2018 BMW X3 Drifts a Little in the Snow, Looks More of an SUV than Current X3

Mercedes-Benz launched its X3 equivalent, the GLC, last year, and the compact SUV is a completely new car compared to the old GLK. It has lost some of the ruggedness (nearly all of it), but it's gained style, elegance and enough sportiness to warrant an AMG version. The current X3, however, is aging well on the outside, but its interior can't hide the fact that it's a car born before the infotainment system became the most important feature in a modern vehicle.

Apart from the external competitors, the X3 now has several other issues to deal with that come from within the Bavarian company. The new X1 is a lot larger and much better looking than ever, presenting itself as a better choice for those who don't need the extra space offered by the X3 but would much rather have a more up-to-date car. On the other hand, the X5 is offering a rear-wheel-drive version with a two-liter four-cylinder engine, which significantly drops its price right into X3 territory. So if you live somewhere where four-wheel drive is just a trifle and appreciate a frugal SUV, that could be enough to convince you to drop the X3.

So the compact SUV doesn't have an easy life. The new one, however, looks very promising, appearing to be larger and more off-road ready with that increased ground clearance. Scheduled for a 2017 release, the new X3 will be built on the 35up CLAR (CLuster ARchitecture) platform that's also underpinning the new 7 Series. That means the SUV will be lighter (about 100 kg or 45 lb) but also able to receive powertrains from the larger models.

Expect the 2018 BMW X3 to get the hybrid powertrain from the larger X5 (over 300 hp and 30 miles - 50 km - maximum EV range), as well as new and improved four- and six-cylinder engines. Two performance versions are also on the cards, the first being the 360 hp X3 M40i, and then the fully-fledged M version: the X3 M with 428 hp obtained from the twin-turbo in-line six found on the M3/M4 pair.

The car is still heavily camouflaged, so it's hard to make out any of the details, but it's clear to see that BMW is going a very different path compared to Mercedes-Benz. If the GLC looks soft, almost a little feminine, the X3 will be the exact opposite. Who will win? Well, the GLC has a lot of time to establish a strong foothold in the market until 2017, but the X3 might be making a very convincing entrance when it does arrive. Things won't be boring in this segment, that's for sure.