2015 BMW X3

midsize luxury SUV / 4-door SUV

2015 BMW X3 4-door SUV
2012 BMW X3 shown

Crashworthiness

Rating overview
Moderate overlap front: original test
Side: original test
Roof strength
Head restraints & seats

Crash avoidance & mitigation

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle
Optional system
Superior
Optional system
Advanced

Other available safety features

  • Optional blind spot detection
  • Optional lane departure warning

Key

  • G
    Good
  • A
    Acceptable
  • M
    Marginal
  • P
    Poor
  • Superior
  • Advanced
  • Basic

Some ratings use a scale of Poor to Good. Others range from Basic to Superior.

Moderate overlap front: original test

Rating applies to 2011-17 models

Tested vehicle: 2011 BMW X3 xDrive35i dr 4wd

The BMW X3 was redesigned for the 2011 model year. Frontal ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by BMW as part of frontal crash test verification.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Chest
Leg/foot, left
Leg/foot, right
Driver restraints and dummy kinematics
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTF1024
Footwell intrusion
Footrest (cm) 2
Left (cm) 4
Center (cm) 4
Right (cm) 3
Brake pedal (cm) 4
Instrument panel rearward movement
Left (cm) 1
Right (cm) 1
Steering column movement
Upward (cm) 1
Rearward (cm) -3
A-pillar rearward movement (cm) 1

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTF1024
Head
HIC-15 194
Peak gs at hard contact no contact
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.8
Extension bending moment (Nm) 7
Maximum Nij 0.17
Chest maximum compression (mm) 30
Legs
Femur force - left (kN) 0.8
Femur force - right (kN) 1.9
Knee displacement - left (mm) 0
Knee displacement - right (mm) 2
Maximum tibia index - left 0.41
Maximum tibia index - right 0.43
Tibia axial force - left (kN) 2.2
Tibia axial force - right (kN) 2.2
Foot acceleration (g)
Left 52
Right 46

How the moderate overlap front test is conducted

Side: original test

Rating applies to 2011-17 models built after March 2011

Tested vehicle: 2012 BMW X3 xDrive35i 4-door 4wd with standard front and rear head curtain airbags and standard front door-mounted torso airbags

The BMW X3 was redesigned for the 2011 model year. Beginning with 2011 models built after March 2011, the computer algorithm that calculates when to deploy the side airbags was optimized to improve occupant protection in side impact crashes. (Information about when a specific vehicle was manufactured is on the certification label typically affixed to the car on the driver door or adjacent B-pillar.) Side ratings are assigned by the Institute based on a test conducted by BMW after the changes were made as part of side crash test verification.

Overall evaluation
Structure and safety cage
Driver injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Driver head protection
Rear passenger injury measures
Head/neck
Torso
Pelvis/leg
Rear passenger head protection
Technical measurements for this test

Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side

Test ID VTS1114
B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver's seat (cm) -16.5
Negative numbers indicate the amount by which the crush stopped short of the seat centerline.

Driver injury measures

Test ID VTS1114
Head HIC-15 75
Neck
Tension (kN) 1.3
Compression (kN) 0.4
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 37
Lateral force (kN) 1.1
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 36
Average deflection (mm) 32
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 5.60
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.75
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 2.3
Acetabulum force (kN) 1.8
Combined force (kN) 4.1
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.4
L-M moment (Nm) 36
A-P moment (Nm) 13

Passenger injury measures

Test ID VTS1114
Head HIC-15 254
Neck
Tension (kN) 0.3
Compression (kN) 1.0
Shoulder
Lateral deflection (mm) 22
Lateral force (kN) 1.1
Torso
Maximum deflection (mm) 28
Average deflection (mm) 17
Maximum deflection rate (m/s) 2.71
Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) 0.33
Pelvis
Iliac force (kN) 0.4
Acetabulum force (kN) 2.5
Combined force (kN) 2.7
Left femur
L-M force (kN) 0.3
L-M moment (Nm) 23
A-P moment (Nm) 34

How the side crash test is conducted

Roof strength

Rating applies to 2012-17 models

Tested vehicle: 2012 BMW X3 xDrive35i 4-door 4wd

Overall evaluation
Curb weight 4,135 lbs
Peak force 19,389 lbs
Strength-to-weight ratio 4.69

How the roof strength test is conducted

Head restraints & seats

Seat type: Power leather seats (AHR)

Overall evaluation
Dynamic rating
Seat/head restraint geometry
Technical measurements for this test
Seat type Power leather seats (AHR)
Geometry
Backset (mm) 40
Distance below top of head (mm) 34
Seat design parameters
Pass/fail Pass
Max T1 acceleration (g) 16.2
Head contact time (ms) 42
Force rating 1
Neck forces
Max neck shear force (N) 0
Max neck tension (N) 333

How the head restraint & seat test is conducted
Currently, IIHS tests apply only to front seats.

Front crash prevention: vehicle-to-vehicle

Ratings are given for 2 different trim variations available on this vehicle.

System details

  • Optional Collision warning with Braking Function

Package name

  • Optional Driver Assistance Plus/ACC Stop & Go + Active Driving Assistant

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Superior
Superior
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 11 mph.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 24 mph.

System details

  • Optional Collision Warning with City Braking Function

Package name

  • Optional Driver Assistance Plus

Overall evaluation

Applies to 2015-16 models

Advanced
Advanced
with optional equipment
  • This system meets the requirements for forward collision warning.
  • In the 12 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 8 mph.
  • In the 25 mph test, impact speed was reduced by 7 mph.

How front crash prevention is evaluated