M340i touring vs X3 m40i
Discussion
Hi all,
Looking at putting in an order for one of the above to replace the wife’s C class. In a bit of a quandary over which one to get. Just wanted to post on here to see if I have missed anything before we put a deposit down!
The wife is leaning towards an X3 m40i as an SUV would be handy - particularly for going on trips and if kids come on the scene in the next few years. My concern is that it is due a facelift (I think) and it is a bit annoying to spend quite a lot on a car then a newer one comes out almost immediately!
So my general thoughts:
M340i touring - Absoloute weapon, probably quicker than my M2. Will handle better (but this is less of a factor as it’s the wife’s car). Possibly a bit more subtle (although will get in tanzanite blue or dravit grey, another point of indecision). Smaller, so easier to get in and out of parking spaces. Still relatively comfortable as has adaptive suspension.Newer tech in it. Works out a little more expensive.
X3 m40i - Bit slower/won’t handle as well and mpg worse (possibly by a reasonable bit). As mentioned, possibly about to be refreshed (hard to find out when!). More likely comfortable on long journeys. Bit more space for passengers. Elevated driving position (good for her, bad for me!). Colours a bit less inspiring although carbon black loos quite nice.Able to ‘soffit-road’ in it.
Can’t think of anything else. Just wondering if I have missed something obvious. Any thoughts, greatly appreciated! (Or any alternative cars, I’ve considered the obvious but the above can be secured at a good price and love the B58 mated to the zf).
TIA!
Looking at putting in an order for one of the above to replace the wife’s C class. In a bit of a quandary over which one to get. Just wanted to post on here to see if I have missed anything before we put a deposit down!
The wife is leaning towards an X3 m40i as an SUV would be handy - particularly for going on trips and if kids come on the scene in the next few years. My concern is that it is due a facelift (I think) and it is a bit annoying to spend quite a lot on a car then a newer one comes out almost immediately!
So my general thoughts:
M340i touring - Absoloute weapon, probably quicker than my M2. Will handle better (but this is less of a factor as it’s the wife’s car). Possibly a bit more subtle (although will get in tanzanite blue or dravit grey, another point of indecision). Smaller, so easier to get in and out of parking spaces. Still relatively comfortable as has adaptive suspension.Newer tech in it. Works out a little more expensive.
X3 m40i - Bit slower/won’t handle as well and mpg worse (possibly by a reasonable bit). As mentioned, possibly about to be refreshed (hard to find out when!). More likely comfortable on long journeys. Bit more space for passengers. Elevated driving position (good for her, bad for me!). Colours a bit less inspiring although carbon black loos quite nice.Able to ‘soffit-road’ in it.
Can’t think of anything else. Just wondering if I have missed something obvious. Any thoughts, greatly appreciated! (Or any alternative cars, I’ve considered the obvious but the above can be secured at a good price and love the B58 mated to the zf).
TIA!
Facelift second 1/2 this year apparently.
I’ve only run one SUV , only time I’ve really benefited from its USPs was on rough terrain or going through floods. So maybe 4 times in 22k miles.
I think “estate” cars are a better package day in day out and I’m not sure why X3 would be more comfortable , particularly if on bigger rims with RFTs.
But if the wife wants the higher driving position and it’s her car , unless you can convince her on a test drive (get a x3 demo with big wheels on RFTs) you may be scuppered.
If it ends up X3 , have a look at options and whether anything can enhance its handling. Does it have anything like a LSD. Pano sunroof is another must in either.
I have an older 340i so I appreciate B58.
I’ve only run one SUV , only time I’ve really benefited from its USPs was on rough terrain or going through floods. So maybe 4 times in 22k miles.
I think “estate” cars are a better package day in day out and I’m not sure why X3 would be more comfortable , particularly if on bigger rims with RFTs.
But if the wife wants the higher driving position and it’s her car , unless you can convince her on a test drive (get a x3 demo with big wheels on RFTs) you may be scuppered.
