What's the German Word for "Aesthetics"? The 2025 BMW X3 M50i xDrive
- Mike Hagerty
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
The other day, I was diving from suburban Sacramento to the San Francisco Bay Area and I was passed by a lovely early 70's BMW 2800 CS.
That's a fairly rare car, so here's a memory-jogger:
That has been, since I first saw one in 1968, among my all-time favorite cars. It's just gorgeous from every angle---especially that impossibly slim rear pillar.
Seeing it reminded me that BMW could build cars of astonishing beauty.
I needed that reminder, because I was driving this at the time:
This is the newly re-styled 2025 BMW X3.
Let's just say that the new X3's styling has more in common with the gone-after-this-year BMW XM than it does the beautiful 2800 coupe of decades past. And that is nowhere near good.
The good news is that it's not all bad news. The X3, especially in the M50i xDrive trim I drove, is still a great driver. That's a 3.0-liter inline six mild hybrid with an output of 393 horsepower and 428 pound-feet of torque. BMW says zero to 60 happens in 4.4 seconds, and it's even better than that as the electrification and the turbo sort of fill in each other's gaps. It's a smooth, undending firehose of power until you let up on the throttle.
And the "M" in "M50" means that the performance isn't limited to going fast. The X3 M50i xDrive shows up with M Sport brakes with red calipers, adaptive M suspension, and variable sport steering.
That high beltline pays off in a very deep cargo compartment---31.5 cubic feet of space is behind the second row of seats. Fold those flat and you've got 67.1.
Rear seat legroom is an adequate 36.3 inches.
It's when you open the door to the front row that things get problematic again.
BMW chose to use a giant plastic handle for the interior door handle---to encase that in another giant piece of plastic that serves as an ambient light source, and to put another giant piece of plastic next ot it that is a multi-function device---door locks, seat memory and a control for how much air comes out of the dashboard vent closest to the door.
That's a lot of plastic, and worse, it looks and feels cheap.
In fact, the dashboard design---the entire instrument panel---is a jumble of shapes and textures that feel rushed and downmarket.
Look, I know there are a million reasons why we can't in 2026 have the elegance of a 2800's interior design...
But given that the modern-day instrument display is configurable, can you give me an option to make it look like this?
Show me something that reminds me just how great a BMW can be, and that connects with the driving experience that's (thankfully) still there.
Please?
The base price of the 2025 BMW X3 M50i xDrive is $64,100---$65,275 including destination (see the window sticker at the end of the review for standard equipment).
Our X3 had some extra-cost options, but not many by BMW standards. The Vegas Red metallic paint was $650. The Driving Assistance Professional package added $1,700. The M Sport Professional Package (full LED lights with cornering) put another $600 on the tab. The Premium Package (active driving assistance pro, a Harman Kardon surround sound audio system, interior camera, curved display with head-up display and parking assistant professional) was $2,700. Then $600 for upgraded 21-inch M wheels and $500 for front ventilated seats.
The as-tested price: $72,225.
The new X3 is both practical and a strong performer. But a note to BMW's exterior and interior design team: Form needs to follow function. This vehicle could look a lot better doing what it does.
2025 BMW X3 M50i at a Glance:
Price: $64,100 base/$72,225 as-tested
Engine: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline six-cylinder with 48V mild hybrid
Horsepower: 393
Torque: 428 lb-ft
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Curb Weight: 4,535
0-60 Acceleration (manufacturer data): 4.4 seconds
EPA Fuel Economy Estimate: 25 mpg city/30 highway/27 combined
Fuel tank capacity: 17.2 gallons
EPA Range Estimate: 464 miles
