Redesigned BMW X3 Earns Top Safety Pick+ Award

ARLINGTON, Virginia, April 17 -- The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issued the following news release:

The redesigned BMW X3, a midsize luxury SUV, earns the highest award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety when equipped with optional front crash prevention and specific headlights.

To qualify for the 2018 Top Safety Pick+ award, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the driver-side small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and a good or acceptable rating in the passenger-side small overlap front test. It also must have a front crash prevention system that earns a superior or advanced rating, as well as good-rated headlights.

The previous generation of the X3 was never tested for small overlap protection on either side. The new one performed well, with maximum intrusion of 2 inches on one side of the toepan on both the driver and passenger sides. It earns a good rating in both tests.

The 2018 X3 is available with two optional front crash prevention systems, Frontal Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation and Frontal Collision Warning with Extended Collision Mitigation. Both earn a superior rating. X3s equipped with either system avoided collisions in IIHS track tests at 12 and 25 mph. Each system also has a forward collision warning component that meets National Highway Traffic Safety Administration criteria.

The headlights that come with the X3's Executive package are rated good. The two other available headlight systems earn a marginal rating.