Spy shots of the 2025 BMW X3: a first look at the updated SUV

A prototype of the redesigned BMW X3 has been spotted for the first time. The new crossover will be the fourth generation of the top-selling nameplate.

The current X3 was introduced in 2017 as a 2018 model and received a mid-cycle update for 2022; in keeping with BMW tradition, this redesigned X3 should arrive in 2024 as a 2025 model. A related redesigned version of the X4 should appear about a year after this X3.

The prototype is heavily camouflaged, but it can be seen that the proportions are very similar to the current model, albeit slightly more rounded. The headlights are clearly visible, and the grille appears to have a taller design similar to the current X3's grille, although it is camouflage geared.

The interior cannot be confirmed, but there should be a clean dashboard with floating screens in the instrument cluster and infotainment hub, as seen on modern BMWs, including the recently updated 2023 3 Series.

The platform will be an updated version of the current X3's CLAR design, with rear-wheel drive (optional all-wheel drive is available). It will be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-4 or 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, both of which will come standard with mild hybrid technology. A plug-in hybrid powertrain should also be offered and may be available on the upcoming X3 M

. The current X3 offers an electric iX3 option outside the U.S. The iX3 uses a modified version of the CLAR platform, but the next iX3, which should be seen in the U.S., is expected to use BMW Group's Neue Klasse platform dedicated to EVs, with the first The first model will be born in 2025. The first model is expected to be an electric version of the upcoming 3 Series.

Production of the redesigned X3 should take place at the BMW Group plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where the current X3 is produced. An electric version could be produced at the BMW Group plant under construction in Debrecen, Hungary.

The X3 is a car that BMW does not want to touch; BMW sold 75,858 units in the U.S. alone in 2021, making it the most popular car in the country.