Compare the2025 BMW X3VS 2024 Land Rover Range Rover Velar

The BMW X3 has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Range Rover Velar doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Range Rover Velar 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 Range Rover Velar doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The X3 offers an optional Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Range Rover Velar doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

Compared to metal, the X3’s plastic fuel tank can withstand harder, more intrusive impacts without leaking; this decreases the possibility of fire. The Land Rover Range Rover Velar has a metal gas tank.

Both the X3 and the Range Rover Velar have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear 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, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

The X3’s corrosion warranty is 6 years longer than the Range Rover Velar’s (12 vs. 6 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the X3 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Land Rover doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Range Rover Velar.

There are over 72 percent more BMW dealers than there are Land Rover dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the X3’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Land Rover vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Land Rover.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Land Rover With 78 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks BMW higher than Land Rover.

The X3 30 xDrive’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 8 more horsepower (255 vs. 247) and 26 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 269) than the Range Rover Velar P250’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The X3 M50 xDrive’s standard 3.0 turbo 6-cylinder hybrid produces 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (428 vs. 406) than the Range Rover Velar HST P400’s standard 3.0 turbo/supercharged 6-cylinder hybrid.

On the EPA test cycle the X3 gets better mileage than the Range Rover Velar:

The X3 has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Range Rover Velar. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The X3 M50’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Range Rover Velar doesn’t offer launch control.

The X3’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Range Rover Velar’s standard 55 series tires. The X3’s optional 285/35R21 rear tires have a lower 35 series profile than the Range Rover Velar’s optional 40 series tires.

The X3 has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .7 inches more front shoulder room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Range Rover Velar.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the X3’s rear seats recline. The Range Rover Velar’s rear seats don’t recline.

The X3 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Range Rover Velar with its rear seat up (31.5 vs. 30.9 cubic feet). The X3 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Range Rover Velar with its rear seat folded (67.1 vs. 62.7 cubic feet).

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

If the windows are left open on the X3 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote or with the driver’s door power window switch. The driver of the Range Rover Velar can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the X3 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. Heated windshield washer nozzles cost extra on the Range Rover Velar.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the X3 offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Range Rover Velar doesn’t offer cornering lights. The X3 also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

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

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

The X3’s Parking Assistant can parallel park by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Optional Remote Control Parking will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Range Rover Velar’s automatic parking system does not offer parking by remote control.

The BMW X3 outsold the Land Rover Range Rover Velar by over 9 to one during 2023.