BMW X3: 2019 carsales Car of the Year Highly Commended

That an SUV didn't win the 2019 carsales Car of the Year presented by Shell V-Power was a surprise. The past few years have seen SUVs run away with the trophy, but in 2019 the two runners-up ensured Australia's most popular passenger vehicle type was ably and amply represented.

The BMW X3 mid-size luxury SUV scored highly across all categories and measured-up especially well against its rivals in terms of packaging and presentation.

The interior is beautifully finished – think high-quality materials everywhere – with almost no shortcuts. There are a number of sensible storage cubbies, which together with solid ergonomics make it a likeable machine to spend time in.

Ingress, egress and loading cargo into the boot is undemanding thanks to the raised height, which also provides a commanding view of surroundings for all occupants in the spacious cabin.

The BMW X3's overall size was seen as a plus point for many judges -- big enough for four adults and plenty of luggage, yet not so large that it makes busy, gridlocked urban driving or squeezy city parking fretful.

It’s interesting that many likened it to the successful first-gen BMW X5, which was very close in exterior dimensions.

Although it doesn’t have the whiz-bang next-gen infotainment system found on the newer BMW X5 and carsales Car of the Year winning BMW 3 Series, the X3’s multimedia set-up is intuitive and still delivers plenty of eye candy. And its digital instrument cluster was actually favoured by some judges over the newer systems used by BMW.

The German engineered, US-built medium SUV was also highly commended during dynamic testing on the open road and the test track. After driving most of the field – and all the SUVs – one judge exclaimed: "You can drive this [X3] like a hot hatch!".

With sporty steering and a communicative front-end, the X3 was a hoot to drive through the hills. Impressive grip levels and suitable punch from its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine made it the BMW X3 "the best SUV to drive fast along the country road", according to John Mahoney.

It did receive some criticism for its less-than-perfect ride comfort on broken or lumpy surfaces, but overall there were few complaints from the judges.

Before judging for the 2019 carsales Car of the Year presented by Shell V-Power got underway, there was plenty of positive talk about new SUVs like the Mercedes-Benz GLE, Hyundai Kona Electric and, especially, the Toyota RAV4.

But the BMW X3 trumped those vehicles with ease, thanks to a strong blend of technology, quality, safety, driver engagement, practicality and value.