The sporty SUV range consists of three models – the petrol-powered 360hp ‘M40i’ and diesel-engined 340hp ‘M40d’, and the range-topping 510hp ‘M Competition’ trim grade. Before its 2021 facelift, the Top Gear team concluded that the X3 M was “devastatingly easy to drive stupidly fast”, but called its ride comfort “appalling”, said that its driving dynamics and engine note “lacked character”, and commented that it was too expensive. The majority of reviewers largely agreed with this sentiment before 2021, but the X3 M’s review scores have markedly improved since then, Carwow asserting that the post-facelift X3 M is one of the most loud and agile options in the ‘hot SUV’ class. But despite its technical improvements, many still take issue with the price of the top-spec X3 M Competition. “It’s a mighty impressive way of getting from 0-62mph in less than four seconds”, Autocar‘s Piers Ward concludes, but “at £90,000, you’re going to have to really want all the performance of the X3 M to justify this as your family car.” As of January 2024, the BMW X3 M holds a lowly New Car Expert Rating of E, with a score of 49%. Its best scores – for reliability and safety ratings – are only average, while it scores poorly for running costs and CO2 emissions, while motoring journalists have also scored it badly.