The Germans dominate the midsize premium crossover segment. Despite some competition from Japan (Lexus, Acura), Korea (Genesis), and America (Cadillac), the Germans have sort of taken over America and Europe’s suburban streets with premium crossovers. Cars like the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC-Class, and Audi Q5 are some of the best-selling vehicles on the planet. But which one is best? In this new video from Carwow, we get to find out.
Most of the cars in this test are actually rather old. The BMW X3 just received its mid-cycle “LCI” facelift and the Audi Q5 is ready to be replaced. That leaves the Mercedes GLC-Class as the only new German. However, there’s a fourth competitor as well, one that hails from Sweden, the Volvo XC60. That’s quite old, too. So can the veterans of this segment show the new car a few tricks or is the newer, more advanced Mercedes a step ahead?
All four cars in the test were plug-in hybrids and three of which were in the high £40,000 range to start. The new Mercedes was the only one to crest £50,000, making it the most expensive. However, after options, the Volvo was wore the most expensive as-tested sticker price.
Powertrains, specs, and performance aren’t as relevant as other factors in this segment. Most buyers of these sorts of cars are looking for styling, interior comfort, technology, ride quality, and practicality above all else. But also, there’s a newness factor, as customers don’t want to spend big bucks on a car that feels outdated right out of the box. And with modern car cabins being so packed with technology, they age quicker.
That last bit doesn’t really work in the X3’s favor here. Despite having recently been facelifted, it still uses BMW’s old interior design language. Which means it has an older iDrive system, a dated digital driver’s display, and the last-generation dashboard design. It’s still quite handsome, and its build quality is still top notch, but premium buyers will realize how behind the times it feels when they drive other cars. For instance, the Mercedes might not have quite the level of build quality that the Bimmer has (though, it’s mostly the same) but all of its tech feels more modern, its design is fresher, and it has some nicer touch points, such as the steering wheel. Even the Audi Q5, which is just as old as the Bimmer, feels a bit nicer than the BMW in some areas. So, unfortunately for the X3, BMW ranked pretty low in this test. To see where it ranked, and which car won, check out this video.
