There’s no use paying for something you don’t need on a new BMW, even if nobody “needs” a new BMW. To sweeten the deal on its latest crossovers, BMW is offering two-wheel-drive versions of its X2 and X3, a move that effectively lowers starting prices.
At their debut, both the X2 and X3 were available only in xDrive all-wheel-drive form. Now, the sDrive version—front-wheel drive on the Mini-platform-based X2, rear-wheel drive on the X3—is the base trim. The 2018 X2 sDrive28i starts at $37,395, which is $2000 less than the xDrive28i. (It also brings the X2 closer to the X1; it’s now $2500 extra instead of $4500.)
The 2019 X3 sDrive30i is priced at $41,995, but won’t be on sale for several more months. Compared to the 2018 xDrive30i, it’s $1650 less expensive.
The EPA hasn’t published fuel-economy ratings for these new variants, but we wouldn’t expect more than a 1- or 2-mpg gain in both city and highway tests. But when the X3 diesel returns—likely in xDrive form—the gains will be more substantial.
