Of all the ways to evaluate a new car, I have added an inadvisable but compelling one: the coffee test.
Step one: Buy a large, brimful cup of hot joe and place it in a shallow cup holder. Step two: Drive like the dickens on a curvy road to gauge the vehicle's body roll and suspension. Step three: Do the hot-hot-hot! dance while wiping steaming liquid from your jeans.
I eventually got the cup to topple. More notable was that I was driving a compact sport utility vehicle, and it took a full-on, emergency-style stop from 60 mph to create a splash.
In the all-new BMW X3 — $55,625 as tested — I'd bombed over speed bumps at 50, taken corners at 45 and gunned down straightaways, all of which the vehicle handled with ease.
SUVs are rarely a thrill to drive, especially compact SUVs, whose short wheelbases and high centers of gravity tend to translate to goofy handling.
When the original X3 came out in 2004, it felt halfhearted, a product from the minds of marketers and not engineers. The bean counters had cause, selling more than 600,000 worldwide, proving the X3 more of an optimum profit machine than the ultimate driving one that BMW ads boasted.
Competition in this bracket is toughening. In addition to the Audi Q5, Land Rover will introduce its more compact Evoque SUV, and we'll likely see a smaller Porsche SUV as well. No wonder the BMW engineering team got on board. The 2011 model handles like a true-blue Bimmer.
I tested a pre-production X3 in Los Angeles. Irksomely named the X3 xDrive35i, it starts at $42,000. The xDrive28i, with a less potent engine, has a base of $37,625. All-wheel- drive is standard.
The X3 is meant to bridge the gap between the urban and suburban worlds with enough space to occasionally haul five passengers and some of their stuff.
Despite its height and 4,200-plus pounds, the X3 feels almost as capable as a 3 Series sedan. The suspension is brilliant.
The automatic transmission has eight speeds and will swiftly kick down several gears upon demand. In gentle motoring, the transmission works in ninja mode.
Stomp on the gas from a standstill and the SUV has enough torque to buck onto its back wheels while the engine growls. Brakes are gradual and nicely weighted but with significant bite during an emergency stop. Emergency blinkers come on automatically when the system senses panic braking, warning drivers behind you.
Many drivers prefer SUVs because the driving position is like an adult high chair, allowing them to survey the world. The X3's seating is both comfortable and authoritative, with so much glass on the sides and rear that there are virtually no blind spots, especially if you position your side mirrors correctly. Headroom is good in both front and back.
The updated iDrive system is a breeze. When I had lost my way on L.A.'s canyon roads, I dialed in directions in less than 30 seconds. The available heads-up display, which reflects onto the windshield in front of the driver, shows the directions on the glass itself in sharp detail: a new standard in nav systems.
A vehicle like this will always have a few compromises, and the X3's are suddenly scant. Those who would naturally gravitate to a 3 Series might now consider its bulkier brother.
The X3 isn't quite as handsome, yet like the coffee I spilled, it's a fair trade.
