Compare the2023 Genesis GV80VS 2023 BMW X3

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Genesis GV80 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the GV80 and X3 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The GV80 has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X3’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the GV80 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The X3 doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The GV80 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The X3 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the GV80. But it costs extra on the X3.

Both the GV80 and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Genesis GV80 is safer than the BMW X3:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The GV80 comes with a full 5-year/60,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes free 24-hour roadside assistance. The X3’s 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 10,000 miles sooner.

Genesis’ powertrain warranty covers the GV80 6 years and 50,000 miles longer than BMW covers the X3. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 10 years or 100,000 miles. Coverage on the X3 ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are better in initial quality than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in initial quality, above the industry average. With 9 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 9th.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the statistics that show that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Genesis fourth in reliability, above the industry average. With 32 more problems per 100 vehicles, BMW is ranked 15th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Genesis vehicles are more reliable than BMW vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Genesis 7 places higher in reliability than BMW.

The GV80 2.5T’s standard 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 52 more horsepower (300 vs. 248) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (311 vs. 258) than the X3 s/xDrive30i’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The GV80 3.5T’s standard 3.5 turbo V6 produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (391 vs. 369) than the X3 M40i’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the GV80 2.5T 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder is faster than the X3 s/xDrive30i 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

The GV80 has 3.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the X3 (21.1 vs. 17.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

For better stopping power the GV80’s brake rotors are larger than those on the X3:

The GV80 stops much shorter than the X3:

For better traction, the GV80 has larger tires than the X3 (265/40R22 vs. 245/50R19). The GV80’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X3 (265/40R22 vs. 245/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the GV80 offers optional 22-inch wheels. The X3’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The GV80 offers an optional automatic rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The X3 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the GV80’s wheelbase is 3.5 inches longer than on the X3 (116.3 inches vs. 112.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the GV80 is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.5 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the X3.

The GV80 PRESTIGE handles at .82 G’s, while the X3 xDrive30i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The GV80 PRESTIGE executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the X3 xDrive30i (26.9 seconds @ .65 average G’s vs. 27.6 seconds @ .63 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the GV80 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the GV80 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The GV80 Prestige uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The X3 doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the GV80 PRESTIGE is quieter than the X3 M40i xDrive:

The GV80 offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the X3 can only carry 5.

The GV80 has 38.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the X3 (140 vs. 101.4).

The GV80 has 1.3 inches more front legroom, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 2.3 inches more rear legroom and 2.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

The GV80’s cargo area provides more volume than the X3.

The GV80’s cargo area is larger than the X3’s in almost every dimension:

The GV80’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the X3’s (6000 vs. 4400 pounds).

The GV80’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The X3 doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the GV80 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X3 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The GV80 has standard front air conditioned seats and offers them optionally in the second row. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The X3 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The GV80 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the X3.

The GV80 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X3.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Genesis GV80 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X3.

The GV80 offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The X3 doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The GV80’s optional Smart Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Smart Parking Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The X3’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the GV80 second among upper midsize premium suvs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The X3 isn’t in the top three in its category.

The GV80 was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2021. The X3 has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.