2011 BMW X3

BMW X3

BMW’s X3 has carved out a real niche for itself among Sandton’s badge-conscious families and anyone who needs something plush for the daily grind but wants to escape Joburg for the Drakensberg now and then. It’s not just another German badge — it’s what the X3 should have been from the start: practical, genuinely premium, and just athletic enough. The current situation says a lot: with all 52 listings being used, it’s obvious there’s a drought of new stock, so buyers are trawling the pre-owned market. You can go bargain-hunting for an R229,500 diesel, or splash out on a G45-generation car that’ll set you back up to R1,549,900. Most sit right in the middle, with a median price tag around R654,900, and you get both petrol and diesel. Gearboxes are all automatic, as you’d expect. The xDrive20d M Sport from the G01 generation is the sweet spot — 16 cars, two names, most of the value, and a price window from R369,900 to R799,950. That’s where most buyers will land, unless you insist on the latest G45, which will cost you R1,019,900 to R1,169,900, even though it’s still technically used. Mileage averages out at 87,751 km, which isn’t scary when you consider there are 2014 models in the mix. What gives the X3 its edge over the GLC isn’t just the badge or the spec sheets — it’s the steering and the chassis. The M Sport suspension feels properly dialled in, especially on our battered N1, where the X3 stays composed and actually makes you want to drive, which you won’t get from the softer GLC. That’s the point.