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2019 BMW X3

Trims, performance, features, fuel economy, safety and known problems — with the pros and cons against similar 2019 models.

BMW X3
Pictured: BMW X3 M (G01) FL IAA 2021 1X7A0001. Photo: Alexander Migl, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Class
Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Body styles
M40i 4dr SUV, Xdrive30i 4dr SUV
Engines
2.0L 4-cyl turbo, 3.0L 6-cyl turbo
Horsepower
248–355 hp
Transmission
8-speed automatic
Drivetrain
Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive
Seats
5
Fuel
Premium Gasoline
MPG (best)
26 combined · 23 city / 30 hwy
Length
185.4 in
Curb weight
4,151–4,229 lb
NHTSA rating
★★★★★
Recalls
10 campaigns

Pros & cons

What's good

  • AWD / 4WD available
  • 5-star NHTSA safety ratingTop overall score in federal crash tests.

Watch out for

  • Premium fuel requiredEvery gasoline version is rated for premium, which raises running costs.
  • Many owner complaints171 complaints filed with NHTSA versus about 37 for similar models — most often about the electrical system.
  • 10 recallsMore than similar models (about 4). Confirm repairs with the VIN.

Calculated from EPA, NHTSA and vPIC data against 25 similar 2019 models — not a review. How we calculate this →

Overview

The 2019 BMW X3 is a small SUV offered with 2 engines (2.0L 4-cyl turbo and 3.0L 6-cyl turbo) and rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive.

It measures about 185 inches long and 74 inches wide on a 113-inch wheelbase, with a curb weight of roughly 4,229 lb (M40i 4dr SUV).

EPA rates its most efficient version at 26 MPG combined (23 city / 30 highway), 9% better than the 2019 small SUV average of 23.8 MPG, for an estimated $3,150 a year in fuel.

In NHTSA crash testing it earned the top 5-star overall rating.

It has 10 recall campaigns on file and owners have filed 171 complaints with NHTSA since 2015, most often about the electrical system.

What changed for 2019

  • Now crash-tested by NHTSA: 5 stars overall

Compared with 2018; trim, feature and price changes aren't covered. See the 2018 X3 →

Trims, performance & features

Engine248 hp2.0L 4-cyl
Engine355 hp3.0L 6-cyl
Transmission8-speed automatic
DriveAWD/4WD
Seating5 seats · 2 rows

Trims

xDrive30isDrive30iM40i

Safety & driver-assist features

Forward collision warningStandard
Adaptive cruise controlStandard
Backup cameraStandard
Automatic high beamsStandard
Adaptive driving beamStandard
Keyless startStandard

Built in: Greer, South Carolina

NHTSA vPIC, as reported by the manufacturer for 4 2019 X3 configurations; may not list every trim. How we calculate this →

Dimensions & weight

BodyLengthWidthHeightWheelbaseTrack F / RCurb weightWeight F/R
M40i 4dr SUV185.4 in74.4 in66.1 in112.6 in63 / 63.8 in4,229 lb50/50
Xdrive30i 4dr SUV185.4 in74.4 in66.1 in112.6 in63.8 / 64.6 in4,151 lb50/50

Transport Canada CVS (Open Government Licence – Canada), Canadian-market figures.

Will it fit your garage? Check with your measurements →

Engines, MPG & running costs

VersionEngineTransmissionDriveCity / Hwy / Combvs. classFuel / yrCO₂ g/mi
X3 sDrive30i2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S8)Rear-Wheel Drive23 / 30 / 26+9%$3,150344
X3 xDrive30i2.0L 4-cyl turboAutomatic (S8)All-Wheel Drive22 / 29 / 25+5%$3,300360
X3 M40i3.0L 6-cyl turboAutomatic (S8)All-Wheel Drive20 / 27 / 23-3%$3,550392
5/10EPA fuel economy score (best version)
5/10EPA greenhouse gas score
Spend $3,750Fuel over 5 years vs. average new car
23.8 MPG2019 Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD average

EPA estimates; "vs. class" is combined MPG against the 2019 EPA class average. How we calculate this →

Safety ratings & technology

VersionOverallFrontalDriver / passengerSideSide poleRolloverRollover risk
2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD★★★★★★★★★★5★ / 5★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★17.1%
2019 BMW X3 SUV RWD★★★★★★★★★★5★ / 5★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★17.2%
StandardElectronic stability control
StandardForward collision warning
OptionalLane departure warning
Frontal crash test — 2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD
Frontal crash test — 2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD. Photo: NHTSA.
Side crash test — 2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD
Side crash test — 2019 BMW X3 SUV AWD. Photo: NHTSA.

