Compare the2024 BMW X3 MVS 2023 Tesla Model X

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The X3 M’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Model X doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The X3 M has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Model X doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The X3 M has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Model X doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X3 M’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Model X doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

The X3 M offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Model X only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the X3 M’s standard Cross Traffic Warning uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

The X3 M has standard BMW Assist, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Model X doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the X3 M and the Model X have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the BMW X3 M is safer than the Tesla Model X:

	X3 M	Model X
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	102	105
Neck Injury Risk	21%	26%
Neck Stress	202 lbs.	207 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 BMW X3 M is safer than the Tesla Model X:

	X3 M	Model X
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	64	101
Chest Movement	.5 inches	.7 inches
Abdominal Force	153 lbs.	157 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	624 lbs.	625 lbs.

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

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the X3 M its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 67 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Model X has not been tested, yet.

Warranty

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 M for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Tesla doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Model X.

There are over 2 times as many BMW dealers as there are Tesla dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X3 M’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Tesla vehicles. With 65 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Tesla.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Tesla vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 5 places higher in reliability than Tesla.

Brakes and Stopping

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

	X3 M	Model X
Front Rotors	15.6 inches	15 inches
Rear Rotors	14.6 inches	14.4 inches

The X3 M stops shorter than the Model X:

	X3 M	Model X
60 to 0 MPH	104 feet	113 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The X3 M has a standard space-saver spare tire so you can replace a flat tire and drive to have the flat repaired or replaced. A spare tire isn’t available on the Model X; it requires you to depend on roadside assistance and your vehicle will have to be towed.

Suspension and Handling

The X3 M has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Model X’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The X3 M Competition handles at .95 G’s, while the Model X pulls only .84 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The X3 M Competition executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the Model X (24.2 seconds @ .86 average G’s vs. 26.7 seconds @ .7 average G’s).

Chassis

The BMW X3 M may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 800 pounds less than the Tesla Model X.

The X3 M is 1 foot, 1.1 inches shorter than the Model X, making the X3 M easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Cargo Capacity

The X3 M has a much larger cargo volume than the Model X with its rear seat up (28.7 vs. 15 cubic feet).

The X3 M’s standard rear seats fold to accommodate long and bulky cargo. The Model X 6-Passenger doesn’t offer folding rear seats.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the X3 M’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Model X doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the X3 M’s liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Model X doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Servicing Ease

A Condition-Based Service Display is standard on the X3 M to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes, transmission fluid replacement, and vehicle inspections, based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Tesla doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Model X.

Ergonomics

The X3 M’s entire steering wheel hub sounds the horn, facilitating hitting the horn in an emergency. The Model X has a small, single button on the steering wheel spoke that can be hard to find quickly in an emergency.

The X3 M offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Model X doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The X3 M’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Model X’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the X3 M has a standard rear wiper. The Model X doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

The X3 M’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The Model X doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the X3 M has standard extendable sun visors. The Model X doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The X3 M’s sun-visors swivel front-to-side to block glare from the side windows. The Model X’s visors are fixed into the windshield header.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the X3 M to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Model X doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The X3 M has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Model X doesn’t offer a middle row seat center armrest.

Recommendations

The BMW X3 outsold the Tesla Model X by almost three to one during 2022.

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