BMW iX3 review: The game-changer we’ve been waiting for?

BMW has declared that the new iX3 is the “start of a new era”, a landmark in the brand’s history.

It’s not unusual to hear such claims but they’re not normally made about a replacement for an existing model. However, the BMW iX3 is seen as such a departure from what came before that the team behind it says it will “give the impression an entire vehicle generation has been skipped”.

Bold words.

This is the first of the Neue Klasse cars and sets the template for every future BMW. Electric or petrol, new cars will draw from the iX3’s design and onboard tech, and the next wave of EV models will share its cutting-edge powertrain systems.

It has arrived just before similarly significant models from key rivals – see the Mercedes GLC and Volvo EX60 – and after a few hours driving it in southern England we’ve now been able to properly put it to the test over more than 1,000 miles on Scottish roads.

So, after positive early impressions, does the iX3 still live up to BMW’s hype?

Design and interior

BMW’s designers haven’t always got things right. In recent years, in fact, they’ve been accused of deliberately provoking people with some truly hateful creations. So with the iX3 they’ve tried to right some wrongs and point to a calmer future look while paying homage to classic designs of the past.

The most obvious sign of both is in the Neue Klasse “face” with its slim upright kidney grille which is a nod to the original Neue Klass cars of the 1960s. It’s flanked by sharp tapered lighting units with a combination of thin strips and larger adaptive LED units and sits in an upright but angular front end. The whole effect is neater and cleaner looking than something like the gawping X3 while still clearly being a BMW.

Behind the less fussy face is an even less fussy design where a few simple lines define the shape and disguise the car’s size. This is a 4.7-metre long, 1.9-metre wide car with a traditional boxy SUV shape but manages to look more compact and less bulky than the old car.

It’s still going to split opinion, but it feels like a step in the right direction.

Inside there’s a similarly toned-down feel. Mostly. There are a few big elements in an otherwise simple and open-feeling cabin. The regulation two-tier centre console flows into a simple low-set dash finished in a really appealing fabric which hides the animated ambient lighting.

There are solid physical controls where you want them and a mixture of high-quality finishes all made from recycled materials. The most deliberately different element is the steering wheel, which varies between trim levels but is peculiar in all of them.

Passenger space is generous, with accommodation for the traditional four six-footers to fit with room to spare and lots of adjustment to let any driver get comfortable. In the boot there’s a useful 520 litres of luggage space, supplemented with a 58-litre frunk.

Technology and equipment

While the overall interior design is relatively simple, there’s a huge amount of technology in the new iX3, including BMW’s new Panoramic Vision – a slimline display projected between the dash top and windscreen edge that runs the full width of the car and replaces a traditional instrument panel.

In combination with the huge touchscreen and augmented reality head-up display, it delivers an awful lot of information and, if set up wrong can lead to a lot of duplication.

However, it’s massively customisable – you can display anything from the time and outside temperature to your energy efficiency and battery temperature in five individual slots. Or you can choose a focused mode such as navigation or trip computer. Once it’s set up to your liking it’s remarkably effective and works so well that it never feels overwhelming.

Supplementing the Panoramic Vision is a massive central screen. There’s a lot going on within its 17.9-inch real estate and you could get lost in menus for a long time. But, unlike so many screen-focused vehicles, it’s been set up by people who have actually driven a car. So the stuff you want quick access to is easily accessible. Things like drive modes and temperature controls have permanent shortcuts on the main screen. Even the most-used ADAS controls are right there on the screen’s edge, always within a finger’s stretch of the steering wheel so you can quickly disable them.

Car makers spend a lot (too much) time boasting about all the new tech on their cars. BMW is no different, but the iX3’s admittedly vast array does at least feel developed by and for drivers to actually enhance their experience, not frustrate.

Beyond the infotainment setup, the iX3 delivers a pretty comprehensive basic equipment list. Every variant comes with 20-inch alloys wheels, heated front seats, dual-zone climate control, wireless smartphone mirroring and the usual glut of connected services and driver assistance ranging from adaptive cruise control to remote parking assistance.

Range, battery and charging

Under the skin, the new iX3 showcases BMW’s latest sixth-generation eDrive systems, developed for this platform. Everything is new, from the drive motors to the individual battery cells, and everything has been designed to improve energy density, efficiency, range, power and charging speeds.

BMW says that, combined, all the new drive technology reduces weight by 10% and energy losses by a whopping 40% compared with the previous generation iX3. So this new model has official efficiency of up to 4.1m/kWh and is the first car in the UK to offer 500 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle from its 108.7kWh battery.

