The brand new BMW IX3 is more than just the latest electrical SUV of the brand. It is the first production model of new class, which means that it has the weight of a design statement and a technology shop window. After I had driven it a few months ago and had now seen it personally, I found a lot to like – but five features really found out. They are not just clever and cool; They really improve everyday life by car.
1. Panora display: Information exactly where you need it
BMW calls it the panorama display, but for me it feels like the perfect middle ground between a head-up display and the central Idrive screen. Instead of looking down from the street, important information is projected about the lower edge of the windshield.
What I love is, how natural it feels. Within a few minutes I threw the navigation requirements or driver assist information without thinking twice. I almost forgot that the head-up display was even there. And the flexibility is exactly right: if you don’t like disorder, you can only withdraw it to the basics. Do you want more? Add widgets such as media or route instructions. It is a system that adapts to you, not the other way around.
2. Interior that strikes above its class
This is one of the clearest signs that the IX3 is based on an EV First platform. Without gear tunnels and with a long wheelbase, the interior feels incredibly open. At the front, the side space and the legroom are generous and convey a real feeling of width. In the back is the surprise of how much space you have – almost on A Tex5, despite the smaller footprint of the IX3.
The headroom is also impressive. At 6’2 ”) I still had about 10 cm above me, which means that larger passengers do not feel tight. And BMW has not stopped here: the rear bank leans back and adds another layer for long trips.
3. The Frunk: Small, but seriously practical
Seventeen liters don’t sound like much on paper, but in practice the front case of the IX3 is really useful. It is exactly the right size for a large backpack, a few shopping bags or your charging cables. There is also flexibility: You can keep everyday objects separately from the rear load area or stow something that you want to access quickly without diging through the trunk. As soon as you start, you can see how valuable this additional part of the memory really is.
4 .. Recognizable door handles: Clean appearance with a funny factor
At first I thought that the retractable door handles could be more style than substance. But seeing them in action changed my opinion. They give the side profile of the IX3 a slim, uninterrupted look that really fits the clean design of the new class. The Aero advantages are obvious -less train, better efficiency -but there is also a fun element. Children in particular will love to step in and out. It is one of these details that the car feels futuristic without being exaggerated.
5. Idrive X: fast, logical and beautiful
BMW’s iDrive was always ahead of the curve, but the new iDrive X feels like it is really clicking for the first time as we use tech today. In contrast to the sometimes delayed starts of Idrive 8.5 and 9, this system is direct and reacts directly from the goal.
The layout is an enormous improvement. The menus are grouped more logically, with vertical and horizontal navigation, which immediately feels familiar if you have ever used a smartphone. Each symbol acts as a link – tap on it and you are directly into the setting page. It is like the entire screen is a huge set of abbreviations.
Quickselect is another highlight: You can create your own series of widgets for the functions you use most frequently. Add the beautiful graphics and you get a system that is not only efficient to use every day.
The new IX3 is a big step forward for BMW
The new BMW IX3 feels more than just a model update. It is a vision of where BMW with the new class: smart tech, better user -friendliness and thoughtful design details that make it easier to drive everyday.
From the panorama display, which facilitates the follow -up of information to the spacious cabin and useful retention carriers, to clean design and improved iDrive X – these are the details that have the biggest impression on me. If the rest of the new class models from BMW follow the same approach, daily driving can feel very different in the best way.
