Props to the little X3
 

Since my X5 is in PA having some trans cable fixed (I will get all the specifics on that tomorrow) I have a loaner 2005 X3. Well today I woke up to 5" of snow and ice and the little X3 sitting out in it.

Cleaned off the X and hit the road. Happy to say I'm more impressed with this car then I was 24 hours ago. I used to think the X3 was, pardon my expressions, a want-to-be X5...however now I have a new respect for the 5's little bro. It handled the ice/snow great without a single misstep. Maybe the X3 will be a replacement for my wife's Accord in the future.

Well technically the X3 is more of an off-road vehicle than the X5. It's got more ground clearance, and BMW has smoothed off many mistakes they had made with the initial X5 design. For example, despite the X3's smaller dimensions, its interior dimensions nearly mirror the X5's, as well as the cargo space. Granted the X5 is a more luxurious beast with parts shared with the E38 7, but it is not much different from the X3.

Once BMW drops in the new R6 3L I6 into the X3, that would be a serious candidate in the near future for me.

well it is noticeably smaller inside that is for sure...

True. My feelings towards X3 also changed after I had the loaner X3 for few days.

My wife LOVES her X3. I don't like the seating position, and my X5 is more luxurious. That being said, the X3 handles EXCEPTIONALLY well, and it is VERY quick. I like the way it drives. It is not a bad car at all! If the 'werks would make that interiour a little more luxurious, that X3 would be a lot more appealing to me.

Juan

And it does not have the M steering wheel ;)

I also was impressed by the way the X3 drives. I've had one as a loaner car 2 times and have been very pleased with the performance. Sure, it's not an X5, but for what it is, it's decent little thing. I could see one with some good options being a good little business vehicle for me............maybe.

My wife has one too. I don't like the interior very much (cheap plastic on upper dash), but it drives great. And the 3.0 is very quick off the line (feels that way anyway). She loves it - and the sunroof is worth it alone....

But is it no X5, not even close. It really is to the X5, what the previous E46 330i is to the 5 series....

i like my x3 is quick the interior is kind of cheap but i could either affort a top of the line x3 or a basic x5 i choose the x3 also theres a new x5 coming soon so the actual x5 will look old. is like the 05 3 series and the 06 3 series big difference..

Not so "little"
 

Heh heh.... I always get a kick out of people calling the X3 "little". It may be slightly smaller on the outside (and more agile), but it's bigger than the X5 on the inside in every dimension except for width. The stats for headroom, legroom, luggage space and total cargo space are all greater in the X3. The only advantage the X5 has in size is slightly better shoulder space if you're carrying three passengers in the back, or if you need the 2" of extra width for wide cargo.