2025 BMW X3 review: Minimalist makeover for BMW’s moneymaker

[MUNICH] Welcome to Munich, a drinking town with a car-making habit, where Oktoberfest is getting into full swing separating tourists and locals alike from their inhibitions, not to mention their cash – the smallest beer you can buy is a litre, at S$24 a pop with tips.

Meanwhile at BMW, if there’s a reason for dancing on the tables, it’s the launch of an all-new X3. I never would have guessed that a medium sport utility vehicle (SUV) would ever become the best seller for a brand that built its reputation on athletic sedans, yet BMW sold 350,000 X3s last year, more than any other model, and in its final year, too.

That gives the new one (codenamed G45) big boots to fill, so you could forgive BMW for being timid with it. Instead, they’ve resculpted it heavily, inside and out, so much so that it’s instantly recognisable as new.