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The new iX3 will enter the premium mid-size SUV, which is one of the controversial segments in the EV world. The Audi Q6E-Tron is deeply competent, the Porsche Macan Electric is properly sorted, the Mercedes-Benz GLC EV is very convincing, the Tesla model Y is still useful, on the paper, the iX3 arrives loaded for the bear. It rides on a new custom-built EV platform, promises outstanding range and efficiency, and ultimately feels like an EV conceived from scratch to be electric. The iX3 is also good at driving, impressively efficient in actual use, and much more to prefer the interior than the odd screen settings suggest at first, it has some typical BMW quirks, but it's the first Neue Klasse model and will soon follow the 2nd, and it seems worth the wait.
So, a few days later, the surprise is that the hype is largely deserved - this is a great car and a true reset of the brand. BMW has good reasons to be proud of this vehicle, its design quirks and more. iX3 is one of these designs that improves the longer you stare at it, which is lucky because your initial reaction may not be the most positive. The front end of the shark's nose is the main event and the rest of the design calms down nicely when your eyes make peace with it.
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The rear looks planted and sporty, and from some angles, it has the kind of visual confidence that BMW has been missing recently. The side has a slightly bland feature that reminds me of iX. The larger BMW EV is also a bit slab-faced, but it looks better when viewed from other angles. The iX3 was still externally registered as BMW and could not be confused with others. The interior is a place where a real break with tradition occurs, and it may take more to get used to than outside. Much of it is clever and purely fresh. It feels like BMW got a little too close to the school of design "because it can", but at least not another dashboard with too many screens.
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The good news about the iX3 interior is that there is enough space. Almost the same size as the X5, with plenty of space on all sides and a flat floor on the back, making it realistic to carry 2 passengers in the 3rd row, even if the shoulders are a little tight. I wasn't struggling to fit behind my driving position in the knee room with room to spare, and I'm exactly six feet (183cm) tall. The steering wheel looks unusual, especially in a sculptural 2-spoke layout, but it's better in the hands than the pictures suggest. My tester had an M-sports wheel, which looks more conventional when compared. In any case, you will not feel awkward in shape while driving, and the tactile control, although not a true button, will lose the real switchgear after a while.
The display in the middle of the parallelogram also looks like BMW was rationing the straight line, but it's easy to use. This latest version of the BMW operating system, OS X, is quick, clear and almost intuitive. This is the first large BMW to come without an iDrive controller that feels like a loss because BMW once had the best non-touch interface in the business. The panoramic display, which stretches from pillar to pillar under the windshield, was one of my favorite parts of the iX3. It is traditional screens and head-up display a combination of your eyes in the right all the information you need to have. Most of it is customizable widgets, and a very wide selection to choose from.
BMW of interior materials, the worst offender is the new iX3 is that lot of new models taking a step back. iX3 to try it before, I think it is the same, or even worse of afraid. Surprisingly, most of the surface is a new EV the touch for better feel. There are a lot of soft-touch surfaces that are not present in the gas-powered X3. iX3 is still X3 knit the same as the plastic material we use, here it is little, but overall, it is a more refined sense of luxury there. Seat comfort with a slightly more body-hugging sport seat is exceptional and the driver's seat and handle have a huge range of adjustability. You can get it quite low to help you feel connected to the car, and this low driving position gives you confidence to drive it quickly. What I can't understand is why there are no nets or pockets on the front seat back. If that's why this and most other new BMW don't have this, this seems like a very bad visible place to cut costs.
BMW says the iX3 should be efficient for such a big and heavy SUV. My dual-motor, large battery xDrive 50 testers weighed 5,037 pounds (2,285kg), but returning nearly 3.7 miles/kWh (17kWh/100km) in the city at low speeds is a problem Oh, it's better than any other electric SUV in its class, and it's better than BMW's 6th generation electric power pack. When combined with a 108.7kWh battery pack, it guarantees a WLTP range of 500 miles (805km). BMW has not released U.S. EPA figures that tend to be more conservative but expects a range of more than 400 miles. In more realistic use, based on what I've seen, about 380 miles (611km) is an incredible number, which is enough to make it one of the most convincing long-range electric SUVs on sale.
iX3 is the fastest charging EV of the European manufacturer. Its 800-volt platform allows it to take up to 230 kilowatts in 21 minutes, bringing the battery to 10% to 80% with an average charging power of over 10 kilowatts, and when charged for 10 minutes in optimal conditions, adds 217 miles (350km). But it's not just efficient and super-fast charging. iX3 also feels faster than the claimed 0-60mph time of 4.7 seconds suggests. It feels like it has more power than its claimed output of 469hp and 475 lb-ft (645Nm) and will continue to be strong even at higher speeds before it tops out at 130 mph (210km/h). Most of the motivation comes from a rear-mounted synchronous motor that makes 326 hp and 320 lb-ft (435Nm) alone. The front motor contributes only 167 hp and 188 lb-ft (255Nm) when placed on the floor or when the vehicle shuffles power to the front under low grip conditions.
It Drives Like BMW
The reassuring thing about the iX3 is that while it may seem parked, it immediately feels familiar from behind the wheel. Not as old-fashioned, but specifically familiar in the sense of BMW: ride comfort, real body control, and immediately mistaking the silence for refinement of an electric SUV. This is something China can't replicate yet, no matter how technologically advanced the EV is. The steering is accurate and confident, but I was surprised at how much I had to rotate it. It feels like you must apply more locks than you feel natural for a modern car, which makes the driving experience feel somewhat archaic even though everything else is modern. Also, even with a more robust sports mode setting, it's light and could be a bit too light.
Disabling the traction control and floor it from the corner will get you back to step out, but I keep it in check. The fact that it also has a huge, heavy battery that acts as an integral part of the chassis and is very low in the vehicle, it will give you the power to mentally control it. The short answer is that it works, and you can feel it. The traction control intervention is more accurate, and it feels like the car knows in advance what you are going to do. The supercomputer also works to keep the slide still controllable by you, even if its back axle does not step out.
Another thing that makes it possible is the soft stop or limousine stop function. This eliminates the final impact of whiplash, which pulls the head away from the headrest when stopped. It's incredibly smooth when you stop with the iX3, especially when using regenerative brakes. It works around inclines and bends, and it really encourages you to use the excellent one-pedal drive function. This was one of my favorite features of the car, and that's what other rivals do nowhere near this well. It also has an excellent advanced driver assistance system. Here in Europe, you still have to always keep your hands on the wheel, but when maneuvering yourself on any road iX3 very smooth you can even start the car line change by simply glancing into the side mirror, which is a cool feature. Its self-parking feature shows a little progress indicator, too, and as I observed it squeeze into the parking lot, it gives me other similar systems.
The Hype is Natural
Overcoming the styling and unusual cabin layout, the iX3 reveals itself as one of the most complete EVs BMW has ever built. It's smooth, quiet, fast enough to feel properly expensive, and efficient enough to make some rivals look a bit wasteful. More importantly, it has one thing that BMW had to get right here: It still feels designed by people who care about how the car is driven, and it makes me very excited to try the I3 sedan built on the same Neue Klasse bone. That's important because the iX3 is more than just another premium electric SUV. Some Chinese rivals still offer more wow factor per euro, and Tesla still wins the ecological advantage, but as a sophisticated, truly satisfying all-rounder, the iX3 feels like BMW is regaining its groove at exactly the right time.
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