Car and Driver Comparo: 2013 BMW X3 xDrive28i Tops 2013 Audi Q5 2.0T and 2013 Range Rover Evoque

A review that compares a car to food loses all credibility. When they don't have the intellectual integrity to at least apply the metaphor to the other cars in the comparo, they lose the rest of it. Everyone on social media knows the X3 is a banana with a rear quarter window inspired by the 1970 AMC Gremlin.

Looks, ride and steering feel are subjective and the differences on my back to back test drive between the Q5 and X3 were minute. Yet after all the BMW chest beating about connectedness to the road, this self appointed C&D "reviewer" failed to notice the Q5 has at least a real shifter that moves, ummm like a shifter. In contrast, the BMW X3's "shifter" is actually a very toy like joystick from a 1990's PC flight simulator. And the Evoque shifter? The coolest shifter in any SUV.

Shall we talk about the "Ultimate Driving Machine's" inability to display the street name on the Navi? What the heck kind of driving machine is that? Oh, what about a real driving feel thing called braking? How can the worst stopping (by a large factor) "driving machine" be the winner of a comparo?

Anyone in industry knows full well how these silly trade magazine winners are chosen under the table of smoke filled back rooms. Thank fully, those of us buying these cars have brains and don't need marketing droid drivel like this from C&D and others to make good choices.

wow ... someone is just a tad bit bitter.

sportbike, it is linked to BMW blog as one of the bloggers is on the site, and posted it here. Yet you can go to www.caranddriver.com to see the article or just wait for the magazine....

Ernest .... So you are complaining that the BMW was picked best due to your subjective opionion that the cars drive the same ? Yet the BMW is almost a second quicker and is a little more roomy in the back seat. My fault you don't like the electonic gearshift and prefer the mechanical one on the Audi? About the Navigation system just scroll closer. I find the BMW navigation very cool in the ability to split the screen and get the Navigation and the Entertainment details on the same screen.

Haha so they should pick a winner bases on the shifter? Or your subjective opinion on a window shape? Ok. The x3 won b/c it was best all around. That means it offered the same utility as the q5, had better performance, and economy, while just plain driving better, and had top fit and finish. Plus It has a much fresher design inside and out making the q5 look dated. Braking performance was due to tires. It sounds like your a real fan of dinner rolls though.

They're both automatics. How much shifting do you plan on doing? The auto-manual function just goes up and down, hardly replicating a manual. Is it because the Q5 has a sock over it?

The X3 looks sportier and for SUVs, that's about as sporty as you're ever going to get. You won't be driving around a corner at 80mph anytime soon in one of those.

The X3 may look like a banana form the side, but the Audi looks like an 80s Ford Taurus wagon from the back. That car used to be compared to a pigs butt.

Wouldn't kill Audi to put sportier looking tires on the Q5 too, look too meaty if you want the sporty look.

The link to the actual Car and Driver article is below:

http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/2013-bmw-x3-xdrive28i-vs-2013-audi-q5-20t-2013-land-rover-range-rover-evoque-comparison-test

surprise, surprise, bmw won. who cares if the car is louder, suspension is less compliant, and the brakes suck.... apparently, as an objective reviewer its more important to have brake feel rather than brake performance... just like steering feel is more important than actual cornering performance (skidpad/slalom). will i live to see the day where people realize bmw is nothing more than the ultimate marketing machine? lets give bmw 1 point because theyre running a rebate this momth... great review...

You obviously didn't read the article. No where does it say the X3 is "louder", and less "compliant". It said the Q5 is "Cushier" which contributed to its rolly polly feel.

"The X3 delivers a controlled and comfortable ride that gives it the feel of a well-tuned premium sedan. It feels, in short, like a 328i. It’s just as quiet inside as the Q5, and the noises that do penetrate the cabin are more pleasant, including a nicely judged engine/exhaust trill."

"The X3 gives up nothing to the Q5 in terms of practicality for its relatively sporty demeanor. Its back seat was as comfy as the Audi’s."

Take your boohoo's elsewhere. It was a well deserved win for the X3, b/c it was the best all around.

I really like the X3... It's not the best looking of the bunch in this comparison though, but probably the best to drive.

it gives up nothing except for brake performance, slalom speeds, and skidpad results.... yeah ur right, it gives up nothing... being better at all those things but feeling "rolly polly" is apparently worse. of course, yet another well deserved win for BMW.

and "more isolated" to me, means quieter aka more comfy.