Mat Watson: The new iX3 is BMW’s future, but is it any good? 

This is the new BMW iX3, and it’s a very important car for BMW. It also showcases a bunch of new technology, including new battery and motor systems, as well as a radical infotainment system. I was given the chance to have a poke around this car, and I was seriously impressed by it.

I haven’t been able to drive it yet, but here’s everything I found about the new BMW iX3 from my day in the studio with it.

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New BMW iX3 design

The new BMW iX3 looks a lot like the Neue Klasse X concept from a couple of years ago, and I’m split on the way it looks. There are bits I really like, and other things which I’m not so keen on.

Let’s start on a positive note – I like the front end of this car. It looks almost identical to the concept, meaning it has the narrow upright grilles which mimic those of the 1960’s Neue Klasse BMWs, and the LED light signatures can be changed from the infotainment screen.

Then we come to the side, and from this angle I’m a bit disappointed. The concept car had more angular sides, whereas this production version has a more smooth look. It just doesn’t look quite as modern or sporty as the front.

At least I can finish on another positive, and that’s the rear end. It has quite wide hips, a bit like a Porsche 911 (the bods from BMW didn’t like me making that comparison), but it does mean it looks muscular. I like the rear lights as well, which can also be customised from inside the car.

New BMW iX3 interior and infotainment

There’s nothing at all disappointing about the BMW iX3’s interior, because it’s one of the best cabins BMW has made in years. At the heart of it is a new infotainment system called Panoramic iDrive, and it’s like no other I’ve seen before.

There’s a massive trapezoidal screen which looks really interesting – I prefer it to a boring old rectangular one – and it’s lovely to use. Some modern BMW infotainment systems have become too fiddly, but this one is simple, and the graphics are also fantastic.

Then there’s the head-up display, which is a black band that runs around the base of the windscreen. It can be customised to display things like media controls and navigation directions.

Then there’s the quality, which is a huge step up over something like the new petrol-powered X3. The switchgear is all nicely damped, and I love the vegan leather in this car. It feels so good that you have to wonder why you’d have real leather.

New BMW iX3 space and practicality

There’s loads of space in the rear seats, and you don’t feel like your knees are too high like in other electric cars. I’m looking at you, Volkswagen ID4. There’s also some USB charging points and a couple of handy cupholders.

The front seat occupants are also spoiled for choice in terms of storage space. The door bins are massive, and you get a big storage area under the centre armrest. The glovebox isn’t that impressive though.

Moving to the boot, you get 520 litres of space, which is around 30 litres less than the petrol-powered X3. At least the load lip is nice and low, and the seats fold down with no ridge which makes it easy to push heavy items to the front.

I was a bit disappointed to find that there are no releases for the rear seats in the boot, you have to walk around to the rear doors. There’s also no 12 volt socket in the boot, which is a bit annoying.

However, this car has something which no other electric BMW does – a front boot. There’s an extra 58 litres of space under the bonnet, so combined you do actually have more luggage space then the X3.

New BMW iX3 motors, batteries and range

There’s plenty of clever new technology under the skin of the iX3, starting with the battery pack. It’s been built using new cylindrical cells which are lighter and more power dense, and it has a massive 108kWh capacity which BMW claims is good for up to 500 miles of range.

I’ll be sure to put this claim to the test as soon as I can get the car in the UK, but at least when you do eventually run out of charge it’ll be quick to top it back up. That’s because the iX3 uses an 800-volt electrical system which can charge at up to 400kW. That’s twice as fast as any other electric BMW, and it means you can add 230 miles of range in just 10 minutes.

Powering this car is a pair of electric motors which produce a combined 470hp and 645Nm of torque. Most of that power is biased towards the rear for a more sporty feeling, and the front motor can de-couple completely when it’s not needed to boost efficiency.

New BMW iX3: when can I buy one?

The new BMW iX3 will go on sale in 2026, and it’ll cost from £58,775. That’s around £12,000 less than a BMW X3 M50, and it’s actually £10,000 less than the old BMW iX3. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of this car, I just hope it’s as good to drive as a BMW should be.

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