Hi All,
I had to get into a SUV and out of my 2013 Audi A5. I needed space. In the 6 months of shopping, I drove a lot of vehicles: Q5, SQ5, X3, X3 M40i, X5, RDX, MDX, Discovery Sport HSE Luxe. In the end, I went with a 2018 X3 M40i very well equipped. So far, I am very happy with the purchase. What follows are my thoughts on the car.
What I love about it:
The Drive - Power, handling, feel. Where the SQ5 felt unstable and nervous, the X3 is confident and composed.
Features - Tech, Stereo, Heads-up Display, Radar Cruise, Power Liftgate, Hitch, Cargo Space, Interior Lighting, Contrast Stitching.
What I wish it had:
Adjustable Dampers - I live in Chicago. The roads suck. Having the ability to soften the ride a bit would be nice. It's quite taught but not harsh. This is also why I stayed with the 19" wheels. Replacing rims is an unessary expense.
The configurable digital dash from the SQ5.
Strange surprises:
Though it is 4=6 inches shorter than the A5, it seems to have a larger turning radius.
The 19" wheels are a pain to clean. That concave surface right behind the spokes is a brake dust magnet.
Since I bought an "executive" car with 12k on it when the next model year was out, they took ~$14k off the price and extended all the warranties and service. So far so good.
Where the Audi is polished and refined, the BMW is sporty. While the raw power was similar, the difference is composure. At every speed, the BMW feels like it was designed specifically for that situation. Even a bump in a turn at high speed is handled beautifully. When putting the pedal down in the SQ5, it felt nervous and unsure, wobbly, not sure-footed. That digital dash is a thing of marvel though. My final benefit of going with the BMW is you, the community. There are more forums, parts, swag, rallies, races, everything.
Hope this helps.
Rob