2012 BMW X3: Seeing Red

Like the red enough but loved their saddle brown.

No thanks, not for me. In a sports car, maybe, and even then it looks like a scream for attention.

Is that the Dakota or Nappa leather? I'm guessing Dakota, since this is a loaner.

I recall the G8 having a red/black leather interior color choice, which looked OK on that car (on Red or white exterior). I'm not loving it in the BMW. I recall the M3 having some godawful leather color choices too.

You people owe me a new laptop. Because I just drooled all over mine!

"Is that the Dakota or Nappa leather? I'm guessing Dakota, since this is a loaner."

It's Nevada leather. Dakota and Nappa are not available on the X3.

I didn't think I'd like the red interior until I sat in our X3. It's not overtly red -- there's just enough brown mixed in to dial the intensity down to where it looks natural, not dyed. I've seen cows that color, I think. Saddles, at least. The texture and feel are nice, too.

And the darker tones I usually prefer are still there on the dash, the pillars, the lower half of the door panels, the console.

Overall, I'm a big fan.

It looks nice but I don't think I'd but it myself. It's like the Nissan ones that are orangish. It looks great initially but I think over time it would get old. I like the black on black with some gray or aluminum accents.

Another reason to not get red is as I was looking for motorcycle jackets, I was looking at colors and found that red leather is the weakest due to the dye used in it. Not sure if this translates to car leather but something to keep in mind.

Mark, we think alike. I too am a fan of all-black interiors, and the original M coupe is high on my reasonably-priced-weekend-toy list. I don't go long between visits to AutoTrader to see the local ads for them.

In the Interesting Colors department, I much preferred the two-tone seats of the XC60:

http://blogs.insideline.com/roadtests/2010/09/2010-volvo-xc60-t6-interior-animation.html

I think I'd prefer brown leather over such a bright red. Is the second row red as well?

Never been a fan of red leather, even in sports cars (though I'm more willing to accept it in such a vehicle).

I'm totally open to garish colors for the exterior, but those seats just look completely loony just sitting there.

BMW to me does red well. I had a X5 4.8 Imola Red on Red and I loved it. However, I don't like this combination with the wood. I would get some sort of metal or leather trim.

I like the contrast between the seats and the carpets, etc. This looks nice, but for 53K+, it should

Um no this is not attractive. The vehicle just is too conservative for that color red leather. Even if I was alright with that color leather the wood just seems to not match at all. Red leather with silver accents would match but again not in this vehicle. Something Italian and sexy could pull off this leather. My brother had a 1988 Cougar XR7 with a Scarlet (bright red) exterior and interior and that would enduce vomit escpecially with cinnamon scented air freshner wafting through the chick magnet mobile (not).

I don't like bright colors, regardless if it's a sports car or a pseudo-"sporty" car like this new X3. Best color is black color - requires much, MUCH less time spent with "Lexol" (and other leather or plastic cleaners) after transporting something (or someone) messy.

Black interiors look like a coal mine, dark, dirty, and dingy. We need color in our cars. This is not really a red interior though - it is a black interior with red seats and door panel trim. An actual red interior - the way they should be produced - is virtually all red, including the dash and steering wheel.

Bring on the light blue, the red, the white, the oyster interiors.

"It's Nevada leather. Dakota and Nappa are not available on the X3."

Thanks for the clarification. I thought "Nevada Chestnut" was the color.

At first blush (no pun intended) I thought to myself- sporty looking red leather seats. Not bad. But then I read the comment about the back seat. A big red second row bench seat would look ridiculous. Like a kids' park bench or something. So the versict is no red leather in a car with a back bench seat.

I dig it mostly out of hatred for the blandness that is the current fashion. I would not get it with the wood though, I think it clashes.

I don't know if the link will work, but... If I had ordered an X3 based on the BMW site's version of "Nevada Chestnut", and it arrived with this crazy bright red, I'd refuse delivery!!

http://cache.bmwusa.com/cosy.arox?pov=driverdoor&brand=WBBM&vehicle=12XE&client=byo&paint=P0B06&fabric=FLUCZ&sa=S0205,S0249,S0255,S0302,S0423,S0459,S04DE,S04NG,S0521,S0534,S0544,S0663,S0676,S06NH&bkgnd=grayroom

I like the red but not with the wood accents. Looks washed out or something.

I definitely wouldn't order a red interior, i'm a plain guy that prefers black leather and just aluminum trim. Red may be okay for the first few years, but once it starts to wear would it be as appealing as say a black leather seat? I wouldn't think so.

I like the red, but when you build this on the BMW site it looks nothing like this. Also , it appears the headliner is darker on your test model, rather than the light gray on their site. The darker looks much better.

I love bright coloured seats and door panels against a black background. With the red, I prefer aluminum trim to wood, however.

i like red fabric and rec headliner and carpet but not really a fan of red leather. if it was my money i would go for a dark brown. i do think this shade red looks really silly for an x3 in an x6 or an x5/x6 m it would probably look like its more aproprite

I like the interior a lot!

Red, Blue, ANYTHING over the horrible greys and blacks of nowadays.....how boring cars have become in color choices. I practically get S.A.D. (seasonal affective disorder) driving in some of the grey drabmobiles of the present. Remember the interiors from the 70's and 80's? They may have been craptastic, but at least you could have a fun color like red, blue, green....etc.

I have this exact vehicle on order and the red interior scared the crap out of me. I went directly to the dealer and they assured me the Nevada Chestnut leather interior I ordered is the same color shown in the build program - more brown than red. They said the red in that test vehicle is only available in Europe. The swatch they had confirmed it to be more brown than red.

I'm picking it up at the Performance Center next month and would have a stroke if the interior looked like your tester. I did have a '58 Chevy convertable with a red interior, but that was many moons ago.