If it ends up X3 , have a look at options and whether anything can enhance its handling. Does it have anything like a LSD. Pano sunroof is another must in either.
I have an older 340i so I appreciate B58.
I had a look at the X3 in late 2019 as there were some very good deals on them at the time. However, I never got as far as having a test drive because, having looked around one in the showroom, it just reaffirmed in my mind that I'm not an SUV person and wouldn't be happy owning one (at least not as my only car).
What really fitted the bill better was another 3-series Touring - I had an F31 335d that was ready for replacement - so I ended-up with an M340i Touring (coincidentally in Tanzanite Blue!). I think the car's excellent and an improvement on the 335d in almost every way; fuel consumption is the only exception but I knew that before I bought it and the petrol's still averaging over 30mpg which I think is perfectly acceptable.
In your position my advice would be to just drive both and pick the one you prefer; the X3 certainly isn't a bad car and, while for me the M340i was an easy winner, I accept that won't be the case for everyone. Nice choice to have, good luck with it all!
What really fitted the bill better was another 3-series Touring - I had an F31 335d that was ready for replacement - so I ended-up with an M340i Touring (coincidentally in Tanzanite Blue!). I think the car's excellent and an improvement on the 335d in almost every way; fuel consumption is the only exception but I knew that before I bought it and the petrol's still averaging over 30mpg which I think is perfectly acceptable.
In your position my advice would be to just drive both and pick the one you prefer; the X3 certainly isn't a bad car and, while for me the M340i was an easy winner, I accept that won't be the case for everyone. Nice choice to have, good luck with it all!
Thanks, everyone, for the replies. Really helpful stuff.
Have managed to get hold of an m340i xdrive (albeit saloon) for the day as my M2 is going in for an MOT - they've given it to me as a courtesy car.
First impressions is blimey it goes - and with remarkable grip. I was mucking around on the way to drop my car off as not often I get a a safe and quiet road without the wife in the car. The M2 just struggled to put any power down in these conditions - great fun but not quick! The m340i just puts the power down all the time. The zf box is very impressive - so much easier to live with when driving normally compared to the dct.
Think I am a little bit let down by the interior - can't put my finger on exactly why. It might just be that this has the red/black contrast leather, which is not my cup of tea. Equally it has the shadowline wheels which not keen on. It is dravit grey though, which is nice!
Take all of the points above. Will be interested to see what the wife thinks when she can take it out this afternoon - although the upcoming facelift of the X3 is still hanging over me! Either way, will be pleased to get whichever car as nice as her c250d wagon looks, the engine and gearbox (7g) aren't a great combo.
Have managed to get hold of an m340i xdrive (albeit saloon) for the day as my M2 is going in for an MOT - they've given it to me as a courtesy car.
First impressions is blimey it goes - and with remarkable grip. I was mucking around on the way to drop my car off as not often I get a a safe and quiet road without the wife in the car. The M2 just struggled to put any power down in these conditions - great fun but not quick! The m340i just puts the power down all the time. The zf box is very impressive - so much easier to live with when driving normally compared to the dct.
Think I am a little bit let down by the interior - can't put my finger on exactly why. It might just be that this has the red/black contrast leather, which is not my cup of tea. Equally it has the shadowline wheels which not keen on. It is dravit grey though, which is nice!
Take all of the points above. Will be interested to see what the wife thinks when she can take it out this afternoon - although the upcoming facelift of the X3 is still hanging over me! Either way, will be pleased to get whichever car as nice as her c250d wagon looks, the engine and gearbox (7g) aren't a great combo.
Had the same dilemma and went for the X3 M40i which I picked up a month ago. No regrets at all, I like the driving position, the ride on 21s has been fine in comfort for me but I'm not surrounded by bad roads. When pushing on its great, despite it being an SUV it handles really well and has been a fun drive
I don't think you could go wrong with either choice, but your wife will probably pick the X3!
