BMW iX3 raises the bar again

Expectations for the new BMW iX3 were high, and the German brand has not disappointed: it has raised the bar once again.

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These are somewhat uncertain times for established premium car manufacturers. Electric propulsion has disrupted many of the old reference points, and what truly defines a premium vehicle is no longer quite the same as it was half a dozen years ago.

For that very reason, some traditional manufacturers became trapped by their own dogmas and are now trying to regain ground lost to the new players in this rapidly reinventing industry.

The BMW iX3 is therefore the first member of a generation of models built around an entirely new electronic platform, chassis and electric system, including its motors and battery. This line-up will begin to expand from March next year, when production and customer deliveries of the first iX3 models get under way.

Dozens of Neue Klasse models will be launched before the end of this decade, making this a genuine revolution in the Bavarian manufacturer’s range.

On the outside, the vertical kidney grille stands out, sculpted in a way that recalls BMW models from the 1960s. The new lighting signature, an option called Iconic Glow, also takes on a role previously played by chrome trim. Meanwhile, the side profile is defined by large glazed surfaces and flush-fitting door handles.

Spacious interior, though there is room for improvement

With a wheelbase of almost 2.9 m, it comes as no surprise that the BMW iX3 can comfortably accommodate five adults without major compromises. Rear legroom is especially generous: at 1.80 m tall, I had ample legroom and headroom. In terms of width, three adults of “average” build can travel in the rear.

The boot holds between 520 litres and 1750 litres of luggage, while a further 58 litres are available beneath the front bonnet. This is useful for storing charging cables, and includes a lid to keep everything even tidier.

Soft-touch materials cover the upper dashboard and door panels, but the central section of the fascia is hard, with only a thin covering that varies according to the trim level.

Build quality feels reassuring, although it is a shame that the budget did not extend to soft-touch linings inside the door pockets, unlike those fitted in the compartment between the front seats and in the glovebox.

There are two innovations in the doors. First, opening is electrically assisted at the initial stage, after which the user must move the doors further to enter or exit. Second, the power seat adjustment controls are located on the door panels, a solution more commonly associated with Mercedes than BMW. The windows are not double-glazed, but they are notably thick, helping to ensure good cabin sound insulation.

Pillar-to-pillar display

BMW combines four elements in the concept it calls Panoramic iVision: Panoramic iDrive, a digital strip running across the full width of the lower windscreen area and displaying a wide range of information; the 17.9-inch central screen; the new small-diameter, thick-rimmed and highly ergonomic steering wheel, which is packed with haptic controls; and, optionally, a 3D head-up display.

Over three and a half hours of driving on Andalusian roads, I tried to take in as much as possible about the content and control logic of the central screen and panoramic strip. Overall, the verdict is highly positive: modern graphics, rapid processing, sensible organisation and extensive customisation options.

However, as these were pre-production vehicles, there were still some rough edges to address, particularly when returning to menus that merely waste time. BMW technicians themselves acknowledge this, while assuring us that the issues will be corrected.

Too many modes and too few buttons

On the other hand, My Modes - Personal, Sport, Efficient and Silent - go beyond settings that affect driving, changing the colours and content shown on the displays, but they are complicated to operate. Within these Modes sit the Driving Experience Programmes - Eco, Comfort, Dynamic and Individual - and it is these that allow changes to settings affecting how the SUV drives and behaves.

Yet while acceleration, steering and regeneration can be adjusted in Dynamic and Comfort programmes, this is not possible in Eco. Everything would be simpler if every programme had fixed settings, with only Individual allowing adjustments. And, while we are at it, it would make more sense if the Driving Experience Programmes were not nested within My Modes.

Then there is the lack of physical controls. There is no dedicated button for selecting My Modes or the Driving Experience Programmes, a shortcoming partly offset by a shortcut on the first layer of the central display. But having to dig through menus to select regenerative deceleration levels seems highly impractical. Paddle controls behind the steering wheel would be a much better solution.

