Smooth operator

WHEN the first BMW X3 was launched in 2003, it marked a turning point for high-riding cars.

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Introduced as a Sports Activity Vehicle, it was a road-focused model with some of the look and feel of an off-roader.

In reality, it was never going to venture far off the beaten track.

While the X3 might have been a trendsetter in the early 2000s, it's since been joined by all manner of rivals. Can this latest car deliver?

WHAT'S NEW?

Its rivals are numerous: the shapely Volvo XC60, popular Audi Q5 and even the Genesis GV70 or BYD Seal U.

What BMW has done to keep the X3 up front is lean into what it knows best: dynamics.

It's wider, longer and lower to the ground than its predecessor.

WHAT'S UNDER THE BONNET?

A range of smooth-shifting engines, including petrol and diesel. There's a plugin hybrid with a battery-only range of up to 54 miles, while later on this year the electric iX3 will arrive. With a range of up to 500 miles, it has one of the longest electric-only ranges of any EV.