive magazines in Australia, set out to find out which cars are the best in various segments, for this year. We’ve seen them compare the BMW X5 with some peculiarly chosen rivals, then watched the BMW X5 M Competition lose to the RS Q8 and now we’re checking out how the BMW X3 matches up against the Volvo XC60 and the Land Rover Discovery Sport in yet another three-way comparison.
The BMW X3 is truly a success story for the Bavarian car maker. The mid-size SUV is the best selling model BMW makes right now, stripping the BMW 3 Series of that crown. Considering the SUV and crossover boom we’re experiencing today in the automotive industry, that’s hardly a surprise, as the X3 is the SUV equivalent of the 3 Series. And when you take a look at the range and how diverse it is, you can easily understand why the X3 sells so well.
You can have it with a 2.0 liter diesel engine under the hood or go all the way up to the brain-smudging X3 M Competition model with 510 PS (503 horsepower) from a 3.0 liter straight-six mill. In this particular test, the judges did note that the ride on the X3 can be a bit harsh over poor surfaces but that this stiff setup does come in handy when you want to drive this thing hard. And the X3 is rewarding in such scenarios, being declared the best handling model here.
However, when deciding which car is the best in this segment, a number of other various factors has to be taken into account as well. Not everyone wants to do drag races from red lights every day and not everyone is looking for the best performance. Therefore, the winner in this case was the Volvo XC60 for a nice blend of features and comfort along with decent driving dynamics. But don’t take our word for it, check the video below to see the complete reasoning of the jury.
