BMW iX3: Class-leading electric SUV with 500 miles a charge
‘This is more than just a new car. It’s the blueprint for all BMWs that will follow – more than 40 new vehicles by the end of 2027.”
David George, CEO of BMW Group UK and Ireland, isn’t downplaying the significance of the iX3. The first of a ‘Neue Klasse’ (New Class) range of cars, it might be the most important BMW since the original Neue Klasse of 1961.
So, while the prospect of another battery-powered crossover might see your eyes glazing over, this one is different. Designed from the ground up as an EV, the iX3 showcases technology that will underpin BMWs for years to come.
It also gets off to a flying start, being the longest-range electric car launched to date – capable of 500 miles between fill-ups. Range anxiety? That’s already so 2025.
BMW: Class of the past
Arriving at BMW’s UK headquarters in Farnborough, the first sight to greet me is a 1961 BMW 1800: the original Neue Klasse. Pretty in an understated, Germanic kind of way, it was the car that cemented BMW’s reputation for making sporting saloon cars. The first (E12) 5 Series would follow in 1972, then the all-conquering (E21) 3 Series in 1975.
Also on display is BMW’s first EV: the prototype 1602 Elektro. Powered by a 32kW Bosch motor and 12 lead-acid batteries, it supported the marathon at the Munich Olympics in 1972, but didn’t have enough range to complete the 26.2-mile distance. Things have come a long way since then.
The iX3 waits outside, showing 97 percent battery charge and a range of 478 miles. You wouldn’t call its styling understated, but nor is it brash and overtly aggressive like many BMWs of late. The body contours look crisp, there’s a hint of ‘Hofmeister kink’ in the side glass and the kidney grille has shrunk to a sensible size. In a sector crammed with copy-and-paste SUVs, it certainly stands out.
Inside the BMW iX3
Before I set off into the spring sunshine, a member of BMW’s PR team talks me through all the iX3’s interior tech. There is a lot to learn.
The biggest change is the debut of what BMW calls Panoramic iDrive. It’s a slim display that spans the full width of the car, along the base of the windscreen. The section in front of the driver contains vital information such as speed, nav directions and remaining range, while the rest can be customised using widgets that you drag and drop into position.
There’s also a 14.9-inch central touchscreen for the major controls, plus haptic buttons on the steering wheel. You get all the usual infotainment features, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, plus you can connect via the BMW app for functions such as pre-heating the cabin or closing a window remotely. A selection of in-car games should keep the kids quiet, too. Titles include Uno Car Party and Hot Wheels: Xtreme Overdrive.
Because the iX3 was designed from the start as an EV, its 108kWh battery is sandwiched within the floorplan, rather than sitting on top. The result is interior space on par with the outwardly larger BMW X5, including masses of rear-seat legroom and a 520-litre boot. You’ll find a further 58 litres in the ‘frunk’, too.
A question of M Sport
First impressions, once I’ve attempted to digest all the tech details, are of an airy interior that feels pleasingly premium. Quality is good, with soft plastics and tactile materials in abundance, the driving position offers plenty of adjustment and the slim roof pillars mean great all-round visibility by modern car standards.
The first iX3 to arrive will be the 50 XDrive with 469hp and four-wheel drive, driven here and priced from £58,755. Standard equipment on the base model includes 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control, heated and electric front seats, rear parking sensors, wireless phone charging pads and a powered tailgate.
BMW expects the vast majority of British buyers to upgrade to M Sport (£61,255), though, which adds sportier styling inside and out. My test car was a fully loaded M Sport Pro (£62,755), with gloss black exterior trim, more sculpted front seats and 22-inch wheels.
Steady as she goes
Like any electric car, the iX3 is easy to drive. There is no start button: simply put your foot on the brake, flick a toggle on the centre console into ‘D’ and off you go. The small, squared-off steering wheel feels slightly odd at first, but its feedback is calm and intuitive – in contrast to the darty responses of Peugeot models with a similar ‘small wheel’ setup. The battery-boosting regen brakes are also easy to modulate, with a ‘Soft Stop’ function that can slow the car to a halt almost imperceptibly.