I don't think you could go wrong with either choice, but your wife will probably pick the X3!
rassi said:
You should try the X3 M40i and see if the ride is acceptable. I would go M340i, as a lighter, better riding, faster and more economical package - I got rid of my X3M after 3 months.
I've not driven either but I get the impression the ride in the X3M is a lot firmer than in the X3 M40i? I've seen comments from several people saying the ride alone put them off the X3M but I've not seen anything similar regarding the X3 M40i. That said I struggle to see the X3 M40i offers anything much over the G21 M340i apart from a higher driving position; obviously some people like that - which is fair enough - but if that's not especially important to you the M340i Touring's a better bet IMO. And actually, if interior space and refinement are high priorities, perhaps a 540i Touring might be a better bet than either the 3-series or the X3? I did think about one of those myself as at the time I was ordering the higher discounts on the 5-series meant that the M340i Touring and 540i Touring came out very similar on price; personally I decided I just didn't want anything as big as a 5-series but depending on priorities one of those could be worth considering?
130idvg said:
Think I am a little bit let down by the interior - can't put my finger on exactly why. It might just be that this has the red/black contrast leather, which is not my cup of tea. Equally it has the shadowline wheels which not keen on. It is dravit grey though, which is nice!
Generally I have to say I quite like the interior of the G21. To me it feels a distinct step-up in quality over the F31 and to be honest I'd have thought it would have been an improvement over your M2 as well; don't get me wrong, the M2's a great car - and quite possibly the best driver's car BMW have made recently - but the 2-series interior is, well, a bit dated compared to the G2x!However, the one thing I'd take any day of the week from either an M2 or a F31 are the instruments. There's a reason round dials with needles that go round clockwise have been used for decades and personally I think the instrument layout in the G2x is a solution to a problem that never existed. They're nowhere near as clear and easy to read as those found in BMW's of yesteryear and if there's one thing I'd change it would be those; after 7 months with the car I still don't like them, the only plus is with Head-Up Display I don't need to look at them quite as often!
JNW1 said:
Generally I have to say I quite like the interior of the G21. To me it feels a distinct step-up in quality over the F31 and to be honest I'd have thought it would have been an improvement over your M2 as well; don't get me wrong, the M2's a great car - and quite possibly the best driver's car BMW have made recently - but the 2-series interior is, well, a bit dated compared to the G2x!
However, the one thing I'd take any day of the week from either an M2 or a F31 are the instruments. There's a reason round dials with needles that go round clockwise have been used for decades and personally I think the instrument layout in the G2x is a solution to a problem that never existed. They're nowhere near as clear and easy to read as those found in BMW's of yesteryear and if there's one thing I'd change it would be those; after 7 months with the car I still don't like them, the only plus is with Head-Up Display I don't need to look at them quite as often!
Can the G21 not be specced with leather dashboard too? The sensatec of the X3 is not a patch on the nappa leather available on the G30, so this would swing it for me, as it lifts the interior immensely. And as others have suggested, the 540i is a great drive, and the G30 feels like a bank vault, compared to the X3 and 3 series. If the discounts available would cancel the nominal price difference, that would be hard to resist.However, the one thing I'd take any day of the week from either an M2 or a F31 are the instruments. There's a reason round dials with needles that go round clockwise have been used for decades and personally I think the instrument layout in the G2x is a solution to a problem that never existed. They're nowhere near as clear and easy to read as those found in BMW's of yesteryear and if there's one thing I'd change it would be those; after 7 months with the car I still don't like them, the only plus is with Head-Up Display I don't need to look at them quite as often!
rassi said:
Can the G21 not be specced with leather dashboard too? The sensatec of the X3 is not a patch on the nappa leather available on the G30, so this would swing it for me, as it lifts the interior immensely. And as others have suggested, the 540i is a great drive, and the G30 feels like a bank vault, compared to the X3 and 3 series. If the discounts available would cancel the nominal price difference, that would be hard to resist.
