When we review a car, we often find ourselves at the mercy of the elements. In the case of the 2018 BMW X3, that turned out to be a good thing. A rapid succession of bitter cold, unusual warmth (for Chicago), rain, ice, snow, and then more bitter cold over a period of seven days taught me that the X3 is an excellent cold-weather car. The interior warms up very quickly for a car of its size (with a heated steering wheel that becomes hot to the touch), the handling in snow and ice is exemplary, and it’s a great car if you need to give someone a jump start. But that’s just part of the picture for the X3.

Generation next

Eric Bangeman

The 2018 model year marks the beginning of the third generation for BMW’s mid-sized crossover-slash-SUV. And the X3, with its high driving position, definitely feels like more of an SUV than a crossover.