2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

2013 BMW X3 xDrive 35i

The 35 is separated from the lesser 28 version by the addition of a single turbocharger (though a little birdie tells me the 2013 X3 28 will be powered by the 240-hp N20 four-banger BMW is introducing throughout its line) that claims both 300 hp and the same torque figure. Excellent numbers they may be, but they are not the reason for spending the $46,900 even the base xDrive 35i costs.

X3 35i at 11.1 L/100 km in the city and 7.7 on the highway, but I’d suggest that matching those numbers will require some pussyfooting of the highest order. Matching some of BMW’s other performance claims, such as the 5.8 seconds the company says the X3 xDrive 35i takes to accelerate to 100 km/h, however, will be a doddle, though having that turbocharger huffing and puffing will eat up even more gas.

X3 is also remarkably sure-footed for anything remotely sport-utility-like. And while that’s also true of the pricier X5, BMW’s larger SAV (Sport Activity Vehicle in BMW parlance), the X3 manages to render exemplary handling without the often jarring ride of its larger sibling. My X3 was helped by the inclusion of the Dynamic Comfort package that offers multi-adjustable suspension damping. In everyday driving, however, I found the basic Comfort mode more than well enough calibrated for both performance and comfort and just left it there. Ditto the steering, which retains most of the celebrated BMW directness even though the X3 weighs almost two tonnes and stands tall over its sedan siblings.

Indeed, that is the magic of BMW. Ensconce yourself behind the wheel of the X3 — especially this boosted 35 version — and it’s easy to forget that you are riding in something that is supposed to feel truckish. The familiar handling prowess is there. Ditto the comfort, convenience and luxury one expects from a premium-priced luxury conveyance. And, of course, there’s that engine. M3s and M5s boast eight pistons and one can still get 12 of them in a nice, orderly vee if you tick off the order box for a top-of-the-range 760. But anything that is powered by the iconic 3.0L in-line six — especially in this turbocharged guise — is getting the best of BMW