You can get a leather dash on the G21 but I think it only comes with full merino leather which means your upholstery choice is restricted to either black leather or black/red leather - it's also a relatively expensive option at £2,750. I went for the cheaper £990 extended merino leather; it doesn't come with a leather dash but I didn't want black or black/red seats!JNW1 said:
You can get a leather dash on the G21 but I think it only comes with full merino leather which means your upholstery choice is restricted to either black leather or black/red leather - it's also a relatively expensive option at £2,750. I went for the cheaper £990 extended merino leather; it doesn't come with a leather dash but I didn't want black or black/red seats!
I quite like the red / black seats 
I think you can spec the 'M' seats in the m340i now.
Also don't forget they might both have the b58, but they're in different states of tune ... So most likely slightly different components as well.
Add in the mhev, newer engine and lower weight, and I bet the m340i will be a fair bit more economical than the x3.
Used to easily get mid 30s from my old b58 engined car.
Edited by RonnieHotdogs on Monday 18th January 18:57
Edited by RonnieHotdogs on Monday 18th January 18:57
I’m lucky enough to have had both. They are both really great cars. But for me, the Touring is just a better drive and I also liked the more discreet look (Dravit, standard wheels and black interior).
It’s faster, handles better, looks better (to me) and is more economical. X3 has more space and to most people looks more expensive because it’s an SUV.
You can’t really go wrong with either though. Tough choice eh?
It’s faster, handles better, looks better (to me) and is more economical. X3 has more space and to most people looks more expensive because it’s an SUV.
You can’t really go wrong with either though. Tough choice eh?
I have an X3 M40i and prior to that a 330d Touring. Over 18k miles I've done 29mpg in the X3, though the less miles I do the lower that's getting of course. Is it quick? Yeah it's plenty quick. Is it heavy? A bit of course but really it actually hides the weight well. You do need to be more conscious of your lines in corners and power application points to avoid body roll building up though. I have no regrets buying it but I would say it took me a while to fully appreciate its skills. I took out my Aston to fill it at the weekend which has similar performance and came away with total appreciation for just how easy the X3 makes going ballistically fast. Either way, you won't be disappointed.
I have an X3M40i and think it’s the perfect daily. Incredibly discreet (mine is debadged), comfortable (I have the 21” wheels), powerful and practical. We’ve taken it to France numerous times and it hasn’t missed a beat. We also do a lot of hiking and I’ve taken it off road and it’s floated on terrain which other cars would struggle on. All of this with the dog in tow.
The touring is a bit meh. Don’t get me wrong I’m a fan of estates, but the new 3 just doesn’t have that feel good factor you get with the X3 imo. The M3 Touring however...
My wife loves driving the X3 too, it’s a very easy car to drive, fast
But as people have said above, you can’t go wrong with either. Depending on where you’re based you’re welcome to look at mine (lockdown permitting).
The touring is a bit meh. Don’t get me wrong I’m a fan of estates, but the new 3 just doesn’t have that feel good factor you get with the X3 imo. The M3 Touring however...
My wife loves driving the X3 too, it’s a very easy car to drive, fast
But as people have said above, you can’t go wrong with either. Depending on where you’re based you’re welcome to look at mine (lockdown permitting).
Edited by london_v on Monday 18th January 23:34
london_v said:
I have an X3M40i..... We also do a lot of hiking and I’ve taken it off road and it’s floated on terrain which other cars would struggle on.
What's this, someone with a 4x4 SUV who actually takes it off road - surely not?!! london_v said:
All of this with the dog in tow.
We have two labradors and actually one of the reasons for preferring the Touring is it's easier for them to get in and out of. It's not a problem at the moment as they're both fit and healthy but it's a consideration when they get older and don't have as much spring; definitely a higher boot floor to jump in and out of with the SUV. Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff