New 2026 BMW iX3 Review
- May 8
- 5 min read
Was BMW's reset a good idea?
Exterior – Front
So, lets start with the design. The new BMW iX3 is the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse design language and I really think this is the best BMW we have seen in years. What do you think. Let me know in the comment section below and whilst you are at it don’t forget to like and subscribe. Right then. To start with we get this small light up Kidney grills that are small in comparison to other BMWs. these connect to the headlights with this thick black bar with a cool 3D effect lighting system. The headlights have this boomerang LED Daytime Running Light which I do really like and at night the whole front of the car looks very futuristic and concept like. The whole design also harks back to the classic BMW’s which again I do quite like. Lower down we get a decent sized central air vent and some slim side vents which all look very good. We also get a new BMW logo for the first time giving it a simplified look.
Exterior – Side
Moving round to the side of the new iX3 and we get a very simplified design. We get these huge wheel arches and this crease along the lower edge and a slightly muscular design. You also get a decent amount of glass area too with hidden glass sills. A new Range rover feels. What is also nice is the pop-out door handles and these cool almost Volvo looking door handles.
Exterior – Rear
Moving round to the back and just like the front we get a very different design to what we are usually used to. I can sort of see a bit of 7 series but apart from that the similarities end. We get these thin but wide taillights that have some cool graphics in them. unfortunately, you don’t get a full width light bar, but I am ok with this. We do get this indent though for the BMW logo just like the front bumper. Talking of the bumper it has this minimalistic design giving it a premium feel. There is some gloss black and some aerodynamic parts too which is nice. We also get to see the new BMW type face for the first time. Right, lets have a look and see what battery and motor options you can have with the new BMW iX3.
Car and engine specs and price
So, from launch the BMW iX3 is only available with one option. This is the 50 xDrive. This uses a 109-kWh battery pack and has a dual motor setup giving it 4-wheel drive and 462 bhp. this can do 0-62 within 4.9 seconds and has about a 498-mile range on average which is very good on this type of car. charging time is also very good at 400 kW and can be charged on 400v or 800v chargers too. in the future there will be lesser powered models making the iX3 even cheaper but there will even be M-Lite models and even a full fat iX3M for the first time which we definitely cannot wait for. Now you may be thinking that the price for all of this will be expensive, but it isn’t. The starting price of the new BMW iX3 starts at £59,630 which for an electric premium SUV isn’t too bad. Right, lets have a look and see what the interior is like.
Interior – Design
So, every 20 years or so BMW has a tendency to completely defy what a car interior should be like. This was done in 2001 with the BMW 7 Series and now with the iX3. The interior of this car is unlike any other car on the market and really feels concept like. Right, to start with the dashboard sits quite low which may not be to everyone’s taste, but this is to make way for the new Panoramic iDrive system. This is actually a huge heads-up display that is projected onto this black panel. It actually works very well and feels like it is actually a screen. This panel houses your instrument cluster as well as a few shortcuts that are customisable. Moving towards the driver we get this new central screen running iDrive X. again this is nothing like what other BMW’s have. It has this awkward shape to it and houses a few important information. Now it does sort of work like iDrive 9, but it has been simplified quite a lot so it is easier to use on the move. Especially now that the legendary iDrive controller has now gone completely. Really going through the infotainment system is a whole different video in itself. If you would like to see a video of that then let me know in the comment section below. The centre console is minimalistic and has very few buttons on it but is functional. You also get wireless charging for your phones too. the overall design in the iX3 is actually quite pleasant with a lot of premium materials. I also quite like these seats too as they are quite comfy. Now onto the bit that I don’t like. This is the steering wheel. What were BMW thinking. Now I don’t mind the design of it. In fact, I don’t mind the steering wheel, but it doesn’t need to have this fourth spoke up top. It looks silly personally. Now you can have a different 4 spoke design which doesn’t look as bad, but it isn’t as good as other BMW steering wheels. I do hope there will be a better one in the future. Also, unfortunately the controls are also touch sensitive which is a big shame. Right, with that rant over with, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.
Practicality
So, climbing into the back of the rear seats and you are welcomed to a vast amount of space. legroom and headroom are both perfect and the rear seats are also supportive. The floor isn’t that high either making sitting in the back that bit comfier. There isn’t even a hump in the middle meaning sitting 3 in the back is that bit easier. Materials are also good too and you can have your own Climate Control, USB C ports and even an arm rest and also a tablet holder too. overall, then, not too bad, lets have a look and see what the boot is like.
Boot Size
So, opening the boot to the new BMW iX3 and you are welcomed with 520 litres of space which is 10 more than the previous version. Folding the seats down 40:20:40 this extends to 1,750 litres. Now these are less than the normal X3 version, but it is close to its other electric SUV rivals. You also get a front boot which is 58 litres in size for your charging cables, but this may be a bit bigger in the single motor versions.
Summary
So, in summary then what do I think of the new BMW iX3. Well, considering it looks nothing like any current BMW, it certainly has the feel of a BMW, and it also goes like a BMW. This is one seriously impressive electric SUV and there will be plenty more to come with BMW too with the launch of the new 3 Series and iX1. If this is the future of BMW, then the premium car market segment has just heated up a lot. Watch out Audi and Mercedes.
Exterior 5/5
Interior 4/5
Practicality 5/5
Total 14/15
Model | BMW iX3 M-Sport 50 xDrive |
Engine | 109 kWh Battery Pack, Dual Motor, 462bhp, 0-62 = 4.9 Seconds, 498 Mile Range, 4 Wheel Drive |
Transmission | Single Speed Electric Motor |
Price | £55,750 |
On Sale | Now |
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