BMW's Next-Gen X3 Interior Gets Stepped Up And SKETCHED Out For You

Probably the biggest problem with the last generation X3 was its interior. Prior to the mid-cycle refresh, it was lackluster.

Easily one of the worst pieces was the door skin, which was made of what felt like styrofoam. Although BMW is not known around the globe for its interiors, it was as clear as day that the brand had backpedaled with the X3.

But, if you have seen the latest 7-Series and the 2011 5-Series, it is quickly noticed that the quality has been stepped up, substantially.

Fresh on the 'net today was a sketch of the upcoming X3's interior.

Is this a step in the right direction?


With just days left before its official unveiling, the new BMW X3 shows up in some online teasers again. Official test drives of pre-production vehicles have already taken place in the past weeks, but the interior design continued to be camouflaged.

Courtesy of bmw.com (password: JoyX3), we have a first sketch of what the new interior design looks like.

As expected, the interior luxury level has been raised a notch and combines design cues from the new 5 Series and from the other X-models. In the center, we have the large display and below the air vents and control buttons...

[Source: BMWBlog]








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DaHarder - 6/25/2010 12:26:47 AM

+2 Boost

Hmmm?

synx - 6/25/2010 12:45:24 AM

-3 Boost

Um...still looks cheap and utilitarian.


BMW needs to stop with all the plastic and just use metal and leather and plastic when they absolutely need to. Take a leaf out of Audi's book and keep the interiors simple but solid and luxurious.

IamEvilHomer - 6/25/2010 1:46:58 AM

-2 Boost

synx- we get a 2008 loaded X5 in last week. I was moving the 3rd row seat and was suprised on how you could hear the plastic sound when i moved diffrent things inside.

JRobUSC - 6/25/2010 7:51:50 AM

+7 Boost

You know, it was ridiculous enough when you'd have people "judging" vehicles on this site that were in full camouflage. Now we've hit a new low -- saying an interior looks "cheap and utilitarian" based on a sketch. A God damn SKETCH. Not a photo, not a rendering, a MFing sketch. Are you freaking kidding? Say it isn't so, the world simply can't really be this stupid, can it?

Agent00R - 6/25/2010 9:03:10 AM

+5 Boost

@JRobUSC

Although we usually disagree, you're right on this one.

sstainba - 6/25/2010 12:16:30 PM

+2 Boost

huh? have you ever seen the inside of an audi? i have a 2009 A4 S-line and - wait for it - they use PLASTIC! and audi's interiors are ANYTHING BUT "simple". it's cluttered with buttons for switching the MMI to all of the different screens. then there are the buttons for turning off blind-spot warning, seat memory and all sorts of other things that really don't ever need to be off. the 2008 BMW, however, has a much simpler design which i greatly prefer.

this was my first audi and it will be the last. nothing it has comes close to matching the bmw.

Agent00R - 6/25/2010 2:18:01 PM

+2 Boost

@sstainba

Although Audi interiors are known to be the best -- for the most part they are -- the MMI unit you are referring to is a bit brutal.

At first I thought it was genius but after using MB's COMAND, and even BMW's updated iDrive, the button-centric MMI can become quickly confusing since it uses the four corners of the nav screen and the four primary buttons to navigate.

sstainba - 6/25/2010 3:16:23 PM

+1 Boost

it's not just the one big button and the corners... but there are all of the other buttons for nav/sat/radio/car/setup around the edges. i much prefer BMWs method of having one central menu from which everything can be access with the single control. it makes the console much more sleek. i'm also very annoyed by the fact that the audi insists on warning me that my lights are on when i turn off the car... even though they are set to AUTO. wtf?

the SINGLE thing i like about my audi over my bmw is the alcantera inserts in the seats. but i think the seats are more comfy in the bmw.

IamEvilHomer - 6/25/2010 9:51:38 PM

0 Boost

sstainba - i am refering to the creaking plastic sound
no shit everyone uses plastic

dumpsty - 6/25/2010 11:02:01 AM

+1 Boost

I think for the average BMW center stack, they do need more brightwork included as standard trim. BMWs don't typically have large info/hvac/media display screens in lower trim models --- so the center instrument panel tends to look a bit dull or empty usually having black plastic vents covers and plastic cover plates or whatever. Now, when you opt for the Nav system, everything seems to fit, but still not much brightwork.

Agent00R - 6/25/2010 2:14:59 PM

+1 Boost

@dumpsty

You bring up an intriguing point about the brightwork.

I think in recent years they have stepped up with some aluminum trim bits here and there, but I think the lacking "brightwork" is due to a BMW tradition of maintaining relatively Spartan interiors.

Now, if you look at some Mercedes-Benz products, they are a bit overkill with the chrome everywhere you look.

Just my .02

JustaCar - 6/25/2010 5:22:00 PM

+2 Boost

Anything is an improvement over the current X3 interior.