Of course WLTP testing and the real-world are different things but after two weeks and more than 1,000 miles of testing, the iX3 got very close to that 500-mile claim. During normal use, I saw a real-world range of around 440-450 miles. On a deliberately cautious run around the North Coast 500, the iX3 actually returned 500 miles, albeit in Max Range mode, which limits motor power, top speed and switches off the air con.

My real-world efficiency also varied between the hypermiling attempt and everyday use, but never fell below 3.8m/kWh and topped out at 4.6m/kWh – pretty decent for such a large and powerful car.

While the Max Range mode does some work to aid efficiency, the iX3 also has other tricks up its sleeve, including impressive regenerative braking. BMW reckons its new system will allow 90% of all deceleration to be handled by regenerative braking, adding energy back into the battery and making mega mileage easily achievable. On my 500-mile tour of the north of Scotland, the car harvested back more than 50kWh – close to half its total capacity.

What’s pleasing is that the braking still feels natural and the adaptive regen (should you choose to use it) works well in most circumstances. It also delivers a clever “soft stop” that virtually eliminates the jerkiness you sometimes get coming to a stop.

The iX3’s 800V architecture also allows for faster charging than before. A peak DC capability of 400kW means a 10-80% charge in just 21 minutes, or adding 231 miles of range in just 10 minutes, if you can find a compatible charger.

Performance and driving

Away from the clever battery stuff, BMW says the iX3 is set up to deliver a traditional BMW feel. You won’t mistake this 2.3-tonne SUV for an E30, but it does have the sort of positive driving feel you’d expect from Bavarian’s finest.

I tested the higher spec iX3 50 xDrive which features a two-motor, all-wheel-drive setup which divides power as it sees fit to provide maximum efficiency and grip.

Combined, the two motors develop 463bhp and 476lb ft. That’s enough for a 0-62mph time of just 4.9 seconds and gives the iX3 brilliant responsiveness at any speed, delivered via an expertly balanced throttle. Power comes on effortlessly whenever needed and, unlike some EVs which run out of pace at higher speeds, the iX3’s power never feels like it drops off.

There’s a satisfying weight and directness to the steering and on twisty roads the iX3 feels smaller than it really is. Sport mode doesn’t make a massive difference but there’s enough life and feel in the regular setting that you won’t mind. Stick it on a motorway and it’ll cruise easily for mile after mile with incredible refinement.

The iX3’s main shortcoming is a stiff ride. Perhaps in a bid to retain some sense of sportiness, it’s been tuned in a way that delivers excellent body control but a jarring feel over our pock-marked roads. That’s especially true of cars on the optional 22-inch alloy wheels. Cars fitted with the standard 20-inchers definitely ride with a little extra compliance.

Price, trims and rivals

The BMW iX3 range is priced from £53,250, rising to £64,655.

Entry-level iX3 ‘40’ cars come with a single-motor powertrain offering 316bhp and up to 395 miles from an 85kWh battery.

Alternatively, there’s the tested 50 xDrive setup which brings the twin motors and bigger battery.

Both powertrains are offered across the iX3 line-up, which includes three trim levels. Entry-level cars are simply badged iX3, with M Sport and M Sport Pro above that. Both bring a host of cosmetic upgrades, and in M Sport Pro, adaptive LED lights, a light-up grille, as well as bespoke seats and steering wheel.

The M Sport grade carries a £2,500 premium over the basic car, with the Pro upgrade another £1,500. Upgrading from the single-motor to twin-motor arrangement adds £7,405 to the price.

Positioned as BMW’s mid-level electric SUV, the iX3 faces competition from the usual suspects but currently enjoys a significant advantage.

We’ll soon have the new Mercedes GLA and Volvo EX60, which will compete closely on range, performance and charging speeds, but aren’t yet on UK roads. There’s also the Audi Q6 e-tron, which is more expensive than the iX3 but can’t match it technically, and the Genesis GV70, which is similarly down on range and power compared with the BMW.

Verdict – 5/5

So, does the BMW iX3 live up to the brand’s bold claims?

Yes.

It’s perhaps not as paradigm-shifting as BMW would claim but it does set a new benchmark for rivals and delivers on the promises made.

Its all-electric heart provides everything needed to shut down EV naysayers. Pacy performance, a comfortable 400-mile+ range and super-fast charging mean it delivers on the school run, daily commute or long-haul holiday.

While there’s an almost overwhelming amount of tech, it feels designed and set up to help rather than baffle the driver, and the interior is spacious, comfortable and refined. Even the design points to a calmer, more sophisticated vision of BMW.

If this is the starting point for BMW’s coming generation of EVs, I can’t wait to see what’s next.

The rivals

Alternatives worth a test drive

Genesis GV70★★★★★3.5

Audi Q6★★★★★3

Volvo EX60