Yes, it’s a hybrid. No, it doesn’t qualify for a rebate.

But that doesn’t matter right now, what matters is that BMW has demonstrated its intentions of being part of an electrified vehicle future, right now. 

We have seen a couple of e-Beemers recently, but they have been sedans, notably the 3-Series and 5-Series and in both cases, BMW has chosen the path of not compromising what has made those respective vehicles great with a little electrical assistance. 

To say the electrical input on both these vehicles is very much a tingle rather than a zap, will give you an idea of what we mean. 

In saying this, BMW has held true to its promise to its customers of being a Driver’s machine first and foremost and hybridisation doesn’t really fit well into that spot. 

So, BMW has focused more on retaining what makes its cars great rather than going balls to the wall producing the ultimate electric machine.

In the harsh reality of the modern automotive world, it is good to see a brand keeping to the values its customers perceive as being core to the brand.

NZ Company Vehicle was invited to drive the X3 XDrive30e, which is quite a mouthful. Putting it into English, this is an X3 with hybrid technology (e) and 4WD (XDrive).

The X3 is the middle child of the X-line up with it’s little ‘leccy kit and it was with a sense of, “Well, it’ll be fun to be in an X3 again. And we might save a bit on fuel with the electrical bit, that we took it away.”

Don’t get me wrong, the X3 is probably my preferred X model. With six variants to choose from, including the hybrid, the X3 offers a good price and specification spread to choose from – more so than any of the other X’s.

The X3 XDrive30e is just a smidge over the $100k mark, but it still works for us as a sensibly priced, premium SUV. In fact, we thought it would carry a more premium price, so congratulations BMW NZ for keeping the pencils sharp!  

Congratulations too, for keeping BMW brand identity at the forefront of design development as well as giving the X3 a noteworthy point of difference from inside the cockpit. 

Front seat occupants look out over a big bonnet with a series of sculpted strake lines to give a sense of majesty befitting a much larger vehicle. It’s impressive to the point that I forgot I was in one of the smaller BMW SUVs.  

Smaller but not by much. The X3 XDrive30e rides on 20-inch alloys and runs the two-litre, BMW TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder petrol engine with an integrated electric motor and a lithium-ion battery – all of which gives a significant power and torque upgrade over the regular engine model.

And that power and torque is routed through a conventional eight-speed Sport automatic, an unusual arrangement for a hybrid, which would typically run some sort of CVT. 

The eight-speed gives the X3 a much more conventional, no, more the expected ride quality BMW customers are used to, rather than the frantic rush of acceleration you would normally experience with an electric vehicle. 

And when you are in electric mode, the X3 really delivers. We all know electrics are quiet, but because there is no engine note to mask metallic creaks and groans, those noises become amplified. 

Not in the X3. As you might expect of any BMW passenger vehicle, when serenity is the desired result, tranquillity is what you get – if the battery is charged of course.

And on that note, BMW quotes a purely electric range of anywhere between 51 and 55km, the present industry standard for a plug-in hybrid, before the TwinPower petrol engine engages almost seamlessly to give a combined range of around 548kms.  

There is close to $5000 difference between the ICE and plug-in hybrid in favour of the ICE and the PHEV does have a smaller fuel tank as well as the additional weight of the hybrid tech (which goes a long way to giving the X3 its well planted feel by the way). 

Based on manufacturer figures and a few assumptions ($2 a litre fuel cost and 14000km travelled per year), the retail price difference between the ICE and the PHEV will balance out in fuel savings over about three years. 

And that’s a fair whack of CO₂ saved at the same time as you enjoy the many luxurious and technically brilliant appointments of the BMW X3 XDrive30e. 

Specifications:

BODY TYPE 5 door luxury SUV 
DRIVE All wheel/ 8 speed auto 
ENGINE TYPE 4-cylinder, turbo petrol   
ENGINE CAPACITY 1998cc
MAX POWER 135kW 
MAX TORQUE 300Nm 
L/100KM (COMBINED) 2.1 – 2.4
CO₂ EMISSIONS 48-54 g/km
LOAD CAPACITY 450 – 1500 litres
ANCAP RATING 5 Star
PRICE $107,700