Similar 2019 small SUVs

ModelBest MPG / rangeNHTSA overallRecalls
2019 BMW X3 (this car)26 MPG★★★★★10
2019 Mercedes-Benz G-Class14 MPGNot rated0
2019 Porsche Cayenne21 MPGNot rated8
2019 BMW X522 MPG★★★★★13
2019 Lexus RX30 MPGNot rated4
2019 Volvo XC9025 MPGNot rated6
2019 Porsche Macan21 MPGNot rated1

Recalls (10)

Structure · Oct 15, 2024

NHTSA campaign 24V764000 · 8,725 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2022 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the rear cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
Risk
Interior rear cargo rail detachment during a crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix
Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 12, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417. Vehicles in this recall were previously remedied for this issue under recall number 24V-534 and will need to have the new repair completed.
Structure · Jul 17, 2024

NHTSA campaign 24V534000 · 282,387 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2023 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3 M vehicles. The attachment for the interior cargo rail may become damaged in a rear crash and result in the cargo rail detaching.
Risk
Interior cargo rail detachment during a rear crash can increase the risk of injury.
Fix
Dealers will replace the rear cargo rail attachment bolts, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2, 2024. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Air Bags › Sensor › Occupant Classification › Front Passenger · Jul 8, 2021

NHTSA campaign 21V521000 · 138 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The front passenger seat occupant classification system may have been improperly assembled, which could result in the misclassification of the seat as unoccupied, and deactivate the front air bag.
Risk
A deactivated front air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
Dealers will replace the seat foam, which includes the occupant classification system, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention › Software · Feb 19, 2021

NHTSA campaign 21V096000 · 13,858 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2021 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, X3M, X4 xDrive30i, X4 M40i, M550i, X4M, X5 sDrive40i, X5 xDrive40i, X5 xDrive50i, X5M, X5 M50i, X7 xDrive40i, X7 xDrive50i, X7 M50i, Alpina XB7, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, and 8 Series Coupe, Convertible and Grand Coupe, 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, M8, 2020-2021 530e, 530e xDrive, 330e, 330e xDrive, 745Le, 745Le xDrive, X5 xDrive45e, X3 xDrive30e, X6 sDrive40i, X6 xDrive40i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M50i, X6M, 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 740i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, M760i Drive, M760Li xDrive, 750Li xDrive Alpina, Alpina B7 xDrive, and 2021 4 Series Coupe 430i, 430i xDrive, M440i xDrive vehicles. When shifting into Reverse, a small portion of the rearview image may be obscured, or the screen may not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk
If the driver relies on only the rearview camera image, the missing or reduced rearview image view can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rearview camera software and update it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began April 16, 2021. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel · Mar 18, 2020

NHTSA campaign 20V152000 · 15 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019-2020 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i, and 2018-2020 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X3M vehicles. The instrument panel casing may not have been tightened properly to the passenger air bag.
Risk
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the air bag could damage the instrument panel and cause small pieces of the panel to strike the driver or other occupants, increasing the risk of injury.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel casing, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Back Over Prevention › Sensing System › Camera · Sep 27, 2019

NHTSA campaign 19V684000 · 257,473 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018 540d, 2018-2020 530i, 530i xDrive, 540i, 540i xDrive, M550i xDrive, M5, 530e, 530e xDrive, X3 sDrive, X3 xDrive, X3 M40i, X3 M, and 2019-2020 X4 xDrive, X4 M40i, X4 M, X7 xDrive, X7 M50i, 740Li, 740Li xDrive, 750Li, 750Li xDrive, 8 Series Convertible and Coupe 840i, 840i xDrive, M850i xDrive, X5 sDrive, X5 xDrive, X5 M50i, X6 xDrive, X6 M50i, 330i, 330i xDrive, M340i, M340i xDrive, Z4 sDrive, Z4 M40i, 740Le xDrive and 745Le xDrive, 2018-2019 640i xDrive Gran Turismo and Rolls-Royce Phantom, 2019 M850i xDrive Gran Coupe and Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2020 Toyota Supra vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Risk
The lack of an image in the back-up camera display increases the risk of a crash.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will update the back-up camera software, free of charge. The recall began November 8, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or Rolls-Royce at 1-877-877-3735. Toyota owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371.
Seats · Jul 31, 2019

