2025 BMW X3 vs 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was designed to project a sportier image within the Range Rover family. Its tall stance was complemented by a shorter wheelbase and a chopped top, giving it a more athletic appearance compared to the traditional Range Rover. The large front air intakes and fake vents on the hood and fenders added to its sporty look, although from certain angles, it appeared a bit too tall and narrow. The lineup included SE, Dynamic SE, Autobiography, and SV Edition Two trims, with the Dynamic SE offering a Stealth appearance package. The SV Edition 2, the highest-performance model, featured unique elements like 23-inch carbon-fiber wheels and a carbon-fiber hood. Inside, the SV Edition 2 boasted red leather upholstery and sport seats with illuminated inserts, maintaining a minimalist aesthetic across all models. However, the high console and dash created a cockpit-like feel that could make the front seats feel cramped.

The 2025 BMW X3, with its redesigned exterior, presented a seductive appearance for a two-box SUV. Its long hood, captivating dashboard-to-axle ratio, and tapering greenhouse gave it an athletic look, emphasized by expressive 21-inch wheels. The test model's Arctic Race Blue paint, paired with machined surface wheels and gloss black M Sport details, added to its allure. Inside, the X3 featured a simple cabin with a BMW Curved Display housing a 12.3-inch digital instrument panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen. The Veganza artificial leather upholstery, with its perforated and quilted surfaces, provided a luxurious feel. However, the interior revealed some cost-cutting measures, particularly in the lower cabin areas. Despite this, the X3 offered a spacious feel, with a flat-bottom steering wheel and comfortable front seats, although the rear seats were less accommodating.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport offered multiple powertrain options, all paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The base SE model featured a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine producing 355 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The Dynamic SE offered a higher output of 395 hp and 406 lb-ft, along with a plug-in hybrid powertrain rated at 454 hp and 487 lb-ft. The Autobiography trim could be equipped with a plug-in hybrid producing 543 hp and 590 lb-ft or a BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 523 hp and 553 lb-ft. The SV Edition Two used the same V8 but with 626 hp, making it the most powerful Range Rover model. It could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 3.7 seconds and had a top speed of 180 mph. The Range Rover Sport's sport-tuned air suspension, four-wheel steering, and brake-based torque vectoring contributed to its agile handling, while the Terrain Response system and air suspension enhanced its off-road capabilities.

The 2025 BMW X3 30 xDrive featured a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with 255 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite its modest power figures, the X3 achieved a zero-to-60 mph time of six seconds, thanks to its eight-speed automatic transmission and xDrive AWD system. The engine's broad power curve, aided by a 48-volt mild-hybrid system, provided responsive performance. For more power, the M50 xDrive offered a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine with 393 hp and 428 lb-ft, capable of reaching 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The X3's M Sport package, sport-tuned suspension, and performance tires delivered an engaging driving experience, although the ride quality could be harsh on imperfect roads. The X3 excelled on twisty roads, offering a delightful driving experience for a compact crossover SUV.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport, positioned between the Velar and full-size Range Rover, offered a midsize two-row, five-seater configuration. Front-seat occupants enjoyed similar headroom to other midsize luxury SUVs, while rear-seat headroom was only slightly less than competitors like the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class. The Range Rover Sport provided 31.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row, expanding to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. Although it lacked a split tailgate, power operation and an "access height" setting made loading and unloading easier. The Range Rover Sport's towing capacity of 7,716 pounds for turbo-six and V8 models was competitive within the segment.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a spacious interior with a power-adjustable driver's seat providing a sports car-like view of the hood. The cabin felt wider and larger than most compact crossovers, with a simple dashboard featuring the BMW Curved Display. The front seats, upholstered in Veganza artificial leather, were comfortable and offered optional ventilation. However, the rear seats were less comfortable, with low positioning and hard front seat-back panels. The X3's cargo area measured 31.5 cubic feet, with a lightweight cargo cover and additional storage under the load floor. The 40/20/40 split-folding rear seat allowed for versatile cargo and passenger arrangements.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport featured a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen for infotainment, with standard wireless Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The minimalist design, while visually appealing, had functional limitations, as many controls were relegated to the touchscreen. The Pivi Pro infotainment system was responsive, with natural-language voice recognition. The SV Edition 2 test car included "Body and Soul Seats" with embedded transducers for a unique audio experience, although it felt somewhat gimmicky.

The 2025 BMW X3's BMW Curved Display ran on the new iDrive 9 software, offering a Quick Select user experience. However, creating profiles and accessing BMW Digital Services proved challenging during testing. The system occasionally froze or forgot media preferences, leading to reliance on wireless Apple CarPlay, which worked flawlessly. The navigation system, with optional augmented video, provided accurate directions. Despite the frustrating experience with the infotainment system, it was possible that the issues were unique to the test vehicle or user error.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with standard driver-assist features, including automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and a driver attention monitor. A 360-degree camera system and digital rearview mirror aided parking, although the parking sensors were overly sensitive. Safety ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.

The 2025 BMW X3 offered a comprehensive suite of driver assistance features, with the standard Active Driving Assistant suite including forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and active blind-spot monitoring. The Premium Package added adaptive cruise control, Steering Assistant, and Parking Assistant Plus. The Parking Assistant Professional Package offered semi-automated parking tech, while the Driving Assistant Professional Package included hands-free Traffic Jam Assistant and other advanced features. The X3 earned a four-star overall rating from the NHTSA, with four-star ratings for the driver and front passenger in the frontal-impact crash test.