Dec. 6, 2006

BMW’s X3 is the second-best sporty SUV but worse-than-average predicted reliability keeps it from being recommended by Consumer Reports.
BMW’s X3 is the second-best sporty SUV, says Consumer Reports, but it’s not recommended. “While the X3 performed well in our testing, its predicted reliability has dropped to worse than average,” CR says in its January 2007 issue. Among six sporty SUVs, CR rates them in this order: Toyota RAV4, BMW X3, Nissan Murano SL, Acura RDX, Infiniti FX35, and Mazda CX-7 Grand Touring. All are check-rated excepted the BMW and Mazda (which is too new to have reliability scores yet).

Consumer Reports said it liked the X3’s “agility, steering, braking, fit and finish, and controls,” but not the “ride, price, premium fuel, and touchy throttle.”


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