BMW iX3 Review & Prices

The BMW iX3 is an electric family SUV with an impressive official range, a distinctive and high-tech cabin and more enthusiasm for corners than you might expect from something this big. It’s a convincing alternative to other electric SUVs, though some fiddly controls and occasionally uncomfortable suspension mean it doesn’t quite hit the mark for everyone.

It’s like the ambitious pilot to a new TV series - there’s a big budget, loads of fresh ideas and enough promise to make you interested in what comes next, but a few things need ironing out still. The iX3 was the first of BMW’s ‘Neue Klasse’ models, followed by the i3 electric saloon, and they set a tone for the brand’s future.

There’s lots of competition, though. The Audi Q6 e-tron takes a more conventional approach, the Mercedes GLC Electric majors on comfort and the Volvo EX60 has a standout interior and even longer range. The Tesla Model Y Premium also remains difficult to ignore if practicality and value matter more than the posh badge.

BMW iX3: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 395–500 miles
Efficiency: 4.6–4.8 miles per kWh
Battery size: 82.6kWh / 108.7kWh
Max charge speed: 300kW / 400kW
Charge time AC: 8hrs 15mins, 0–100% at 11kW / 11hrs, 0–100% at 11kW
Charge time DC: 21mins, 10–80% at 300kW / 21mins, 10–80% at 400kW
Charge port location: Left rear
Power outputs: 320hp / 469hp

Even among this stylish company, the BMW stands out. Its narrow kidney grilles, angular headlights and uncluttered bodywork are a big departure from BMW’s previous SUVs. It’s not exactly pretty, but it’s more interesting than the rather anonymous Audi. Hidden window seals and integrated wheel arches make it look very clean, while higher trim levels add a theatrically illuminated grille.

Inside, the biggest talking point is BMW’s Panoramic Vision display, which projects information across a black strip at the base of the windscreen. It puts useful information close to your eyeline, although some of the passenger-side content feels more like a party trick than something you need.

There’s also an unusual trapezoidal infotainment display which is sharp and responsive, though there are a few too many menus - and everything’s adjusted through it, including basics such as the direction of the air vents. Usability isn’t aided by the biblically ugly and rather awkward steering wheel. Still, apart from rather flimsy column stalks, most of the interior materials live up to the price tag in terms of quality.

Passenger space is generous with a flat rear floor and lots of legroom for adults - more space than in the petrol-powered X3. The 520-litre boot is useful, but not enormous - the Mercedes GLC has a bigger 570-litre space.

There are two versions of the iX3 to choose from. The basic iX3 40 offers up to 395 miles on a charge, while the more powerful 50 xDrive has up to 500 miles in its most efficient spec. The Volvo EX60 tops that - just - with an official figure of 503 miles. Headline range shouldn’t be treated as gospel though, and during our time with the car we saw a real-world range of about 360 miles. Charging is mega-fast, though.

On the road, the iX3 feels surprisingly agile with accurate steering and smooth, easily controlled braking. That makes it surprisingly enjoyable to drive on a twisty country road without demanding too much effort around town or on the motorway. However, rough surfaces can unsettle the suspension, and a Mercedes GLC Electric or Volvo EX60 are quieter on the motorway.

Verdict

The BMW iX3 combines impressive range and rapid charging with a spacious cabin and enjoyable driving manners. Its fiddly controls, occasional cheap materials and firm suspension stop it feeling completely polished, but it’s a strong electric family SUV. Shortlist it, particularly if driving enjoyment matters as much as everyday practicality.

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The BMW iX3 starts at around £53,000 for the rear-wheel-drive 40, rising to roughly £61,000 for the more powerful, longer-range 50 xDrive. That makes the cheapest BMW less expensive than the Audi Q6 e-tron and Mercedes GLC Electric, although the 50 xDrive costs much the same as the entry-level Audi and all-wheel-drive GLC 400. A Polestar 3 is considerably dearer.

