Mat Watson tests the most important new BMW in decades

This is the new BMW iX3, and it’s the most important new car BMW has launched in years. It’s the first model to use the Neue Klasse platform, a collection of new parts and technology which will be used in 40 new BMW models before the end of 2027.

So there’s a lot riding on this car, because it’ll shape all new BMWs for the foreseeable future. To see if it’s any good, I’m going to test the iX3’s tech, see how practical it is, take it for a drive and live with the car for a week to see how it fits in with my day-to-day life.

New BMW iX3: Mat’s first impressions

I went into my review of the new iX3 having never seen the car before, because I wanted to give you my honest first impressions. After this I’ll be taking it away for a week to see what it’s like to live with.

The design is so different to any other BMW, and that’s because it’s the first model to come from the Neue Klasse range. That means New Class in English, and it has a few design cues from really old BMW models.

Those upright kidney grilles hark back to the 2002, a saloon car from the ‘60s, although that car didn’t have quite such a blingy light-up fascia. The front end is really striking, but I’m not so sure about the side profile.

This car is really colour-specific, and in this dark blue I think it looks a bit too smooth and pebble-like. It doesn’t quite have the boxy SUV proportions of the petrol-powered X3. I quite like the rear-end design though, but not as much as the front.

BMW’s new designs usually take a while to grow on me, and in a few years time I’ll probably be raving about how handsome the iX3 is. For now though, I’m not totally sold.

The interior is a different story, because it looks really modern and interesting. The massive rhomboid screen is a unique touch, but the highlight is the Panoramic iDrive. It’s a massive display projected across the base of the windscreen, and it looks so impressive when you first get in the car.

It reminds me a bit of my old BMW i3. That car had a wild interior and was way ahead of its time, and the iX3 feels similar in that way. It looks far cooler inside than an Audi Q6 e-tron. Quality is decent as well. Aside from a few scratchy plastics on the lower door cards, everything feels solid and plush. As it should in a car costing almost £60,000.

Living with the BMW iX3: Mat’s review after a week

So having poked around the new iX3, I then took the car away and lived with it for a week to see how it fares as a daily driver. It was really impressive in some ways, but less so in others.

First off, this is a practical car. There’s plenty of rear legroom, and headroom is decent as well. The only issue I found was fitting a baby seat, because the ISOFIX points are awkwardly covered by a big, velcro flap.

The boot is a good size as well. At 520 litres, it’s around the same as an Audi Q6 e-tron and 36 more than you get in a Polestar 3. In real-world terms, that translates to nine carry-on suitcases at a real push. You also get a bit of cable storage under the bonnet.

I also like the infotainment system. The screen is bright, responsive and easy to use, and there are some handy shortcut buttons to turn off the annoying speed limit bong and the lane-departure warning. But I do have a bone to pick with that panoramic display.

It may look impressive, but a lot of the information on it is just there for show. You have things like the time, which is on the central screen, and your current elevation above sea level. That may be handy when you’re traversing a desert, but I don’t need to know that on the school run.

While it is cool to have your navigation directions on that display, it doesn’t work with Google Maps when you’re using Android Auto. I do love having your speed projected in your direct eyeline, but the rest of it seems a bit gimmicky to me.

Out on the road is where the iX3 shines compared to its competitors, because it is really good to drive. It hides its weight well through the corners, and the steering is super-precise. It’s not what you’d call thrilling, but it inspires plenty of confidence when you’re pushing on down a country road.

It’s also really quiet on the motorway, and around town the light steering makes easy work of tight manoeuvres. I was impressed with the self-parking feature as well. It managed to squeeze me into a tight parallel space quickly and with minimal fuss, and the surround-view cameras are also some of the best in the business.

However, I wasn’t quite so impressed by the efficiency. This car has a massive 108kWh battery, and it’s meant to do nearly 500 miles on a charge. During my time with the iX3 I averaged 3.1 miles per kWh, which works out to an actual range of around 335 miles. That’s 67% of the claimed figure, and about the same real-world range as you’ll get from a Tesla Model Y.

But how does this affect my final verdict?

New BMW iX3: Mat’s final verdict

If I had to choose an electric SUV to live with, money no object, I’d get a BMW iX3. But life doesn’t work like that, sadly; we have to pay for stuff.

I recommend leasing an electric car rather than buying one outright, and the BMW iX3 costs around £200 per month more than a comparable Tesla Model Y. With that in mind, I’m more likely to recommend the Tesla to people who are just looking for an efficient, spacious and high-tech electric SUV.

But if brand image and driving dynamics really matter to you, then you should definitely check out the BMW iX3. It’s really good to drive, has a cool interior and the technology is brilliant as well. I can’t wait for a performance version of this car to come out, and I’m also keen to see this car’s DNA trickle down to those 40 new BMW models.

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