Compare the2023 Volvo XC40VS 2023 BMW X3

Safety
Reliability
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X3 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC40 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 XC40 and X3 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC40 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.

Both the XC40 and the X3 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Volvo XC40 is safer than the BMW X3:

	XC40	X3
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	25 lbs.	64 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	31%	38%
Neck Compression	66 lbs.	72 lbs.

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

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 Volvo XC40 is safer than the BMW X3:

	XC40	X3
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	119	133
Hip Force	755 lbs.	794 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	237	281
Spine Acceleration	33 G’s	43 G’s
Hip Force	411 lbs.	624 lbs.

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

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the XC40 is 1.6% to 1.7% less likely to roll over than the X3.

Reliability

The X3’s redline is at 7000 RPM, which causes more engine wear, and a greater chance of a catastrophic engine failure. The XC40 has a 6000 RPM redline.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the XC40’s reliability 12 points higher than the X3.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC40 gets better mileage than the X3:

			MPG
XC40
	FWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	24 city/32 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl. Hybrid	23 city/30 hwy
X3
	RWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/29 hwy
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/28 hwy
		3.0 turbo 6-cyl. Hybrid	21 city/26 hwy

The XC40 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X3 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Brakes and Stopping

The XC40 stops much shorter than the X3:

	XC40	X3
60 to 0 MPH	111 feet	127 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	135 feet	138 feet	Consumer Reports

Suspension and Handling

The XC40 B5 Plus AWD handles at .86 G’s, while the X3 xDrive30i pulls only .81 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the XC40’s turning circle is 2 feet tighter than the X3’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC40 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X3 (8.1 vs. 8 inches), allowing the XC40 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Chassis

The Volvo XC40 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 350 to 450 pounds less than the BMW X3.

The XC40 is 11.1 inches shorter than the X3, making the XC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The XC40 has .6 inches more front legroom and .3 inches more rear shoulder room than the X3.

Towing

Optional Trailer Stability Assist (TSA) on the XC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The X3 doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC40 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.

Consumer Reports rated the XC40’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X3’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Volvo XC40 has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the X3.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends both the Volvo XC40 and the BMW X3, based on reliability, safety and performance.

Motor Trend performed a comparison test in its January 2019 issue and they ranked the Volvo XC40 B5 Plus AWD higher than the BMW X3 xDrive30i.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the XC40 second among small 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.

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