Too high an expectation will more often than not be met by disappointment, and that is X3. Being the hugely successful X5's smaller brother, expectations are high, whether for styling or ability. To much disapproval, X3 turned out inelegant, its narrow-looking stance not winning much points from the back or the side. Perhaps the front view, away from the body bulk, is the best. Road presence suffers as a result, especially when put beside X5. Good thing the handling has not turned out like the styling. For a mid-size SUV, X3 handles brilliantly, much in line with BMW's sheer driving pleasure philosophy. Body control is free of the usual SUV body roll in corners. On the roads, X3 grips strongly and steers accurately with ample feedback. The overall driving experience is so good that it becomes easy to forget that X3 is in fact an SUV. Maneuvering through city areas is easier compared to X5 due to X3's compact width. Cabin refinement is as good as any luxury sedans, with minimal wind and road noise at all speeds. Engine is hushed except when pushed hard. Drivers get to sit high for a good view out front, but rear view is relatively limited. The many adjustments for the steering wheel and supportive seats will allow drivers of any height to get comfortable. Tuned for better handling, the tarmac-biased suspension lies on the firm side, but ride comfort over rough surfaces is still acceptable. Although X3 shares a substantial amount of interior switchgear with 3-Series, some interior trim quality is suspect. To be fair, the logically-arranged dashboard mainly consists of soft-touch materials which are nicely put together. However it is the occasional cheap-looking panel made from inferior plastics that penalises X3. The shared switchgear and proven running gear should uphold BMW's reputation for reliability. X3 2.5si comes with the in-line six-cylinder 2.5-litre capable of 218 bhp and 250 Nm of torque in a wide range from 2750-4250 rpm. X3 accelerates from standstill to 100 km/h in 8.9 seconds, never feeling out of breath with the wide peak torque range. Just like the refined engine, the six-speed automatic transmission with Steptronic shifts smoothly through all gears, and contributes largely to X3's excellent on-road performance. Despite the narrow-looking stance, front and rear rows actually enjoy abundant room. Front two delight in plenty of head- and leg-room, while rear legroom can rival that of the larger X5's. The boot does even better with 480 to 1560 litres of loading space, which is slightly more than what X5's boot has to offer. To maximise loading capacity, rear seat bench can 60:40 split and fold. However, the transmission area down the middle affects foot room for the middle rear passenger. With the latest direct injection technology, X3 has decent fuel economy at 9.9 km/litre. Maintenance will be costly, but typically long service intervals and proven reliability should help. Road tax costs RM 877, but insurance will be significantly more due to its high price tag. Considering BMW's brand desirability, and the lack of similar premium SUV competitors in the second-hand market, depreciation should be kept in check. BMW has dominated the mid-size luxury SUV segment for a long time with no comparable models from Audi or Mercedes-Benz. The comparable Land Rover Freelander 2.0-litre starts at RM 190K, offering good performance, especially off-road, but lags X3 in terms of handling. Lexus RX 3.5-litre at RM 373K offers a larger engine for a higher price tag, focusing much more on comfort, and does well, than handling which X3 is adept in. Some high-tech gadgets include automatic differential brake, hill descent control, park distance control and all-wheel xDrive system with variable torque distribution. 17-inch alloy wheels, foglights, rain sensors, xenon headlights, automatic climate control, Sports leather steering wheel, Sports seats for front two and stereo with MP3 decoder are standard. Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), including anti-lock braking system, brake assist and traction control, and airbags are standard. BMW's latest direct injection technology goes a long way in saving the environment. The 2.5-litre outperforms engines of comparable engine capacity with regards to fuel economy and carbon dioxide emissions. Emitting 228 g/km of environment-harming gas by a SUV is a decent effort, especially considering how inefficient and polluting some SUVs and trucks are.