MT GARAGE
2018 BMW X 3 M40i
DRIVETRAIN LAYOUT Front-engine, AWD
ENGINE TYPE Turbocharged I-6,
alum block/head
VALVETRAIN DOHC, 4 valves/cyl
DISPLACEMENT 182.9 cu in/2,998cc
COMPRESSION RATIO 11.0:1
POWER (SAE NET) 355 hp @ 5,500 rpm
TORQUE (SAE NET) 369 lb-ft @ 1,520 rpm
REDLINE 7,000 rpm
WEIGHT TO POWER 12.1 lb/hp
TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic
AXLE/FINAL DRIVE RATIO 3.39:1/2.17:1
SUSPENSION, FRONT; REAR Struts, coil springs, adj
shocks, anti-roll bar;
multilink, coil springs,
adj shocks, anti-roll bar
STEERING RATIO 16.8:1
TURNS LOCK TO LOCK 2.5
BRAKES, F; R 13.7-in vented disc; 13.5-
in vented disc, ABS
WHEELS 8.5 x 21-in; 9.5 x 21-in,
forged aluminum
TIRES 245/40R21 100Y; 275/
35R21 103Y Bridgestone
Alenza 001* RFT
DIMENSIONS
WHEELBASE 112.8 in
TRACK, F/R 63.0/63.6 in
LENGTH X WIDTH X HEIGHT 186.1 x 74.7 x 66.0 in
GROUND CLEARANCE 8.0 in
APPROACH/DEPART ANGLE 25.7/22.6 deg
TURNING CIRCLE 39.7 ft
CURB WEIGHT 4,282 lb
WEIGHT DIST, F/R 50/50%
TOWING CAPACITY 4,400 lb
SEATING CAPACITY 5
HEADROOM, F/R 40.0/38.5 in
LEGROOM, F/R 40.3/36.4 in
SHOULDER ROOM, F/R 57.6/56.0 in
CARGO VOLUME BEH
1ST/2ND 62.6/28.7 cu ft
TEST DATA
ACCELERATION TO MPH
0-30/0-40 1.8/2.6 sec
0-50/0-60 3.6/4.8
0-70/0-80 6.2/7.9
0-90/0-100 9.9/12.3
0-100-0 16.6
PASSING, 45-65 MPH 2.4
QUARTER MILE 13.4 sec @ 103.7 mph
BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 112 ft
LATERAL ACCELERATION 0.85 g (avg)
MT FIGURE EIGHT 25.9 sec @ 0.72 g (avg)
TOP-GEAR REVS @ 60 MPH 1,500 rpm
CONSUMER INFO
BASE PRICE $55,295
PRICE AS TESTED $68,670
STABILITY/TRACTION
CONTROL
Yes/YesAIRBAGS 8: Dual front, front side,
f/r curtain, front knee
BASIC WARRANTY 4 years/50,000 miles
POWERTRAIN WARRANTY 4 years/50,000 miles
ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE 4 years/Unlimited miles
FUEL CAPACITY 17.2 gal
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB ECON 20/27/23 mpg
ENERGY CONS, CITY/HWY 169/125 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.86 lb/mile
RECOMMENDED FUEL Unleaded premium19.9 mpg average. That comes in well
below the EPA’s estimate of 23 mpg
combined. I don’t fault the car but instead
blame myself and other lead-footed
staffers for the lower than expected
mileage. Can you blame us for our lack of
self-control? Keep in mind, gas is free for
us. I know, life is rough.
Our time with the X3 M Lite, as I like to
call it, hasn’t been without blemishes. The
sunroof started leaking into my lap when
I took it through an automated car wash,
and the front suspension developed a
creaking noise. Both occurred pretty early
into our loan, and the sunroof leak was
remedied after a couple trips to the dealer,
thankfully covered under warranty. The
creaking was never resolved.
Other than that, the car has been pretty
hassle-free. The interior has held up well
against the battery of camera gear thrown
into it, and we avoided any damage to the
exterior. All maintenance was free thanks
to BMW’s Ultimate Care program, which
covers basic maintenance for the first
three years or 36,000 miles. That’s stan-
dard on all 2017 and newer BMWs. We
took it in for routine service four times,
and each time we were given a loaner.
Although maintenance cost totaled
a whopping $0, we did change out the
wheels and tires for an aftermarket set
provided by Tire Rack. If it weren’t for
Tire Rack comping our tab, a replacement
set of Pirelli P Zero RFTs would’ve costus around $1,800, plus installation. So
the one-year normal-wear cost you could
expect yourself is somewhere around
$2,000, depending on how quickly you’d
wear out the tires and how much you’d
spend on replacements.
The X3 also retains its value pretty
well for a luxury vehicle. According to
IntelliChoice estimates, the 2018 X3 will
be worth 51.1 percent of its original value
in five years. For perspective, the industry
average is 47.8 percent, and a 2018 BMW
340i xDrive comes in at 45.8 percent. At
the lower end, a Nissan Leaf SV is at 26.79
percent after five years. IntelliChoice
gives the 2018 BMW X3 M40i sedan an
above-average value rating and estimates
a $57,795 five-year cost of ownership. A
2018 Mercedes-Benz GLC 43 was given a
poor value rating, with a $66,770 five-year
cost of ownership. In general, luxury
vehicles don’t retain their value, but if you
really need the clout, the X3 won’t torture
your wallet as much as others.
I will thoroughly miss my best long-
termer yet. Although its reliability is still
questionable, the X3 has proven to be a
multitalented beast. It packs impressive
performance yet it is practical, comfort-
able, and packed with useful tech as
optioned. The X3 is long gone by now,
and although it wasn’t without flaws, I’m
left crying Drake tears reminiscing about
it during my commute home in my new
long-termer, the Kia Soul. Q82 MOTORTREND.COM MAY 2020