2022 BMW X3 vs 2021 Ford Explorer

The 2021 Ford Explorer had a design that fit well within Ford's SUV family, sharing a strong resemblance with its siblings like the Escape, Edge, and Expedition. Its exterior was sporty with raked belt lines and distinctive visages, though it could be hard to distinguish from the Edge at a quick glance. The Explorer offered six trim levels, each with varying grille designs and price points ranging from $32,925 to $52,730. Inside, it featured three rows of seats as standard, with the base model offering cloth upholstery and a clean dashboard layout dominated by an 8-inch LCD touchscreen.

In contrast, the 2022 BMW X3 presented a more aggressive exterior design with a larger kidney grille and slimmer adaptive full LED headlights. The rear featured new taillights with a black surround and pincer claw-shaped brake light LEDs. The X3 was available in four variants: sDrive30i, xDrive30i, M40i, and M, with the sDrive30i being the only rear-wheel-drive model. The interior was well-appointed with dark oak wood trim, an anthracite headliner, and eight-way power-adjustable front Sport seats. The X3 also offered a panoramic moonroof and a variety of interior color choices, including SensaTec synthetic leather and premium Vernasca leather.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, at its lightest, weighed 4,345 pounds and featured a base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The Limited Hybrid trim offered a V6 hybrid drivetrain with 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims came with a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, delivering 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, while the sport-oriented Explorer ST offered 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer was more focused on towing power, with a capacity ranging from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds depending on the trim and engine.

The 2022 BMW X3 featured an eight-speed automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters as standard. The sDrive30i and xDrive30i models were powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 248 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, with a 0-60 mph time of 6 seconds. The M40i variant added a 3.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine with a mild-hybrid system, producing 382 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque, and a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. The X3 M40i also featured a flap-controlled sports exhaust system, sport brakes, and an adaptive suspension for a more dynamic driving experience.

The 2021 Ford Explorer offered seating for seven in the base model, with captain’s chairs in the second row reducing capacity to six in higher trims. It provided 39 inches of legroom for second-row passengers and 21 cubic feet of cargo space with the third row deployed. With the rear seats folded, the Explorer offered a total of 81 cubic feet of cargo room.

The 2022 BMW X3 had seating for five and a 40/20/40-split rear seat configuration. It offered ample cargo space for backpacks and additional carry-on suitcases, with a power tailgate as standard. The interior featured comfortable SensaTec faux-leather seats, with the option to upgrade to Vernasca leather. The redesigned center console and larger infotainment system improved vehicle ergonomics and accessibility to frequent touchpoints.

The 2021 Ford Explorer came with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, offering AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system. Higher trims offered a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and an upgrade to a 10.1-inch touchscreen with up to 14 speakers.

The 2022 BMW X3 featured BMW Live Cockpit Plus with iDrive 7 telematics, including a 5.1-inch color display instrument panel and a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. It offered navigation, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa integration, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. An optional Live Cockpit Professional enlarged both screens to 12.3 inches. The standard 12-speaker 205-watt HiFi sound system could be upgraded to a Harman Kardon surround sound system with 16 speakers.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, with top scores in all crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for adaptive headlights. It came with the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, forward-collision warning, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims offered additional features like adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist.

The 2022 BMW X3 received a five-star crash safety rating from the NHTSA. It came with adaptive LED headlights, a rearview camera, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, active blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and forward-collision warning with pedestrian/cyclist detection. Optional packages added features like parking assistance, 360-degree surround camera view, traffic jam assistance, and active lane-keep assist with lane centering.