This year will be very important for the BMW X3, as the compact premium SUV from Bavaria is set to receive two new electrified versions. We can now confirm that a plug-in hybrid will be joining the already announced fully-electric variant, as two prototypes, one EV and one PHEV.
This BMW X3 is on its way to Malaysia and we reckon it will be the hybrid version that will come to Malaysia to take advantage of the plugin hybrid (PHEV) tax break. This X3 PHEV will try and challenge the Volvo XC60 which is the current segment darling.
There will also be an upcoming, fully electric BMW X3 but this version will not get the tax breaks that will favor its selling price.
There is no official word on the hybrid powetrain but it’s likely going to some version of what we’ve already seen from BMW iPerformance hybrid vehicles. So expect a 2.0 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine mated to an electric motor and battery. It will also still use an 8-speed automatic and rear-wheel drive-based all-wheel drive system. Pricing should sit near the current BMW 530e PHEV which is RM340k and this will maintain the Volvo XC60’s segment leadership at its value proposition selling price of just RM338,000 for the full specification T8 model.
If the new X5 Hybrid 2019 will look something like a bigger version of this X3, I am betting that it will be a bigger seller in Malaysia than the current X5.
A big plus too, if BMW Malaysia includes air-suspension and reclining rear seats as standard specs. Most Japanese SUVs are easily more comfortable in the rear than BMWs. X5 could be an appealing alternative to Mercedes E-class as a premium executive car, even chaffeur-driven ones as X5 Hybrid encroaches the E-class’s price band. With exceptions to 7-series, rear passengers in BMWs have to sit in a more upright position than its rivals.
You could recline and slide forward and backwards the rear seats in latest Audi Q7.