Long-term report: It’s time for the BMW X3 to head home

It’s been a busy six months with the BMW X3 M50. While I was a little hesitant to begin with about returning to petrol power, the X3 has shown combustion power in a very good light.

You see, for the last few years, I’ve been predominantly driving electric vehicles. While there’s plenty of criticism of the EV charging infrastructure, when you’re lucky enough to have a home charger – like I have – electric vehicle driving is a doddle. You simply plug in and, when you go to leave the next morning, your car is waiting there fully charged and ready to go. Plus, when you’re on an EV-friendly tariff, the cost is extremely low.

So the prospect of having to go back to petrol stations, high fuel prices and slightly more inconvenience meant that I wasn’t feeling as positive about combustion power as I may usually have been when I first approached the M50.

But this BMW really does sell petrol power very well. For one, the six-cylinder engine is smooth and responsive, offering loads of power alongside a refined power delivery. Sure, in this 376bhp range-topper, fuel efficiency might not be the best, but when you’re cruising along in the X3 M50, things feel very smooth indeed. At motorway speeds, it’s quiet and comfortable, too, and actually has the hallmarks of an old-school premium SUV, rather than a newer performance-oriented one.

It also feels like BMW has hit its groove with its latest interiors. I still think that some of the materials inside the X3 don’t feel fitting given its close-to-£80,000 price tag – the material on the sills is rough and unpleasant – but the general architecture of the cabin is spot-on.

A recent update saw Apple CarPlay flipped over to bring its icons to the driver’s side – beforehand, you had to reach to the opposite end of the super-wide screen – but it’s also features like having the deactivation of the speed limit assist technology integrated into one of the steering wheel buttons. A ‘long hold’ of the button and all of the noises and alerts are switched off – perfect.

I also like how practical the X3 is. Of course, modern SUVs feel like they’ve super-sized in recent years and, as a result, this latest X3 feels similar in size to the X5 of previous generations, but a by-product of this is that it’s got a large, easy-to-access boot with seats that go relatively flat when you fold them down. During my time with the X3, it has proved invaluable for transporting building materials, and even the bathroom sink.

Good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and the X3 has now gone back to BMW. The big question is – would I purchase an X3 M50 given the opportunity?

It’s a bit of a yes/no answer, in truth. On the one hand, I love the performance that the M50 model brings; it’ll give the average hot hatch a run for its money, and the dynamic tweaks that have been made to the steering and suspension over the standard car make it genuinely entertaining on a twisty road.

However, all of the things that I’ve found most useful on the X3 – its space, large boot and intuitive technology – can be found on the standard car, which is available with petrol, hybrid and diesel engines. Opt for one of these and you’ll still get all the great features of the range-topping M50, but it’ll cost a lot less to run and you’ll spend fewer hours at the petrol station filling up, too.

The M50 model does feel like a through-and-through performance SUV. I just think that for most people, the ‘standard’ car will provide all of the plus-points, but without the higher running costs.