In the European midsize SUV segment, the trend is increasingly shifting toward gasoline engines—ideally with electric assistance—or even fully electric models. Yet there is another way: diesel engines remain hugely popular in this segment, and not just in Europe. We took the BMW X3 40d xDrive on a drive of more than 1,000 miles across Australia.
Diesels Are Still Popular in Australia
Electric mobility hasn’t gained much traction Down Under just yet. However, rising energy costs and proactive regional governments mean that models with electric or at least hybrid powertrains are increasingly on Australians’ minds. Diesel engines are even more popular, accounting for just under 30 percent of sales.
Pickups and off-roaders are a big deal in a country defined as much by kangaroos, the Sydney Opera House, and Ayers Rock as by the outback distances between them. Alongside rugged, high-volume models—with or without cargo beds—from manufacturers like Mazda, Toyota, Isuzu, and Ford, European premium brands also enjoy strong popularity there.
It’s no surprise, then, that the 4.76-meter-long BMW X3—featuring a top-tier 3.0-liter engine delivering 223 kW (303 hp)—became available in Australia well before it reached European or American showrooms. The X3 40d is built at BMW’s Rosslyn plant in South Africa, which makes for a considerably shorter shipping route to Australia than to Europe or the U.S.
While the 2.0-liter diesel engine (producing just under 200 hp) is a solid choice for this two-ton all-wheel-drive crossover, true power and effortless performance call for six cylinders. Here, the inline-six in the 40d xDrive is an excellent unit—arguably the best in the current lineup—delivering a massive 670 Nm of peak torque starting from just 1,500 rpm. Real-world fuel consumption of just over 38 mpg means the tank, whose capacity might otherwise seem a little on the small side, doesn’t demand frequent stops. Even along Australia’s east coast, with extended stops in bustling cities like Sydney or Brisbane, a range of 500 miles or more between fill-ups is easily achievable.
The X3 40d – An Overall Balanced Package
The powerful diesel engine—with its torque, smooth running, and strong delivery from low speeds—is one thing. But it’s the whole package that fits everyday use so well. Ideal weight distribution, a tightly tuned chassis, precise steering, and the symbiosis of the beefy diesel engine with the eight-speed automatic transmission: it’s hard to do better in this segment.
The mid-range SUV pulls hard at every conceivable speed, putting its power down in an impressively unobtrusive way and outrunning plenty of sports cars in the process—all while, in white paint, it blends into everyday traffic looking no different from a base model. That contrast is part of what makes it impressive. Switch to the sportier driving mode, even if it’s rarely necessary, and the six-cylinder revs higher, gear changes come bolder and quicker, and the thrust builds while the exhaust note stays discreetly restrained.
Whether taking curves briskly on the highway toward the Gold Coast or briefly darting into a gap between the massive road trains that supply this vast region with every kind of goods, everything works beautifully. The precise feedback through the steering wheel is just as impressive as the body control on narrow, winding country roads. This is precisely where the BMW X3 40d xDrive shines, erasing memories of the solid X3 20d or the punchy plug-in hybrid—which offered similar output (220 kW / 299 hp) but came with limited electric range and a disappointing top speed of 133 mph.
The Interior Is Not Of The Highest Quality
As much as the BMW X3 impresses with its balanced drivetrain, the interior is a letdown by comparison. The seats are comfortable but offer fewer adjustments than expected, and the plastic finish on the center console—along with door elements that creak around their control modules and carry superfluous badging—doesn’t belong in a vehicle that starts at 71,000 euros, even now that it’s available in Europe, and comes with rather mediocre standard equipment.
As a result, buyers tend to option it up considerably, and a properly equipped X3 with this diesel engine quickly climbs past 80,000 euros. Who, at that price point, wants to do without air-conditioned leather seats, LED matrix headlights, a panoramic roof, 20- or 21-inch wheels, a premium sound system, or automatic parking? In this respect, Australia is no different from Europe or the U.S.
Text & Photos: By Stefan Grundhoff, press-inform
First published by https://www.bmwblog.com
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