Exceptionally capable dynamics

In truth, the missing paddles were among the very few faults found while driving the new BMW iX3 50 xDrive, the only version available at launch. It uses two electric motors delivering a combined 345 kW (469 hp) and maximum torque of 645 Nm. Acceleration is always immediate and very brisk, as confirmed by a 0-100 km/h time of under five seconds and a top speed of 210 km/h.

The rear motor is more powerful, producing 240 kW (326 hp) and 435 Nm, compared with 123 kW (167 hp) and 255 Nm from the front unit. This gives the BMW iX3 handling in which rear-wheel-drive sensations dominate. At steady speeds and where grip is good, it operates solely in rear-wheel drive. The front wheels contribute when driving more enthusiastically through corners and/or on surfaces with limited grip.

Braking response is completely convincing: immediate, powerful and linear, with none of the unpleasant transition between regenerative and hydraulic braking found in many electric cars. BMW had already achieved this well in the i4 and i5, but this new technical architecture clearly raises the bar further.

As for regeneration, there are four levels, plus an additional setting when B is selected, giving access to one-pedal driving. In everyday use, BMW says that up to 98% of braking can be handled purely through energy recuperation, without applying the friction brakes, which use ventilated discs on all four wheels.

Chassis performance is equally impressive. Even without variable electronic dampers, the iX3 - the test car wore 255/40 R21 tyres - consistently demonstrated a very well judged balance between stability and comfort, with limited body movement and good absorption of road imperfections. It is firm, but never excessively so.

The steering is pleasingly communicative and not at all “plastic”, as is the case with the overwhelming majority of electric cars, although I would have preferred slightly more weight in Sport mode. Despite requiring 2.8 turns lock-to-lock, BMW’s engineers have ensured that there is no need for excessive arm movement, even through tighter bends.

At the Ascari circuit

After all those kilometres on public roads in Andalusia, four laps of the entertaining Ascari circuit reinforced the certainty that this is more than an electric car with capable handling: it is a BMW with capable handling.

In a cone-based exercise, acceleration to 130 km/h on a straight was followed by full braking and simultaneous obstacle avoidance. It revealed the capability of the advanced dynamic control brain BMW calls “Heart of joy” to brake and accelerate the appropriate wheel, shift torque between the front and rear axles, and manage stability and traction control in a very progressive manner. This appears to confirm that it is up to 10 times faster than conventional dynamic control units.

Entirely new electric system

The springboard for all the advances in BMW’s sixth-generation electric propulsion system is its new 800 V platform. It allows DC charging at up to 400 kW, whereas BMW electric cars currently on the road go no higher than 205 kW.

Cylindrical cells replace the previous prismatic units, providing higher energy density (+20%) and greater charging power (+30%). They are also mounted directly in the chassis, without modular subdivisions or structural elements, resulting in lower weight and costs. Indeed, the upper section of the battery forms part of the vehicle’s underbody.

Up to 805 km of theoretical range

The 108.7 kWh battery is enormous, larger than those of its key rivals, and the iX3 50 xDrive claims a maximum range of 805 km on the combined WLTP cycle from a full battery charge.

Naturally, that 805 km figure is quoted with 20-inch wheels, smaller than the 21-inch wheels fitted to the test vehicle, which alone will increase consumption and reduce range.

Over the 216 km route, driven at a reasonably demanding pace and in temperatures of around 10 °C - batteries do not like the cold - recorded consumption was 18.6 kWh/100 km. The iX3 with 20-inch wheels has an official average consumption figure of 15.1 kWh/100 km. That makes the claimed range impossible to achieve.

Competitive price… among premium rivals

Although the entry price of €72,900 for the BMW iX3 50 xDrive puts it within reach of only a very small minority, it is the most affordable among its direct rivals.

The new electric Mercedes-Benz GLC starts at €78,000, while the equivalent Audi Q6 e-tron costs €10,000 more than the iX3. A sportier alternative is the Porsche Macan 4, which starts at €84,000. These figures do not even include the options that typically inflate the prices of German premium models.

However, in the electric car market, being premium and German is no absolute guarantee of having the best propulsion technology. Broaden the search and it is not difficult to find technologically comparable proposals - albeit with weaker attributes elsewhere - that are better equipped and cost 30% less, including some of the more ambitious Chinese models.

Technical specifications