The X3 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 QX55 doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.
The X3 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 QX55 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.
When descending a steep, off-road slope, the X3’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The QX55 doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.
Both the X3 and the QX55 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, 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, rear cross-path warning 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 BMW X3 is safer than the Infiniti QX55:
|
X3 |
QX55 |
|
Passenger |
|
STARS |
4 Stars |
4 Stars |
HIC |
119 |
285 |
Chest Compression |
.8 inches |
1.2 inches |
Neck Stress |
168 lbs. |
219 lbs. |
Neck Compression |
71 lbs. |
78 lbs. |
New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.