The cargo floor has two positions, the higher of which enables a flat load floor from the liftgate opening to the front seatbacks (once you've folded the second row, of course). The CR-V also accommodates the most boxes with the rear seats folded. Those essentials begin with comfortable seats and generous second-row kneeroom. If you want that box to be spirited or luxurious, look elsewhere. For this kind of money, you could buy a Toyota Supra and a RAV4 Hybrid, an M2 Competition and a Mazda CX-5, or any of a dozen other combos that will be more fun on a track and more comfortable on the way to work.If you're looking for the best box, it's hard to beat the expertly packaged Honda. It's an amazing feat of engineering, but for my hypothetical 80 grand, I'd rather have two cars: a more reasonable and comfortable daily-driver SUV and a dedicated sports car for the weekend. Personally, I'm placing the X3 M Competition - and its near-identical sibling the BMW X4 M Competition - squarely in the "love to drive it, but wouldn't buy it" category. Among this small-but-fierce class, the X3 M Competition is competitively priced and stands out as one of the sharpest options. The X3 M Competition is joined by vehicles like the 434-hp Porsche Macan Turbo, Alfa Romeo's 505-hp Stelvio Quadrifoglio and the 469-hp Mercedes-AMG GLC63 (or the 503-hp GLC63 S Coupe). No surprise, crossovers and SUVs are the hottest automotive segment. This class of high-performance SUVs is a growing one. That'll bring you to a recommended price of $80,145 including a $995 destination charge. I'd recommend considering a $1,700 driver aid suite that adds stop-and-go-capable adaptive cruise control and extended collision mitigation, making it a safer and more convenient daily driver. Aside from $550 for paint, my example doesn't have many options, but boasts a generous loadout of standard features at that price. The 2020 BMW X3 M starts at $69,900, but the more powerful and potent X3 M Competition starts at $76,900. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow Pricing and competition I'm no parent, but I can't imagine a child in a car-seat would be able to sleep soundly on the X3 M Competition's loud, bumpy cabin. Once the adrenaline rush is over and I actually have to live with the X3 M Competition, it can, at times, be an unpleasant daily driver. And those M Sport seats that keep me so planted in the corners are too firm, bordering on painful, for longer hauls. The firm ride also creates more road noise that, when amplified by the SUV's cabin, creates loud booming over bumps and highway expansion joints. The suspension, even in its Comfort setting, is firmer than many cars' Sport setting, and far too harsh for my taste as a daily driver. On one hand, I can understand the appeal of one do-it-all vehicle that can haul groceries, fit car seats and hit the track on the weekend. However, I have a hard time figuring out who this vehicle is for - well, beyond people with more money than sense - which makes it very difficult to recommend to your average consumer. The sheer the audacity of it makes taking a spin worth it just for the lulz. There is no question, the 2020 BMW X3 M Competition is an absolute blast to drive. I find the lower bolsters a tad too narrow and tight around the hips for comfort, but I'm sure glad they're there when loading up the g-force. With 14-way adjustability, it's easy to find the perfect seating position and - with grippy perforated trim, power-adjustable seat back bolsters and firm hip bolsters - to stay locked firmly in that seating position while chucking the X3 around. (Maybe there should be a drift mode?)Īn oft-neglected part of any vehicle suspension is the connection between butt and seat, and I'm pleased to see that BMW has outfitted the X3 M Competition with a solid set of M Sport buckets. With gobs of mechanical grip and a firm suspension setup, the X3 M Competition stays remarkably flat when cornering, inspiring confidence and encouraging more speed through each corner. Aiding in dynamic handling is special "M-tuned" software for the traction and stability control. The X3 M Competition rides on an adaptive suspension with dynamic dampers that toggle between Comfort, Sport and Sport Plus firmness settings at the touch of a button.
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