BMW iX3
Reinvented electric SUV promises to move the game on with a radical interior, ultra-fast charging and 500-mile efficiency On sale March 2026 Price from £58,755
DAN JONES
dan.jones@haymarket.com
WHEN BMW LAUNCHED the original iX3 back in 2020, many other electric vehicles (EVs) were utilising concept car design to stand out. The iX3 was the opposite, simply playing the part of an electric version of BMW’s X3 family SUV and giving people a more familiar option.
This latest version couldn’t be more different, though, sharing almost nothing with the current X3. It’s derived from BMW’s radical Neue Klasse X concept, getting verysimilar styling inside and out and giving us our first look at the future of BMW’s electric models.
There’s currently only one version of the iX3: the 50 xDrive. Its two electric motors give a total power output of 463bhp, which is fed to all four wheels. As a result, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in 4.9sec – quicker than any Audi Q6 e-tron and similar to the Tesla Model Y Long Range All-Wheel Drive.
That means, when you put your foot down, it pulls away without hesitation and accelerates forcefully. At motorway speeds, the front motor can be decoupled for more efficient driving, but even then the iX3 responds effortlessly to requests for a burst of extra speed.
On the optional 21in alloy wheels fitted to our test car, the iX3 rides comfortably both around town and at higher speeds. It has a softer edge than the Model Y, allowing it to cushion bumps and potholes with far greater ease and with less fidgeting. Nor does it suffer from the low-speed brittleness of the Q6 e-tron. Despite this suppleness, the iX3 still has taut body control along undulating country roads, preventing you from swaying from side to side in your seat.