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BabyDrive Verdict

When I was asked to test the 2019 BMW Alpina XD3 I thought, “ah well if I must!! It's a hard life but I suppose I could do it!!”

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And I'm glad I did! To make the Alpina XD3, a small number of BMW X3s are taken off the production line in America and transported back to Germany, where Alpina changes the engine, suspension, interior and exterior detailing as well as adding their branding details.

This results in limited edition cars, even faster and more luxurious than BMWs already are!! So let's see how good it is as a BabyDrive!

The quietly confident Alpina XD3 is scattered with branding details and exquisite touches like the contrasting green and blue stitching on the steering wheel. I like the Alpina for this, it's a car that unless you know about cars you wouldn't know it is something quite rare and special.

To start with there are inbuilt window blinds in the rear doors so I was straight away smitten with the XD3! Not only is it exclusive and beautiful but practical too.

The Alpina XD3 I tested had beautiful pristine white leather seats which I was a little hesitant to clamber all over with child seats let alone let my toddler loose in them! But I did, and they came out winning!!

Space is good in the back of the XD3 and there are two sets of ISOFix points in the two outer seats, all within plastic guides and easy to connect to.

As this layout is the same in the regular BMW X3, I am excited to find out how many child seats will fit!

There are top tether anchorages on the back of all three seatbacks, the outer two are clearly labelled but not the central anchorage. It would be better if it were as there are other bars on the back of the seatbacks that could be easily mistaken for top tether anchorages.

Three child seats fit nicely in the second row and there are well-positioned handles above the rear doors to hang children's toys from as well.

Legroom is good in the Alpina XD3 and we could fit a 180cm driver in front of the rear-facing child seat.

Boot space in the Alpina XD3 is good too, holding fourteen shopping bags when empty. That is the same as the Range Rover Velar and one less than the Audi Q8 that holds fifteen.

I tested all twin, side-by-side, single and compact stroller in the boot and they all fitted with a good amount of shopping too.

You can see exactly which strollers and prams fit in the boot in the drop down ‘boot storage' section below.

The media system in the XD3, like in most BMWs, is a lovely clear and crisp screen with a system that is easy to navigate and use. You can have Apple CarPlay added for an extra $600.

The reversing camera image is exceptionally good, with a to-scale computer-generated image of the car and 360-degree surround camera, which makes parking and maneuvering easy.

There are aircon vents in the front and back of the Alpina XD3.

These are great for keeping little ones cool in the back and I could reach the rear vents while driving.

Storage throughout the Alpina XD3 is good, with two cup holders in all both rows, a generous central console box and glove box and all the door bins will hold a large refillable water bottle.

The Alpina XD3 is a fantastic car to drive, the adaptive suspension makes for a smooth and comfortable ride for little passengers especially when in comfort mode. The visibility is good too which made it even better to drive and easy to park.

The BMW X3, which is the basis of the Alpina XD3, scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2017 and has seven airbags as standard. The front and rear outer seats have seatbelt pretensioners and there are seat belt removal reminders in all seats.

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BabyDrive Indepth

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Tace Clifford
About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.

5 Comments

  1. Wonderful! Thank you for this awesome research. Finding cars for 3 child seats can be a struggle. Can you also check the Audi Q5 if it fits?

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