There are three trim levels, and even the standard car comes with 20-inch alloy wheels, heated electrically adjustable front seats, adaptive cruise control and the Panoramic iDrive system. You don’t need to upgrade to get the panoramic display or 17.9-inch touchscreen.

M Sport costs around £2,500 extra and adds sportier bodywork, different 20-inch wheels, upgraded upholstery and illuminated dashboard trim. M Sport Pro adds another £1,500, bringing upgraded sports seats, adaptive LED headlights, red brake calipers and the illuminated grille.

It’s still easy to inflate the bill with options such as a panoramic roof, upgraded audio and additional parking technology. The standard car is therefore worth considering, particularly if you’d rather put your budget towards the 50 xDrive’s bigger battery than cosmetic extras.

The iX3 is both comfortable and fun to drive, but the A-pillar blind spot is annoying in town

In town

The BMW iX3’s suspension does a decent job of soaking up speed bumps and potholes, though it is shaken about a bit over especially rough road surfaces. The surround-view camera is really clear, making tight car parks less stressful. These cameras show you the car’s wheels very clearly, which is great for parallel parking or tight width restrictions.

The brakes are easy to control at low speeds and the steering is nice and light too.

Forward visibility is decent, although you do have quite a large blind spot in your A-pillar which isn’t helped by the Panoramic iDrive display. You find yourself peering around it a lot at junctions.

If you’re not a confident parker, the iX3 is available with plenty of tech to help you out. It’ll park itself in bays and parallel spaces, and you can even park the car remotely from an app on your phone. You can also summon the car out of the space on your return.

On the motorway

At motorway speeds the iX3 is very quiet. It has active noise cancellation which works really well, and you hardly get any wind or tyre noise. It’s more refined than an Audi Q6 e-tron.

BMW also offers a Highway Assist function which can pretty much drive for you on motorways. The car can even perform lane changes automatically just by looking in the door mirror - it takes a lot of the stress out of long drives.

After a few hours behind the wheel we were relaxed and comfortable - it’s a great long-distance cruiser.

On a twisty road

On a twisty road the BMW iX3 is still impressive, because while it’s not quite as fun as you’d hope for in a powerful BMW, you’d never guess that it weighs 2.3 tonnes.

It feels nimble and agile, with responsive steering which makes it really easy to place on the road. You get almost zero bodyroll through the corners, and it only starts to run wide if you really push it. The Audi Q6 e-tron doesn’t hold a candle to the iX3.

The thing is, BMW doesn’t offer adaptive suspension on this car, which it really should considering the expensive price tag. That would finally tip it into sophisticated yet sporty territory.

The iX3 offers plenty of interior space and there’s decent storage, but the boot is only average

The BMW iX3’s driving position is spot on. There’s loads of adjustment in the seats and the steering wheel, and you can get nice and low if you prefer a sporty vibe. The standard seats are also excellent, while the sports seats you get in some models are a bit more grippy.

There are plenty of cubbies to store your bits and bobs. The two cupholders in front of the gear selector are a good size, and there’s a place to store two phones under the touchscreen with wireless charging. There’s also space for some odds and ends under the armrest or the centre console. The door bins will swallow up a large bottle, as will the glovebox. It’s a really practical cabin.

Space in the back seats

Moving to the rear, kneeroom and headroom are both generous. A Tesla Model Y is a bit more spacious, but the iX3 will still take a 6’3” adult in comfort. The seatbacks recline, which is great for long drives. You can also add three-zone climate control as an option so the rear seat occupants can set their own temperature.

Fitting a child seat is easy thanks to the wide-opening rear doors, but you will need to remember to lift the leather flap covering the ISOFIX points.

There are a couple of USB-C ports in the back so the kids can keep their devices topped up, and you also get two cupholders in the fold-down armrest. The rear door bins are big enough for large bottles, but there’s an odd lack of pockets on the front seat backs.

