The new BMW iX3 is the first volume product in the New Class and the clearest indication to date of where BMW is taking its electric strategy. As we’ve written before, this is the most important electric BMW since the first i-cars. It introduces BMW’s sixth-generation battery system, next-generation software and all-new packaging. With reviews now available in all major publications, we can finally see how the iX3 is received.
Driving dynamics and ride quality
We’ve been waiting for this. BMW employees have benefited from the evidence we have gathered over the past few years with the quiet confidence that the Neue Klasse would usher in a new era of driving engagement for the brand. It looks like the iX3 could be the start of that.
Autocar writes that the iX3 “feels like the first BMW electric vehicle that truly understands what makes a BMW drive the way it should,” highlighting the clarity and balance of the steering.
Car and driver notes that “the iX3 shrinks around you in a way that few electric SUVs manage,” highlighting its agility and lightness on the road.
The drive says the suspension calibration “delivers a level of composure and precision that immediately makes it one of the best electric crossovers tested this year.”
Road and rail calls the iX3 “a prime example of the benefits of the Neue Klasse,” adding that it “finally combines BMW’s dynamic identity with an EV platform that can keep up.”
Top equipment reports that the iX3 “floats over bumpy roads but never loses a sense of control,” describing the ride as smooth, confident and distinctly BMW.
Battery performance, charge and efficiency
This is where Gen6 battery technology represents a huge leap for BMW. But what does it mean in the real world? We now have an answer.
Car and driver writes that the iX3’s 800-volt charging capability “delivers numbers that finally feel like the future BMW promised.”
Electrifying.com says the sixth-generation battery “sets a new benchmark for efficiency” and points out that the range results feel like a big change for BMW.
The drive emphasizes that the thermal management system “seems to be designed for real-world abuse and not lab values,” a rare compliment for an EV platform.
Auto Express reports that BMW appears to have “steered clear of the bloat that has plagued many competing electric SUVs,” resulting in greater real-world efficiency.
MotorTrend describes the integration of motor and inverter as “the most coherent technology that BMW has so far demonstrated in an electric vehicle.”
Interior, technology and suitability for everyday use
iDrive X is a bold step for BMW. And in our initial testing, it seems to have paid off. Now in production form, we have even more evidence.
Autocar praises the interior as “calm, modern and free of the visual clutter that often overwhelms new electric vehicle interiors,” calling it BMW’s best design reset in years.
Car and driver says that the panoramic display “finally brings coherence to BMW’s digital story” and describes the user interface as clearer and more targeted.
The drive writes that the cabin “walks the line between technologically advanced and hospitable” and avoids the sterility common in some EV competitors.
Top equipment highlights the packaging advantages and notes that the flat-bottomed platform “seems to be one of the clearest advantages of the New Class”.
Auto Express says the updated interface “finally understands how drivers actually interact with screens,” citing stronger voice and system response.
MotorTrend praises the overall craftsmanship and says the iX3 “feels exactly like a BMW electric vehicle should.”
US launch and market position
The iX3 is particularly important in the US because it finally closes the gap between the i4 and the iX. As we reported on BimmerFile, BMW developed this generation for the USA from the start. These include tuning and charging tailored to American highways, packaging that meets U.S. crossover expectations, and feature sets tailored to the market’s growing demand for electric vehicles.
This model essentially becomes the electric counterpart to the X3, the most important BMW in the US model range. It will serve as BMW’s volume EV crossover here and anchor the transition to Neue Klasse products. The upcoming i3 sedan, based on the same platform, will join the iX3 to form a two-model core around which BMW’s U.S. electric vehicle strategy will grow.
In short, the iX3 isn’t just an electric vehicle that BMW is bringing to the US. It’s the start of an entirely new generation of US-focused electric vehicles that will shape the brand for the next decade.
BMW iX3 video reviews
