So, the What Car awards took place last night and the results are in. Utterly predictable it has to be said!

So, the best 4x4, by far, is ... wait for it ... the BMW X3.

Pretty much everything else was taken by VW/Audi or Ford.

Except for best LUXURY CAR, which was the Range Rover!

Am I deluded, or is everyone else?!

Well, I guess I'd better go buy an X3...

guessing they class 4x4 as chelsea tractors not off road vehicles

can't comment I haven't ever really looked at X3's with enough interest to make a decision on whether i could like it or not as it doesn't do anything for me from the outside Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

It's not so much the X3 per se which gets me, it's the way the categories have become blurred/misused.

People wanting a 4x4 buy something which is tuned for the road and thus compromised as a 4x4.

People wanting a luxury saloon which will never go near a bit of mud buy the most competent off-roader this side of the Ibex.

They're buying an image - a 'lifestyle' - rather than something which suits their needs.

I'm too practical for this world...

It's all a bit silly. I wonder what the young pups of What Car? would make of my Series One.

I'm with pab on the practicality thing. At least the X3 got panned on an off road test I watched...can't remember who did it though.

As far as I am concerned the FL2 is a comfy, decent sized road car that can hack it in the rough/snow if necessary...end of story. John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

JST wrote:

I'm with pab on the practicality thing. At least the X3 got panned on an off road test I watched...can't remember who did it though.

that was a X5 or X6 test wasn't it? Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Can't remember Nick...I tend not to take too much notice of BMW's on the whole....  Foraging near Gaydon....
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MY13 HSE Lux SD4, Baltic Blue - current, 30,000> miles without fault
MY12 HSE 2.2 SD4, Sumatra Black - gone after 10 months/43,000 fault-free miles

'twas the X6

the new X3 is far more attractive than the previous model, and I can see why Joe public would go for it over a Freelander.

the majority of buyers will never dream of going off road, and only require a comfortable up market four wheel drive, and the X3 meets this criteria.

Iain

Yes Clarkson tested the X6 and it got fooled by the grassy slope (they drove the Range Rover past it for fun) but there was another test with the X3...ah here it is...a bit old though... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2LLMxlkT-Y John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

the new X3 is a lot better than this one, a bit like comparing an FL1 to an FL2

Iain

Yes but I am a poor old pensioner who only buys old cars!

PS Man with red pen spotted coming this way! John
07 HSE Narvick Black
Land Rover Series One
Triumph Rocket 111 (sadly gone!)

Become a mod then you can have a go, we have crayons too

I saw a BMW X3 the other day and it had sports tyres! Oh how I would love to see it struggling on a snowy slope! I would drive past, wind down the window and laugh at the inferior car

Probably wouldn't do the last part but would enjoy going past LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I have to say I did this last year ( when we had snow )... some of the drives have a slight incline round here and a X5 down the road was stuck after a light frosting.... ( and its not the only one I have seen since ).

T Terran



'The' Car For The Modern Day UK Roads ( ie all the pot holes )

'A Freelander that leaks oil is just marking its territory' - Wise words

Now a member of the FL2 'Silly Bill' Club