Page 88 - Motor Trend (February 2020)

Water drops from
UPDATES the leaking sunroof
edge dangerously
close to the
ceiling-mounted
2019 BMW X3 microphone.

Service life:
9 mo/22,554 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 20.4 mpg

“I'm becoming spoiled by the X3's
gesture control and wireless phone
charging. Who even plugs their
phone in anymore?” Robin Trajano

Avg CO2 0.95 lb/mi Energy cons 169 kW-hr/100 mi
Unresolved problems Creaking suspension Maintenance cost $0
(oil change) Normal-wear cost $0 Base price $55,295
As-tested $68,670 EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ 20/27/23 mpg

L ike all vehicles assigned started to appreciate the X3’s CarPlay, convinced USB would a creaking suspension, and a
busted cargo net. I brought it
be more reliable (our experi-
other features.
to staff photographers,
miles start piling on as Features that I thought ences with other BMWs still says in to get all of that sorted and
soon as we take possession. were gimmicky and frivolous it is), but my phone consistently to take care of routine service.
The X3 is no exception, and have become part of the way I connects as soon as I get in. After the X3 spent a week
so far we’re averaging almost interact with the car on a daily Paired with wireless charging, in the dealership, the broken
3,000 miles a month. During basis. I constantly use gesture I can’t even be bothered with storage net was replaced, not
the last routine trip to the control to skip songs and adjust plugging my phone in anymore. under warranty but thankfully
dealer, my service adviser volume. I’ve gotten so used to One feature I could do out of good will. The sunroof
gawked after realizing I was it that I unconsciously try it in without is the overeager auto leak was found to be caused
just there two months ago with other cars and subsequently stop/start system. It often shuts by a loose connection for
8,000 fewer miles. “I drive a feel dumb when I realize I’m not the engine off while the car the sunroof drain, which was
lot for work,” I explained. He in the X3. Comfort Access, which is still slowly rolling, causing resecured. To fix the suspen-
responded, “At least you get to allows hands-free operation of abrupt stops at red lights. That sion creaking, they replaced
do it in that sweet X3.” the liftgate by kicking your foot gets switched off as soon as I both front tension struts. After
He was right. Gobbling up underneath the rear bumper, get in, mpg be damned. a few days, the noise was
miles of tarmac is a breeze, and has come in handy countless A couple of updates back, back, so spoiler alert: They
once the kid in me got over times. I was skeptical about we reported our X3 was didn’t fix it. At least it was
the M40i’s potent powertrain I Bluetooth-connected Apple suffering from a leaky sunroof, covered under warranty.

The G70's cool, subdued gray interior is as tranquil
2019 Genesis G70 as the multiple trips to the dealership are not.

once I back out, am then facing
uphill. An interesting task for
any transmission. Except that,
when cold, the Genesis 3.3T
would shift from reverse into
drive with an ominous clunk.
Whereupon, when driving for
the first five minutes, the eight-
speed automatic transmission
would be plagued with random
Service life: shift patterns out of context with its duty cycle.
3 mo/2,702 mi • Avg Fuel Econ: 19.8 mpg More seriously, when asked for forceful acceleration (necessary
when turning left from my quiet residential street onto a major
“Wasn’t expecting this. Some serious artery), the transmission would seemingly slip and fail to deliver
teething problems from a carmaker propulsion while engine revs would scream to redline. This would
known for quality.” Mark Rechtin happen for a terrifying three-Mississippi count as I drifted into
cross traffic until the tranny would sort itself out with another
Avg CO2 0.98 lb/mi Energy cons 196 kW-hr/100 mi clunk and finally deliver power.
Unresolved problems None Maintenance cost $0 At the 1,200-mile mark I took it to the local Genesis (read:
Normal-wear cost $0 Base price $44,745 As-tested $46,495 Hyundai) dealer. The instant response: Replace the transmission
EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ: 17/26/21 mpg
and the transmission control unit.
Upon return of the car, the G70 still didn’t feel right. It felt
I t’s almost ironic. When we named the Alfa Romeo Giulia our significantly slower than before. Although the transmission was
2018 Car of the Year winner, the peanut gallery snarked about
no longer lurching and performing erratically, it felt like the power
how our delicate Italian confection would be spending all delivery was restricted. So back to the
its time in the shop. Except it didn’t. It ran great for a year and dealership it went. Diagnosis: a leaking
22,000-plus hassle-free miles. turbocharger hose.
And now, we have a car from Genesis—winner of the J.D. Power Now healed, the G70 has been thun-
Initial Quality Study over every other brand—that has spent nearly dering around the South Bay and in all
a month in the shop with serious problems. senses seems to be in fine fettle.
It all started in my driveway, where I back uphill to a street and, How fine? Check in next time.

88 MOTORTREND.COM FEBRUARY 2020