The all new 2011 BMW X3 has everything that its scrawny predecessor didn’t. The new X3 has better handling, more horsepower, and is more fuel-efficient than ever before. It also boasts a longer and wider body which makes this SUV not only drives better, but looks better.

With the exciting new changes, the X3 is now challenging its rivals for the top spot of the luxury SUV class. Though highly competitive from the likes of the Audi Q5, the Lexus RX 350, the Mercedes GLK 350 and the EX35 from Nissan, consumers have taken kindly to the changes BMW has made. In the first three months of this year, U.S. sales of the X3 more than quadrupled over the same period last year, nearly selling as many as all of 2010 combined.

The 2011 BMW X3 is equipped with the fuel efficient, naturally aspirated 3.0-liter, 240-horsepower in-line six-cylinder engine. The X3 is also available in the high performance xDrive35i model which packs the 3.0-liter, 300 horsepower, turbocharged six-cylinder engine, that tops the best horsepower rating of many of the X3′s main competitors.

With either engine, the 2011 X3 comes standard with all-wheel drive and a highly efficient eight speed automatic transmission with a manual shifting function. Despite adding length and power to this year’s model, the xDrive28i is rated to get 19 miles per gallon in the city with a highway mileage rating of 26mpg.

Of the features that have been redesigned, the most impressive is the new revamped suspension. BMW claims the new electronic damping system is so quick that when the front wheels hit a pothole it can adjust damping before the rear wheels hit the hole creating a sporty yet smooth ride.

The X3′s interior has also taken on major improvements. Added rear space allows passengers to ride in the back seat with optimal comfort and leg room. The sightlines have been made better as the passengers sit up higher allowing for an easier ingress and egress. There is also an optional panoramic moonroof which gives the cabin an open and airy feel.

With improvements to the interior and the exterior of the X3, consumers would have to assume that the price tag on would go up for this top of the line SUV right? Their assumptions would be wrong then. Coming in at $37,625, which is $2,100 less than the 2010 X3, all the hype for this 2011 model is well deserved.

With BMW expanding its factory in Spartanburg, S.C., this is the first year that the X3 is being built in the United States. With the all new X3 hitting the 2011 luxury SUV class by storm, consumers will continue to look for great things to continue rolling out of Spartanburg.