Should you buy one?

The X3 M Competition is a bonkers thing. It truly goes, steers and handles like a tall sports car, but has most of the practicality of a regular X3.

Which is also where it falls down. It’s the absolute top-dog of the range, but it’s nearly £30,000 more money than an X3 M40i, which also sports a six-cylinder engine and good driving dynamics. A good old fashioned BMW M3 Saloon, while not quite as practical, is a hefty £10,000 + cheaper.

If you’re desperately after a sports SUV that errs firmly on the side of sports, the X3 M is a good choice. The Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio sounds better, the Porsche Cayenne has a sweeter ride and the Mercedes-AMG GLE is more brutish with its larger V8 engine.

What we like

It’s one of the sweetest handling SUVs out there. Turn in is nearly as good as a much slimmer BMW M3 and the six-cylinder is smooth and rev-hungry.

What we don’t like

The ride is harsh, even in its comfiest setting. Despite not being all that big, it’s still a brash thing and in a time of evolving environmentalism the X3 M can look like a bit of a dinosaur. Plus you’re paying nearly six figures for a junior SUV.

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