From windswept trails to wide-open roads, adventure awaits. As you gear up to go places you haven’t before, you may be wondering: Should you abscond in the 2021 BMW X3 or Lexus RX 350? Before you explore the world beyond your doorstep, let’s look closer at these luxury SUVs.
Primed for performance and roomy enough for fellow passengers, they can appeal to Mobile, Alabama, shoppers with a swashbuckling spirit. Read all about them and reach out to BMW of Mobile for more!
Pure Performance: BMW M Notches a WinYou can always expect high standards of performance from a luxury vehicle. That means dynamic driving and potent powertrains—and the 2021 X3 does it better than the RX 350 can hope to.
The Lexus RX 350 sets a high bar with its 295-horsepower V6 engine, a vigorous powerhouse that moves you with ease. However, BMW is known for performance, and the X3 M40i (382 horsepower) and the X3 M (473 horsepower) prove that like few other cars in their class.
Indeed, the X3 M can sprint from 0 to 60 MPH in just 4.1 seconds, all thanks to the TwinPower Turbo V8 under the hood! The Lexus RX 350 takes 7.7 seconds or more to reach those same highway speeds.
BMW X3 vs Lexus RX 350: Interior Features For some shoppers, storage space is even more important than performance. You need a versatile SUV with space to spare for every journey, and the BMW X3 and Lexus RX 350 know how to deliver.
Both, for instance, come standard with 40/20/40 split-folding second-row seats. You can configure your people-to-cargo ratio to exactly what you need on every trip. Fold all but the first row of seats, and you will have all the extra space you need for adventure gear—or that flatscreen TV you’ve been eyeing.
The BMW X3 does offer a bit more total cargo space. With 62.7 cubic feet behind the front seats, it can swallow up even more of your gear! The Lexus RX 350 offers 58.5 cubic feet in the same configuration.
X3 vs RX 350: An Electrified SUV Experience Freedom can be found in more than just power: It exists in efficiency, too. After all, with fewer stops at a fuel pump, you can travel relatively unencumbered by the expense of gasoline.
The RX 350 does not offer a hybrid option—though an RX 450h is available—but it does earn impressive fuel economy estimates of 23 combined MPG, per the EPA. The BMW X3 plug-in hybrid far outstrips the Lexus when it comes to fuel economy, though, having earned 60 combined MPGe in 2020.
While the 2021 figures haven’t yet been released for the X3, we expect similar results. The 2021 X3 does have an all-electric range of 17 miles, so you can run local errands emissions-free!
We hope you enjoyed our comparison of the 2021 BMW X3 and Lexus RX 350. As Mobile, AL, shoppers can see, a choice between these luxury models may be a hard one to make.
With the BMW X3’s edge in performance and plug-in hybrid power, plus some exclusive cabin features, it may rise above the competition for you. See what you think: Set up your test drive today at BMW of Mobile and go the distance in a Sports Activity Vehicle®!
