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2009 BMW X3-Series Safety Review

September 30, 2009

SAFETY | 9 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

outward visibility is excellent
Cars.com

the X3 earned the highest score of 'Good' for both frontal-offset and side-impact tests
Edmunds

the Dynamic Stability Control system in the 2007 X3 3.0si includes all of the latest safety enhancements
Autoblog

The 2009 BMW X3 hasn't yet been rated by the federal government in crash tests. Insurance industry tests, however, are quite good, and the abundance of safety features means that experts at TheCarConnection.com rate the X3 highly for safety.

The BMW X3 has not been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Fortunately, however, the 2009 BMW X3 garners a coveted Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for "good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control." Frontal and side impact tests earn the BMW X3 the highest score issued by the IIHS in crash tests, according to Edmunds.

Edmunds points out the many safety features that this BMW 2009 model possesses. Those features are: "Full-length side curtain airbags, front-seat side airbags, active headrests, antilock disc brakes and a stability control system." Head restraints on each of the five seats in the 2009 BMW X3 and LATCH child seat anchors are also standard, notes Cars.com. Rear side-impact airbags and front and rear parking sensors are optional. Auxiliary features include "automatic brake drying (whereby the rotors are lightly 'wiped' during wet weather conditions) [and] hill descent control," according to Edmunds.

Visibility in the 2009 BMW X3 is good overall. "Outward visibility is excellent," observes Cars.com, which says that getting a feel for the BMW X3's four corners is fairly easy.

Conclusion

The 2009 BMW X3 is a good pick for those prioritizing safety.

SAFETY | 9 out of 10Expert Quotes:outward visibility is excellentCars.comthe X3 earned the highest score of 'Good' for both frontal-offset and side-impact testsEdmundsthe Dynamic Stability Control system in the 2007 X3 3.0si includes all of the latest safety enhancementsAutoblog The 2009 BMW X3 hasn't yet been rated by the federal government in crash tests. Insurance industry tests, however, are quite good, and the abundance of safety features means that experts at TheCarConnection.com rate the X3 highly for safety. The BMW X3 has not been tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Fortunately, however, the 2009 BMW X3 garners a coveted Top Safety Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for "good performance in front, side, and rear tests and standard electronic stability control." Frontal and side impact tests earn the BMW X3 the highest score issued by the IIHS in crash tests, according to Edmunds. Edmunds points out the many safety features that this BMW 2009 model possesses. Those features are: "Full-length side curtain airbags, front-seat side airbags, active headrests, antilock disc brakes and a stability control system." Head restraints on each of the five seats in the 2009 BMW X3 and LATCH child seat anchors are also standard, notes Cars.com. Rear side-impact airbags and front and rear parking sensors are optional. Auxiliary features include "automatic brake drying (whereby the rotors are lightly 'wiped' during wet weather conditions) [and] hill descent control," according to Edmunds. Visibility in the 2009 BMW X3 is good overall. "Outward visibility is excellent," observes Cars.com, which says that getting a feel for the BMW X3's four corners is fairly easy. ConclusionThe 2009 BMW X3 is a good pick for those prioritizing safety. 2009 BMW X3 STYLING | [7 out of 10] MyRide.com: "dark ash wood trim is now standard" Edmunds: "the styling clearly says BMW " Motor Trend: "freshened visual athleticism" Experts at TheCarConnection.com find that the 2009 BMW X3 definitely looks like a BMW—but it's missing a sense ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

While the BMW X3 was the lone luxury compact crossover ute a few years ago, there are now plenty of great alternatives. The new Volvo XC60 comes with a torquey inline six-cylinder engine, like the BMW, but it has a roomier interior and, some will think, a more fashionable interior. Volvo also offers more high-tech safety features. The Land Rover LR2 is related to the XC60 but has more off-road credibility, along with a more cluttered interior design. Two new entries, the Mercedes-Benz GLK and Audi Q5, look to woo buyers looking for a smaller yet very luxurious SUV. The GLK has some measure of off-road ability, while the Q5 aims at the crowd planning to stay on-road. The most refined vehicle in this class, the Acura RDX, is a stiff competitor but suffers a bit from a choppy ride and a slightly off-base, zippy turbocharged engine; TheCarConnection.com’s editors also think that the RDX has the best handling.

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See the BMW X3-Series in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2001

Comments (1 total)

  1. By BMW X3 Buy #1, Posted: 9/15/2009

    I am the very VERY disappointed owner of a brand new 2009 BMW X3. Here are some points:
    - 10 mpg city driving.
    - bucking, rocking, rolling, unstable ride at low speeds on regular streets. This is beyond normal SUV hard riding, this is bouncy like a ball.
    - hesitation to accelerate from a stop in a turn uphill.
    - Automatic transmission problems may not have been completely fixed from the 2007 model. See bimmerfest.com for much more information on this subject.
    - Sudden down shifting and loss of speed.
    No one needs to be told how expensive a car this is. Everyone needs to be told BEFORE BUYING what the issues are.
    It is sometimes difficult to find the right sites and it is just pure lack of luck that I did not find out about this car beforehand as I would NEVER HAVE BOUGHT THIS CAR. Can I say yellow fruit?

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