Dilemma between a BMW X3 20d and 30i

The cabin in 30i was super silent throughout the drive but I heard some diesel clatter when he started the 20d showroom piece for me (this definitely was more noticeable after the petrol test drive).

BHPian senna recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Took a test drive of the 30i X3 SportX trim yesterday and was thoroughly impressed with the drive. The average fuel economy for the test drive (some 10-12 odd km) came out to around 11 kmpl. I found this to be good considering I drove in a mix of city and highway conditions and with some spirited bursts in sport mode as well.

The one thing which disappointed me was the lack of under-thigh support in the back seat. I am 5'8" and still felt the support to be a bit inadequate. Though I sat in the back when the car was stationary and for a very short duration. What opinion do you guys have on this?

Also, the dealer didn't have the vehicle in 20d guise for the test drive but had one in stock for sale. He also didn't have a 30i for sale but the test drive vehicle was a 30i. I have to buy the car this month and the confusion is ever increasing.

The cabin in 30i was super silent throughout the drive but I heard some diesel clatter when he started the 20d showroom piece for me (this definitely was more noticeable after the petrol test drive).

I was also shown the new 5 Series in the dealer's stockyard and really liked the car but discarding it due to the low ground clearance as I have to tackle some really bad roads once in a couple of months.

Here's what BHPian Sail had to say on the matter:

Hi senna,

Under thigh support is in really short supply in the X3. Rear is more pronounce. Rear passenger has to live with that. I am 6’2’’, for me, under thigh support at driver seat is also very short. But I never had any issues even after driving 27 hrs at a stretch.

Real world mileage will differ. In city drives, I get between 7.5-8.0 kmpl. On highways, about 11.0 kmpl. And on highways with spirited driving, occasional sport mode will bring mileage back to 10.5 kmpl. This is after spending 2.5 years with my 30i. Recently I poured in two bottles of Proctane EVO Octane booster during my return drive from Kolkata to Gurugram. Got mileage of around 12.4 kmpl. Matter is still under investigation. Will try same on the next trip too.

Generally, all BMWs comes with high diesel clatter. You have to live with that. For 30i, NVH level is excellent. However, after 10K on the odometer, there will be a slight increase in NVH. (I suspect due to tires).

Back then, I took test drive of 20d & did not like it, mainly due to late arrival of torque. Happy with 30i, though sudden power bump (from 1450 rpm) is a bit irritating in busy b2b traffic. My suggestion will be, TD other cars also in this segment before coming to conclusions.

For X3, it will always be driver's delight. But, do check other aspects with family members.

Happy shopping.

Here's what BHPian androdev had to say on the matter:

Some drivers prefer high-revs + shift at high-revs type of driving offered by petrol engines. They tend to use paddle-shifts often to maintain high revs. They don't care about fuel efficiency. Others hate waiting to build up the revs and prefer high-torque + shift at low-rpms without ruining fuel economy.

Some drivers prefer the refinement of petrol cars and don't mind the low fuel efficiency. Others don't mind the compromise in refinement in favour of a better fuel efficiency. The difference in cabin-refinement is not so significant in luxury car segment.

Which type of driver are you?

Keep in mind that BMW's automatic transmission is one of the best in business and it does a very good job of ensuring all engines perform well in real-world driving. To really appreciate specific engines (30i, 20d, 30d), you will have to be someone with an acquired taste (high-revs, fuel-efficiency, torque-monster).

If you are a regular driver looking for a good premium SUV, you will do fine with any of the engines available. You can take your decision based on the price, colour preferences and options available, etc.

Here's what BHPian Turbanator had to say on the matter:

The width may not be a big issue but the overall position is not comfortable. If you want to get chauffeured, better sit in the front. Diesel will be noisy and is no longer the preferred fuel. NGT thing is real so it takes a big hit on depreciation all across the North now, especially for the vehicles registered in NCR. You should go ahead with Petrol without any second thoughts if your confusion is just between the engines.

Did you click the pictures of the new 5? Our roads are improving and 5 has a reasonable ground clearance. If you have the budget, do consider 530i.

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.