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The new BMW X3 is a great premium family SUV. It’s comfortable yet sporty to drive, packed with tech and it’s practical as well. You can even get a hot M50 version with a fire-breathing 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine.

That said, the X3 won’t be to everyone’s taste. Some of the interior trim feels a bit cheap for a car costing more than £50,000, and the plug-in hybrid’s electric range isn’t the best either. If this is enough to put you off, we’ve come up with a list of the seven best BMW X3 alternatives to add to your shortlist.

The best BMW X3 alternatives in 2025 are:

• Volvo XC60
• Mercedes GLC
• BMW X1
• Volkswagen Tayron
• Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
• Xpeng G6
• Skoda Superb Estate

1. Volvo XC60

If comfort and safety are your top priorities, then the Volvo XC60 is the SUV to buy thanks to its great seats and driver assistance tech. It’s a brilliant long-distance cruiser, and the interior is a lovely place to sit. The boot may not be as big as the X3s, but you do get plenty of rear legroom.

2. Mercedes GLC

The Mercedes GLC is available with a plug-in hybrid system which can do 80 miles on electric power alone, making it perfect if you’re after a taste of the EV life without fully committing. It’s a comfortable motorway cruiser as well, and it’s plenty spacious enough for the family. It’s just a shame that the interior feels a bit cheap in places.

3. BMW X1

The BMW X3 is great, but you could also save yourself almost £15,000 by going for its smaller sibling – the X1. The boot is only around 20 litres smaller than the X3’s, and the rear seats are very nearly as spacious. The touchscreen-heavy interior controls can be a faff, but on the whole it’s a great SUV. For the same price as a basic X3, you could have a high-spec M Sport plug-in hybrid X1.

4. Volkswagen Tayron

For the same price as a BMW X3, you could have a posh seven-seat SUV in the form of the Volkswagen Tayron. You get loads of interior space, it’s comfortable to drive and there’s a range of efficient petrol and hybrid engines on offer. It may be a bit drab to look at, but the Tayron is a solid all-rounder which will be really easy to live with.

5. Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

The Alfa Romeo is the closest you’ll get to a sports car in an SUV without spending six figures on something like a Lamborghini Urus. It has a sonorous V6 engine, and it’s great fun to drive on a twisty road. The cabin may be looking a bit dated these days, but this is easy to forgive in a car this characterful.

6. Xpeng G6

Maybe you fancy jumping on the electric car bandwagon? You might be thinking about something like a Tesla Model Y as a BMW X3 alternative, but the Xpeng G6 is a new entry from China which is well-worth considering. It has a brilliant infotainment system, long range and a spacious interior, however the boot is only average in this class.

7. Skoda Superb Estate

If you asked ChatGPT to draw you a practical family car, it’d probably generate a Skoda Superb Estate. It may not be as glamorous as an SUV, but in terms of interior space there aren’t many cars which beat it. You get a cavernous boot and palatial rear seats, and it’s lovely to drive, as we found out after living with one for a few months.

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