BMW X3
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After the introduction of the turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in the xDrive28i last year, there is little change in the line for 2014. The Technology Package now includes USB connectivity and Bluetooth with smartphone integration. The Navigation/iDrive system gets some further refinements. Some packages and availability are shuffled.
2013 sees the introduction of a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that replaces the naturally aspirated (non-turbo) inline-6 in past xDrive28i models. Although this engine is smaller, it creates the same amount of horsepower and more torque than the former 6-cylinder engine, while attaining better fuel economy: up to 28 mpg on the highway.
With an all-new X3 in 2011, the changes for the 2012 BMW X3 are little more than tweaks to an already well-received SUV redesign.
BMW's X3 "Sport Activity Vehicle" followed big-brother X5 to market in 2003 and has achieved nearly equal popularity. It debuted BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system, now standard on both, and, despite its more compact size, offered slightly more cargo capacity than the larger, more expensive previous-generation X5. Like the X5, the X3's claim to fame is successfully wedding SUV attributes (aggressive tall-wagon look, utility, all-weather security, "command" seating position) to BMW attributes of performance and fun-to-drive handing agility.
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