Ride comfort is impressive, despite the iX3’s hefty 2,360kg kerb weight and my car’s 22-inch rims (the largest size available). Lord knows, Hampshire contains its fair share of brutal potholes, but the BMW took them in its stride. Unless you switch into Sport mode (more on that momentarily) it does its best to soothe your stress levels, with sure-footed 4WD traction and well-calibrated driver aids that don’t constantly beep and bong at you.
The car’s efficiency should promote a relaxed state of mind, too. I managed an average of around four miles per kWh on a variety of roads, from motorways to fast-flowing country lanes. That’s markedly better than many EVs I’ve driven and points to the BMW’s 500-mile range (491 miles in this M Sport Pro specification) being achievable. When you finally do have to stop, a maximum charging speed of 400kW could potentially add 231 miles in 10 minutes. Once the UK public charging network has caught up with BMW’s tech, at least…
iX3: Old lines, new ideas
When I tell you that the phrase ‘The Ultimate Driving Machine’ – BMW’s classic advertising tagline – cropped up in the iX3 press conference, you might raise an eyebrow. Can a 2.4-tonne electric crossover really be worthy of such an epithet?
Short answer: no, the iX3 isn’t the ultimate driving machine. However, it is far more engaging and enjoyable than most vehicles of this type. It’s agile and nicely damped, eagerly changing direction and gamely resisting roll. All the dynamic systems are interlinked via a ‘supercomputer’ called the Heart of Joy (cringe) and the result is a polished driving experience that feels worthy of the BMW badge – and indeed the Neue Klasse name.
Select Sport mode and the car tightens its muscles as the soundtrack shifts from silent to futuristic ‘HyperSonX’ wooshing noises. No question, this 469hp family holdall is seriously quick in a straight line – 0-62mph takes 4.9 seconds – but it’s also poised, athletic and genuinely good fun. You sense a rearward bias in the driveline, rather than underwhelming understeer, just like in BMWs of old.
A mind of its own
Like the chassis, the technology also seems to work with you. I was worried about losing the traditional iDrive rotary controller, and the lack of physical buttons. But the iX3’s touchscreen is very easy to operate, with configurable shortcuts for functions you use often. Having a permanent menu bar across the bottom of the screen also helps here.
As for Panoramic iDrive, the best compliment I can pay is that I quickly stopped noticing it, as reading the display became second-nature. Its position effectively places the readouts 1.5 metres ahead of the driver, meaning you spend less time looking downwards with your eyes off the road.
There is self-driving technology on the way (BMW calls it ‘co-operative driving’), including the ability to automatically indicate and change lanes on a motorway. For now, I sampled the self-parking function, which slots the iX3 neatly into car park bays, or parallel spaces at the roadside. You can even climb out and use your phone to move the car forwards and backwards into a garage, or a tight space where opening the doors might be awkward. It sounds scary, but works remarkably well. A fully self-driving iX3 is possible in the future, if legislation allows it
Verdict: 2026 BMW iX3
I wasn’t alone in thinking BMW had lost its way in recent years, straying too far from the values of the original Neue Klasse – particularly in terms of design and technical complexity. The brilliant iX3 is a hard reset, and one that bodes well for the future. It’s a car that goes straight to the top of a very crowded class.
Part of me wishes BMW had kicked off its new model blitz with a sporting saloon, as happened in 1961. It’s a sign of the times that the flagbearer for the neue Neue Klasse is an SUV. No matter, though; a new electric 3 Series, based on the same architecture, is due later this year and I’m quietly excited already. Could it ‘do a Renault 5’ by making an electric car truly desirable, even alongside its petrol-powered rivals?
Practical, efficient, well made and great to drive, the iX3 is a car with few faults. Bravo, BMW. The next couple of years should be very interesting indeed.
Tim Pitt writes for Motoring Research
BMW iX3
PRICE: From £58,755
POWER: 469hp
0-62MPH: 4.9sec
TOP SPEED: 130mph
CHARGING SPEED: 400kW
EV RANGE: 500 miles