Boot space

The iX3 offers 520 litres of boot space, which is pretty much exactly the same as the Audi Q6 e-tron and the Mercedes GLC EV. It’s also 36 litres bigger than the Polestar 3’s boot.

The load lip is low, and the opening is wide. The back seats also fold pretty much flat with no hump in the floor, so sliding items to the front won’t be an issue.

Under the floor there’s a big space to keep loose items hidden away, and there are some handy hooks to stop bags from rolling around. You can also fit the parcel shelf underneath if you need the extra space, though this is a fiddly job.

Under the bonnet you get a further 58 litres of space, which is perfect for storing your charging cables.

The iX3’s interior packs impressive tech and it feels posh, but some of the controls are awkward

The iX3 is the first BMW to use the new Panoramic iDrive infotainment system, which is basically a massive display which runs along the base of the windscreen.

It’s projected onto a black strip which is right in the driver’s eyeline, so you don’t have to look away from the road to see key information like speed and navigation directions. It’s split into three sections, and you can choose what you see on each segment of the display.

It looks very impressive when you get behind the wheel, and it’s easy to use as well, though some of the information on the passenger side is a bit pointless.

Below the panoramic display you have a 17.9-inch touchscreen which is oddly cantered to the side. It looks pretty cool when you’re using BMW’s own software, but once you load up Apple CarPlay you end up with a strange border around the screen.

The screen itself is bright and responsive, but there are quite a lot of menus to learn your way around and it can be quite overwhelming at first. Once you’ve learned your way around it’s pretty easy to use, with some handy shortcuts for your driver assistance systems.

You can choose an optional head-up display, but it’s pretty redundant when combined with the Panoramic iDrive beneath the window, as it can be a bit of an information overload.

The buttons on the steering wheel aren’t great either. They’re a stretch for your thumb to reach, quite small and tightly clustered together - making them uninviting to interact with.

Most interior surfaces are covered in lovely soft leather and squidgy plastics, and all the switchgear feels reassuringly solid as well. You can find some harder plastics if you dig down to the lower door cards and in the footwells, but you really need to be looking for it. The ambient lighting in particular feels very swish indeed.

All versions of the BMW iX3 come with a 108kWh battery, and BMW claims it’ll do up to 500 miles between charges. Bigger wheels drop this figure slightly.

We took the car on a 154-mile test drive on a mixture of roads and it averaged 3.3 miles per kWh. That works out to a real-world range of almost 360 miles.

That’s some way off the claimed figure, but it’s still mightily impressive for a large SUV - and efficiency was higher when we tested the car in the UK, though we only managed short journeys. The Polestar 3 managed 438 miles during one of our range tests though - we’ll look forward to seeing what the iX3 can manage when we do a long journey.

You can charge the iX3 at up to 400kW at a DC charging station. That allows the car to go from 10-80% in just 21 minutes. An 11kW AC home charger will take you from 0-100% in 11 hours.

All versions of the BMW iX3 will attract the luxury car tax, meaning you’ll pay £620 per year in tax for years two to six. The first year’s tax is still just £10, because this is an electric car.

At least company car drivers will be able to enjoy low Benefit in Kind rates. The iX3 falls into the lowest bracket of just 3%.

BMW iX3 Euro NCAP score (2026): 5/5

Safe driving: 73%
Crash avoidance: 83%
Crash protection: 86%
Post crash safety: 95%

With a full five-star rating in Euro NCAP’s latest, most stringent tests, the iX3 is definitely a safe car. It comes with loads of safety kit as standard. All cars have adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert and autonomous emergency braking.

All signs point towards this car being dependable, because BMW came fifth out of 30 manufacturers for owner satisfaction in the 2026 Driver Power survey.

BMW offers a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty which is on par with Mercedes, and ahead of Audi. Lexus still leads the way with a ten-year, 100,000-mile offer - so long as you maintain annual dealer servicing.