First Drive: Is the BMW iX3 a new electric car game changer?

What is it?

In terms of importance, BMW’s iX3 is right up there. It’s the car that kicks off a whole new generation of vehicles for the brand, falling under a ‘Neue Klasse’ – or New Class – umbrella of sharp new BMW models.

Now on the road, the iX3 is our first look at this whole new generation of BMW electric cars, so what’s new and does it really move things forward? We’ve been finding out.

What’s new?

There’s an awful lot which is new with the iX3. For starters, it debuts a brand-new look on the outside while inside it’s packed with technology that hasn’t been seen before on a BMW. Deep within the car’s workings is BMW’s new ‘Heart of Joy’, an electronic controller designed to give the iX3 the driving feel of a ‘true’ BMW. It’s something that will be included in nearly all future EVs from the brand, too.

There’s a big focus on space and practicality, too, which is why buyers head to this area of the market. It’s why the iX3 has been designed to offer good levels of rear-seat space and a big boot, too.

What’s under the bonnet?

For now, there’s just a single motor and battery setup for the iX3 but it’s one which should suit a lot of drivers. With a large 108.7kWh battery powering two electric motors, the iX3 has a claimed range of up to 500 miles from a charge, giving it one of the longest ranges of any EV currently on sale. A maximum charge speed of 400kW is also one of the quickest about and would allow for a 10 to 80 per cent charge in 21 minutes. The only caveat to this is that there aren’t currently many 400kW chargers in the UK, though there are many able to deliver over 300kW.

Performance is still more than brisk enough, with 0-60mph coming in at 4.6 seconds. Further into the future, it’s expected that BMW will introduce further variants of the iX3, including ‘hot’ M models.

What’s it like to drive?

BMW has really focused on stripping a lot of weight away from the iX3. It still weighs 2.3 tonnes, mind you, but that’s a lot less than many competitors. You get a sense of this as you drive the iX3 and with its well-weighted steering, it is genuinely enjoyable to whisk through sharper corners and through bends. It does feel relatively firm, however, but it’s not sharp and uncomfortable and it does do a good job of taking away some of those larger road imperfections. There’s also more than enough performance to keep things interesting, and the iX3’s turn of pace is impressive for this type of car.

Size-wise, the iX3 actually feels on the smaller end of things, but it seems as though much of this is down to the car’s relatively raked-back roof. Visibility is good, too. However, the newly-designed steering wheel is a little confusing – because it is perfectly symmetrical in terms of design, you can sometimes lose track of where it is, particularly if you’re turning the car around and going from lock to lock.

How does it look?

It’ll still get people talking, but we feel the iX3’s design isn’t as controversial as some of those on recent BMW models. It plays closely to the original ‘Neue Klasse’ concept and that’s great, as quite often an original concept car’s looks become watered down by the time the vehicle makes production. Here, it still looks and feels quite futuristic out on the road.

There are a variety of alloy wheel designs, too, though you’ll have to pick the aero-style ones – with black plastic pieces between the spokes – if you want to get the very best electric range.

What’s it like inside?

Some elements of the iX3’s interior will feel familiar if you’ve spent some time in any of BMW’s latest cars. The main screen, for instance, is large but it uses the same operating system as other BMW models, which means that it’s slick and feature-packed. Sadly, there aren’t any physical buttons for key controls – which makes finding certain menus on the move a pain – but you can shortcut to plenty of areas.

Space-wise, the iX3 is impressive. Rear-seat legroom is good and there’s a completely flat floor to help things further. Despite a relatively raked roof, headroom isn’t bad either. When it comes to the boot, there’s a useful 520 litres of storage available, or 1,750 litres with the rear seats folded flat. There’s also an extra bit of space to be found in the ‘frunk’, with its 58 litres of room providing a handy spot to store the charging cables. Overall, the iX3 is as practical as you’d want a family SUV to be.

What’s the spec like?

Prices for the iX3 will start at £58,755 for a standard 50 xDrive model, rising to £62.755 for the headline M Sport Pro model. There’s no change in performance between the grades, but range – entry-level models will manage that 500-mile headline range with the optional aero wheel, while M Sport Pro models suffer a slight penalty, though things are still good at 497 miles of range.

The big change in terms of tech here is the introduction of the Panoramic iDrive. Essentially, this brings key information to a full wraparound display bar which sits just underneath the windscreen’s edge inside the cabin. It looks great and you can use it to show a lot of information. Does it bring a whole lot more than the standard screen? Not a huge amount. But it does showcase a new technology being integrated well, and it’s far easier to see key features via this wraparound display than the main screen – you don’t need to look down as far.

Verdict

The BMW iX3 does feel like it moves the EV game on considerably. That headline range is genuinely impressive and should quash any fears about range anxiety for those new to electric driving. Its ultra-rapid charge speed means it’s future-proofed for upcoming developments in charger technology, too.

Most of all, though, the iX3 feels like a genuine BMW, and that is a testament to the software running underneath. Couple in its spaciousness and practicality, and you have an EV which feels hard to beat.