Long-term report: Updates make the BMW X3 even better

Sometimes I’m quite taken aback by the technology included in modern cars. For me at least, it seems like five minutes since having an iPod connected to a car’s stereo was a high-tech feature – but then I am getting on a bit now.

Take the X3. Since I started driving it, Apple CarPlay’s icons have been located – rather annoyingly – on the left-hand side of the screen. That might not sound like much of an issue, but considering the X3’s large central display, it means you have to stretch nearly to the other side of the cabin to switch between different apps and settings.

Recently, the ‘My BMW’ app – which lets me control and check various aspects of the car – flashed up with an alert, telling me that an over-the-air update was available and could be downloaded whenever I was ready. I’m always quite keen to keep things like this current, so I accepted the update and, apparently, it was beamed into the car overnight.

As with smartphones, I expect updates like this to bring relatively minor changes, such as updated software or some extra apps. So I was quite surprised when I got back into the car after the update had been applied, started the car, fired up Apple CarPlay and noticed that all of the apps had switched to the ‘correct’ side. It’s like BMW had been listening to me.

I think it’s fantastic that updates can be done like this. Even a few years ago, getting something like this changed would’ve required a trip to a dealer and all manner of fiddling about. Now, it’s as simple as a phone download and it’s instantly made interacting with the car even better.

A colleague borrowed the X3 recently and it was great to hear their perspective on the car, too. I’ve become quite accustomed to how smooth and easy-going the X3 is – even in performance M50 specification – but my colleague also thought the same, which helped during a long trip to Norfolk and back from the south coast.

What else has the X3 been up to? Well, a fair few home renovations have meant that the X3’s large boot has been put to the test, dealing with everything from lengths of lumber, sections of plasterboard and a lot of tiles, but thanks to the folding rear seats being easy to operate, it hasn’t felt like a chore to get larger items in or out. The seats also fold completely flat, which is something that a lot of other SUVs miss out on.

I’ve spoken about the X3’s fuel economy on numerous occasions and I’m pleased to say that it… hasn’t got any better. On the long run, I can just about squeak it to 40mpg, but around town it’s averaging somewhere in the mid-30s. It’s not too bad, but in a time of fuel-sipping hybrids and electric models, it does feel a little old-school to have something which chews through unleaded at such a rate. I recently had to do a full fill-up, taking the X3 from the fuel light to full and I think my wallet is still quivering at the memory.

Aside from the financial hit that comes with keeping the X3 running, everything else is pretty rosy. I’ve had a number of people comment on the car’s Dune Grey paint scheme and I’ve even seen a couple of other X3s finished in the same colour. I’ve got to admit that I’m still on the fence about it, but you’ve got to say that it helps this car stand out.

That said, a couple of X3s that I’ve spotted out and about have been finished in more classic-style blues and reds and I do think they really suit the look of the car overall. You can also get certain specifications of the X3 – excluding this M50 version – with a cream interior, which I think looks absolutely fantastic.

It’s almost annoyingly rounded, the X3. Sure, some of the plastics inside leave a little to be desired, particularly for a BMW costing over £80,000, but in all other areas it’s just one of those cars that gets the job done.