Third-gen SUV gets the same 190hp diesel engine and initially comes in just xLine trim costing 3.699 million baht.
BMW Thailand has launched the all-new X3, hot on the heels of the Volvo XC60 which was introduced last week in second-generation form.
As in its predecessor, the third-generation X3 comes with 190hp 2.0-litre diesel-turbo, eight-speed automatic and all-wheel drive. The XC60 comes with the same technical credentials in D4 form.
Only one grade is available for the X3 xDrive20d at the moment: xLine costing 3.699 million baht, some 600k more than the XC60 D4.
The other main diesel-powered competitors in the Thai premium mid-size SUV segment in the three million baht price bracket include the Audi Q5 and Mercedes-Benz GLC250d.
The Q5 35 TDI comes with 190hp 2.0-litre diesel-turbo and seven-speed dual-clutch automatic costing 3.399 million baht in entry-level guise, while the GLC250d sports 204hp 2.1-litre diesel-turbo and nine-speed auto priced from 3.24 million baht.
This leaves the XC60 as the only player in this class to additionally come with a plug-in hybrid to choose from. The 407hp petrol-electric T8 is priced from 3.29 million baht.
Sources said that the X3’s price should fall next year when local assembly starts. As well, more grades are expected to be made available for the X3.
The racy M Sport trim, for one, would serve as a riposte for the Thai-built GLC AMG Dynamic spec, priced at 3.69 million baht. The previous X3 xDrive20d M Sport went for 3.499 million baht.
Despite the carried-over drivetrain, the X3 has a bigger yet lighter body to gain on enhanced cabin room and small improvements in performance, economy and CO2 emissions.
