Test drive BMW X3 E83 2004 - 2007 SUV
Spring mood
BMW X3 3.0D reveals the best qualities ...
A day off, the sun, the birds sing behind the open window. And I am sitting at the computer, comforting only with fresh impressions - from how this morning with a breeze I reached the office from the suburbs in 23 minutes. Having beaten a personal record, which, however, did not strive at all, it just happened. On a semi -desert MKAD I enjoyed a smooth, impeccable course of X3, in an instant (I won’t even say at what speed) turned from an all -wheel drive to a rear -wheel drive car with an absolutely transparent and sharp wheel. Then he almost missed the turn, which at the last moment entered at the latter Abs and the intelligently blinking DSC indicator. Then he caught a green wave of traffic lights and very soon ended up in the parking lot near the editorial office. In a certain bewilderment from the thought that such a glorious day would be nice to devote the BMW X3 on the roads, and not at the monitor. Well, yes, this newspaper’s number must be prepared for printing tomorrow, so there is nowhere to retreat Universal and fast
In the first publication about the BMW X3 3.0D (AI No. 5, 2005), I noted one of the main, from my point of view, the advantages of the car - it literally charges with energy. He also spoke about the XDRive all -wheel drive system, paired with the DSC dynamic stabilization system and capable of anticipating the trunk of the wheels and the loss of exchange rate stability. For two months, I was quite convinced of the effectiveness of its work and, for example, that in urban conditions DSC does not make any sense: it is not able to interfere even with the most active driver. Now, on dry asphalt, smart XDRive pleases no less. With a brushing start, and 410 Nm of torque is not a joke, the system still transfers it to all the wheels, providing the most effective acceleration. But at high speeds, a multi -disc shamey coupling completely flushs, and X3 turns into a rear -wheel drive car. Moreover, this metamorphosis occurs completely imperceptibly, but you feel it somehow immediately, especially on a dry road, not mistaken for a second about the drive. X3 is gently and confident how only a car with a drive to the rear wheels can go. The front wheels are freed from unnecessary worries and focused on their main duty - they force the car to follow the desired course. This is where magnificent steering settings are manifested, which is famous for BMW. In ordinary life, the steering wheel has more than three turns from the stop to the stop, and it sometimes seems to me that I could work less (although the SUV should not have too sharp the steering wheel). Now, at speed, the slightest turn of the steering wheel causes a smooth, but quick and accurate reaction of the machine. Excellent!
The only nuance that the owner of the BMW X3 should know about with a three -liter diesel engine is that the car behaves in vihi at good speed a little differently. And today, fitting into the very turn that almost missed, I noted the desire of the front line outside the arc. What is explained very simply: the diesel engine is heavier than gasoline, therefore, the lung on the axes is slightly different. There is nothing criminal in this, such a feature of diesel x3 should simply be taken into account. However, you understand this very quickly and act already at a subconscious level. That is, the SUV behaves quite predictably.
Pleasant trifles
I don’t know why, but in the spring there is a certain need to transport something bulky, like a couple of computers with monitors. So, the luggage compartment X3 simply struck me with its capacity. Of course, the back row of seats folds entirely or in parts, providing a volume of 480 to 1560 liters for the luggage. I was not too lazy and compared these numbers with the same data according to the X5 model, and, imagine, the younger brother surpasses the older luggage compartment by 15 liters with laid out seats, and 10 liters with folded! Although it itself is 10 cm shorter, 4.5 cm lower and 1.5 cm is already X-fifth. By the way, he is more than the eldest by 250 kilograms. The harsh reality made me appreciate the setting of X3. Let me remind you that we are talking about the car in the Business configuration, in my opinion - optimal. At some point, an air pressure indicator in the tires was displayed on the instrument shield. I must admit that I did not notice any changes in the behavior of the car. Therefore, he calmly drove to the destination, gazed intently at the wheels - it seems that not a single one was so released so that it was noticeably with the naked eye. Therefore, he pressed the corresponding button at the bottom of the central console, until the icon changed the color from red to yellow, and then did not go out. But the next day, the indicator made itself felt again, so I had to call on tire fitting: in fact, in the left front wheel there was less than the norm. I pumped up, but went. A day later, the same story. Then I asked to take off the wheel - and not in vain: in the rubber, the same screw was sticking out. In general, a very useful option.
Spring, in addition to other joys, brought a decrease in fuel consumption by 0.1 liters per one hundred kilometers. Now the on -board computer shows the average consumption of 11.3 liters. Despite the fact that I am from day to day, like most Muscovites, I fall into traffic jams, and when the opportunity arises - I go with all the money. I am sure that the consumption of diesel fuel will become even lower when I finally change winter tires for summer. In any case, I visit a gas station one and a half less often than I would do it if you have a 3-liter gasoline engine under the hood of x3. Until now, no problems with the quality of diesel fuel arose. True, at our gas stations for a diesel pistol we must take gloves. The 67 -liter fuel tank personally grabs me about 450 - 500 km. A calm driver will probably pass at one gas station more. Although it is difficult for me to imagine a person whom X3 would not lead. Especially in the spring
Text: Oleg Osipov