NHTSA campaign 19V563000 · 20 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 X3 sDrive30i, xDrive30i and M40i and 2019 X4 xDrive30i and M40i vehicles. The front seatback frames may have been improperly welded, allowing the seatback to unexpectedly fold forward or rearward.
Risk
In the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury if the seatback folds forward or rearward.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seats, free of charge. The recall began September 27, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service 1-800-525-7417.
Electrical System › Instrument Cluster/Panel · Apr 10, 2019

NHTSA campaign 19V291000 · 50 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2019 X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i, and X4 M40i vehicles. The instrument panel assembly may have been improperly manufactured, possibly affecting the deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag.
Risk
If the front passenger air bag does not deploy properly in the event of a crash, the occupant has an increased risk of injury.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the instrument panel assembly, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Caliper · Jul 6, 2018

NHTSA campaign 18V453000 · 5,594 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 sDrive30i, X3 xDrive30i, X3 M40i and certain 2019 X4 xDrive30i and X4 M40i vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
Risk
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the rear brake circuit, free of charge. The recall began August 31, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Lane Departure › Lane Keep › Steering Assist · Jun 6, 2018

NHTSA campaign 18V374000 · 51 vehicles

Problem
BMW of North America, LLC (BMW) is recalling certain 2018-2019 BMW X3 xDrive30i, X3 sDrive30i, and X3 M40i vehicles equipped with the "Active Lane Keeping Assistant" option. The steering wheel may be incompatible with the lane keeping assistant function and may not detect if the driver's hands are off the wheel.
Risk
If the sensors do not properly detect the driver's hands are off the wheel, the driver may not be alerted by one or more warning signals, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the steering wheel, replacing it if necessary, free of charge. The recall began on July 19, 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
Check your VIN for open recalls at NHTSA ↗

Not every 2019 BMW X3 is affected — only a VIN check confirms your car.

Owner-reported problems

171Complaints to NHTSA since 2015
5Involved a crash
2Involved a fire
3Injuries reported
9,400 miTypical mileage at failure
Electrical System45
Unknown Or Other43
Engine35
Structure › Body20
Service Brakes12
Structure9
Forward Collision Avoidance › Automatic Emergency Braking8
Power Train7
Complaints received per month (last 24 months with reports)
24/09: 524/10: 324/11: 224/12: 325/01: 425/02: 925/04: 225/05: 325/06: 125/07: 425/08: 425/09: 525/10: 525/11: 425/12: 426/01: 426/02: 226/03: 526/04: 226/05: 726/07: 226/08: 226/09: 326/10: 124/0924/1225/0425/0725/1026/0126/0426/08max 9

Unverified owner reports; best-sellers collect more.

Used 2019 BMW X3 buyer's checklist

  1. Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 10 recalls this year — ask for proof of repairs.
  2. Electrical System — 45 owner reports. Test every window, lock, light, screen and USB port; check the battery age.
  3. Engine — 35 owner reports. Cold-start the engine, listen for knocking, and watch for warning lights or hesitation on acceleration.
  4. Structure › Body — 20 owner reports. Open and close every door, the hood and tailgate; look for rust or misaligned panels.
  5. Mileage to watch. Owners typically reported problems around 9,400 miles; ask what was repaired near that point.
  6. Before you pay: service records, a history report and an independent inspection.

Generated by DecodedCars from NHTSA recalls and owner complaints for the 2019 BMW X3. Not a substitute for a professional inspection.

Other X3 years

Compare all years →
YearMPG (best)LengthOverallRecallsComplaints
2026 X329187.4 inNot rated222
2025 X329187.4 in★★★★★938
2024 X325185.4 in★★★★★342
2023 X325185.4 in★★★★★415
2022 X325185.4 in★★★★★786
2021 X327185.4 in★★★★★10113
2020 X327185.4 in★★★★★16110
2018 X325185.4 inNot rated1176
2017 X324183.1 in★★★★★692
2016 X330183.1 in★★★★★582
2015 X330183.1 inNot rated7104
2014 X324183.1 inNot rated683

Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Transport Canada, Wikimedia Commons. Not affiliated with NHTSA, the EPA or BMW. How we calculate this →