BMW X3 Clinches 2025 South African Car of the Year, Extending BMW's Dominance

19 Aug

by Bathandwa Samfumfana 13 Comments

The BMW X3's Landmark Win in South Africa

The BMW X3 rolling out of BMW Group Plant Rosslyn just landed the 2025 South African Car of the Year, a splashy title that solidifies its spot at the top of South Africa's auto market. BMW made this announcement on May 7, 2025, and you could almost hear the cheering from their local plant. This win is anything but routine—it's a celebration of local engineering that really connects with South Africans shopping for both confidence and comfort in their rides. Plant Rosslyn has been in the game for decades and seeing one of its products get picked as best of the best says a lot about the attention to detail happening behind those factory doors.

BMW didn’t just walk away with one trophy. The BMW 5 Series took home gold in the Executive category—a nod to luxury, tech, and effortless curb appeal—while the BMW M5 bulldozed its way to the top of the Performance category and finished third overall. The M5 even snagged the Juror’s Choice Award, as if being fast and fun to drive wasn’t enough.

Bigger Picture: BMW's Winning Streak and Local Dedication

The company’s leadership is clearly proud. Danny Bester, who leads BMW Group Plant Rosslyn, pointed right back to the team and the factory’s legacy as reasons for the trophy haul. The enthusiasm is shared by Peter van Binsbergen, BMW’s local CEO, who talks about these awards as validation for staying consistent—whether that means keeping standards sky-high or listening to what local drivers actually want in a car.

This isn’t a once-off thing for BMW, either. Their trophy shelf is practically sagging by now. They broke their own South African Car of the Year record again—dating all the way back to when synthpop was still topping the charts in 1988. BMW keeps racking up these wins because their cars seem to tick all the right boxes for people here: high-tech, sharp design, and the kind of drive that feels both practical in traffic and fun on a weekend getaway.

2025 has been a banner year for BMW in South Africa. When CAR Magazine unveiled its Top 12 Best Buys, BMW's 7 Series grabbed the Luxury Car spot while, once again, the X3 nabbed the Premium Midsize SUV award. And then there’s Cars.co.za’s Consumer Awards. MINI Countryman S ALL4 snagged the Premium Crossover category, the X3 30e xDrive M Sport ruled the Executive SUV space, and the sturdy X5 xDrive30d M Sport ruled in Premium SUV. Didn’t stop there. The punchy BMW M2 took Performance Car and the MINI Countryman SE ALL4 led the Electric Vehicle field.

But it’s that X3, the local favorite, that got the spotlight this time. The South African Guild of Mobility Journalists, basically the people with the keys to the sharpest pens in the auto world, rated the X3 high for design, performance, and innovation. If you’re wondering why BMW keeps getting these wins, it all comes down to perfecting the balance between luxury and local relevance. For folks on the hunt for value and a badge with heritage, the BMW X3 now stands an inch taller than the rest of the pack in 2025.

13 Comments

eliana levi
August 21, 2025 AT 00:39

This is so awesome! The X3 is just perfect for city driving and weekend trips. I love how it feels safe and stylish at the same time. Congrats to everyone at Rosslyn!
Brittany Jones
August 21, 2025 AT 09:22

Wow another BMW trophy wow so impressive i guess they just keep making the same car but with a new paint job and call it innovation
SUBHANKAR DAS
August 22, 2025 AT 21:12

Why do you guys care so much about a car from South Africa? In India we have better options and way cheaper. This is just marketing. I dont even understand why anyone would pay this much for a SUV.
Secret Lands Farm
August 22, 2025 AT 22:56

Honestly the X3 is just solid. Not flashy but it just works. I had one for 5 years and never had a single issue. The build quality is crazy good for the price. And the fact that they’re making it locally? That’s huge for job creation. More brands should do this.
Tamir Duberstein
August 23, 2025 AT 06:48

I mean yeah the X3 is great but the M5 taking third overall? That’s wild. That thing is basically a street-legal race car. I’d love to see someone try to parallel park that in Cape Town traffic.
John Bothman
August 23, 2025 AT 21:33

THE M5 GOT JUROR’S CHOICE??? 😱🔥 I KNEW IT!! BMW IS THE ONLY BRAND THAT UNDERSTANDS THE SOUL OF DRIVING!!! 🏎️💥 This isn’t just a car it’s a lifestyle upgrade!! 🤯💎 #BMWorBust
Dinesh Gupta
August 25, 2025 AT 07:17

again bmw wins who cares the x3 looks like every other suv now and the price is insane. why not just buy a hyundai and save 50k?
Shalini Ambastha
August 27, 2025 AT 04:43

It’s nice to see local manufacturing succeed. In India we have similar stories with Tata and Mahindra. It’s not just about the badge - it’s about people building something that fits their own roads, their own lives.
Amanda Kelly
August 28, 2025 AT 16:57

Another trophy for a car that costs more than my apartment. The X3 is just a glorified Golf with a higher price tag. You’re paying for the logo not the engineering.
Jessica Herborn
August 30, 2025 AT 13:19

I mean... cars are just metal boxes that burn fossil fuels. We should all be riding bikes or taking trains. But I guess if you're gonna waste money on a machine... at least make it look nice? The X3 is... acceptable? I guess.
Lakshmi Narasimham
August 31, 2025 AT 14:44

The X3 is overrated. The M5 is the only real car here. Everyone else is just buying status. You think you're driving a luxury SUV but you're just paying for a badge that says 'I have debt'
Madhuri Singh
September 2, 2025 AT 01:19

lol the x3 wins again? sure honey. next theyll give it a prize for best wifi signal. but hey if you like paying extra for the logo go for it 😘
Secret Lands Farm
September 3, 2025 AT 19:42

I actually drove an X3 30e xDrive last month. The plug-in hybrid system is smoother than I expected. The electric-only range is decent for daily commutes. And the ride quality? Seriously underrated. You don’t need a V8 to feel premium.