Item: BMW iX3
Rating: 5
Author: What Car? Team

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BMW iX3

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The BMW iX3 matches the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron’s</a> maximum charging rate of 150kW, meaning that a 10-80% charge can be completed in around 30 minutes.

The only trouble is that there aren’t many public CCS charging points in the UK capable of delivering that much power, so any time you need to travel more than 200 miles, you’re likely to find yourself plugging in at a 50kW charger on the motorway. Do that and a 10-80% charge will take just over an hour.

That’s why anyone planning to do very long journeys on a regular basis would do well to consider the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3 saloon</a>, which gives you access to the US brand’s widespread Supercharger network for more reliable fast charging. If you intend to do most of your charging at home using a regular 7kW wallbox, a full charge (0-100%) of the iX3’s 80kWh battery will take 11hr 30min.

Having a starting price above £50,000 means the iX3 isn’t eligible for the government’s electric car grant, but it still looks good value next to the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/i-pace/estate/review/n122">Jaguar I-Pace</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/review/n19377">Mercedes EQC</a>.

While an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron</a> is available for similar money, that’s only the entry-level 50 version, which will struggle to cover 160 miles on a full charge in real-world driving. You’ll need the 55 version even to get close to the iX3’s range, at which point you’ll be spending a lot more cash.&nbsp;

So, at least when it comes to big <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/electric">electric SUVs</a>, the iX3 is temptingly priced and will cost a lot less to run than a petrol or diesel version of the X3. The iX3 is also a seriously cheap company car, thanks to the tempting benefit in kind <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/how-is-company-car-tax-calculated/n22618">(BIK)</a> tax rates available on all pure electric vehicles.

There are only two trim levels to choose between: M Sport and M Sport Pro. M Sport gives you plenty of luxuries, including 19in aerodynamic alloys, a powered tailgate, a panoramic sunroof and leather seats (heated in the front).

Range-topping M Sport Pro adds 20in aerodynamic alloys, a head-up display (speed limit and sat-nav directions are projected on to the windscreen), auto-dipping headlights and keyless entry. You also get the IconicSounds acceleration sound effects.

If you’re expecting the BMW iX3 to deliver Tesla-esque performance, you’ll be mildly disappointed. It’s plenty quick enough (0-62mph takes 6.8sec), but acceleration is strong rather than especially thrilling.

However, if you switch to Sport mode in the range-topping M Sport Pro, you do get an eerie electronic soundtrack dreamt up by German film score composer Hans Zimmer. Put your foot down and the noise gets louder and the pitch rises as your speed increases, just like it would if there was a petrol engine under the bonnet.&nbsp;

Unlike its four-wheel-drive rivals, the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/i-pace/estate/review/n122">Jaguar I-Pace</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/review/n19377">Mercedes EQC</a>, the iX3 is only available with rear-wheel drive. That shouldn’t be a concern unless you regularly get snow or live down the end of a muddy track, though, as the iX3 has plenty of traction whether it’s wet or dry. And while a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3 Performance</a> feels more nimble, the iX3 leans over less and feels more agile than the E-tron, EQC and even the I-Pace. That makes the iX3 one of the most enjoyable <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-electric">electric SUVs</a> to drive.

Filling a car with heavy batteries rarely does good things to ride comfort, but the iX3 does without the sophisticated air suspension of its main rivals (the E-tron and EQC have this as standard, the I-Pace as an option). Instead, it relies&nbsp;on good old steel springs.

You can adjust the stiffness of the suspension, tightening things up for country road driving or softening them off for long motorway jaunts, so, while it’s certainly firmer than the wafty E-Tron and I-Pace, it deals with bumps in a perfectly agreeable manner, both around town and on faster roads. In fact, anyone who suffers from car sickness may prefer the iX3’s well-tied-down feel to its floatier rivals.

You get a bit more tyre and suspension noise with the iX3 than you do with its main rivals, but anyone coming from a petrol or diesel X3 will be pleasantly surprised. Not only is the electric motor quiet (unless Herr Zimmer’s work has been activated),&nbsp;you won’t feel the vibration of an engine, either.

Of course, the iX3 needs to do the electric car bits well too, and it certainly impresses with how far it can travel between charges; its official range of 285 miles beats both the E-tron (up to 249 miles) and EQC (252 miles). Granted, you’ll have to drive extremely gently and wait for warm weather in order to match any of those official numbers, but we’d expect 220 miles to be easily achievable in fair conditions.&nbsp;

Even on an exceptionally cold winter’s day, we calculated that the BMW would cover 192 miles on a charge with the cabin temperature set to a toasty 21deg C, compared to 211 miles for the I-Pace. That’s based on each car’s indicated energy consumption and the usable size of its battery pack.

The BMW iX3&nbsp;electric SUV marked a change of direction for the German brand – at least when it came&nbsp;to building cars that run on batteries.

What do we mean by that? Well, when the iX3 first showed up, BMW’s only previous EV (electric vehicle) was the much smaller i3 hatchback, which was built from the ground up to run on electricity.

The i3 had oddball looks, a lightweight carbon-fibre construction and fancy rear-hinged back doors. At the time it seemed like the future had come early – in fact, too early for most car buyers, as EVs didn’t catch on as quickly as many had anticipated.

Now, of course, it's looking pretty likely that electric motoring isn't just an appealing alternative to petrol and diesel cars, but is also likely to replace it altogether at some point (for most of us, anyway).

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MLtWMKCcmAw"></iframe>

What BMW also discovered from the i3 was that not all buyers&nbsp;want their EV to look different to a 'regular' car. So the iX3, as you might well have guessed already, is&nbsp;essentially an electric version of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n42">BMW X3</a>.

It has no complex carbon-fibre construction or unconventional styling. In fact, the only things that mark it out visually from petrol and diesel versions are the&nbsp;solid plastic grille, aerodynamic alloy wheels and a smattering of blue highlights.

Perhaps more pertinently if you're thinking of buying one, the BMW iX3 has a long range, the ability to charge up quickly and a relatively tempting price tag.

How does it compare with&nbsp;its rivals in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-electric">large electric SUV category</a>&nbsp;– notably,&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron</a>, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/i-pace/estate/review/n122">Jaguar I-Pace</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/review/n19377">Mercedes EQC</a>? And is it a better buy than lower-riding alternatives, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/tesla/model-3/saloon/review/n19010">Tesla Model 3</a>? This review will tell you everything you need to know.

When you’ve decided which make and model you do want to buy, make sure you find the best price available by using our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying Service</a>. It could save you thousands of pounds, and features plenty of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/electric">new electric car&nbsp;deals</a>.

The differences between the BMW iX3 and the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n42">X3</a> are even harder to spot inside than outside. In fact, were it not for the blue starter button and a few more blue accents, you’d never guess you weren’t behind the wheel of the regular model.&nbsp;

If it sounds as though we’re slightly disappointed, that couldn’t be further from the truth. The X3 is one of the best posh SUVs you can buy and some versions even score our top five-star rating, so one that runs on electricity instead of fossil fuels is more than fine by us.

True, the interior perhaps isn’t quite as glamorous as an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/review/n19377">Mercedes EQC</a>, but it feels really well put together and has lots of dense, squishy materials in most of the important places. Only a couple of patches of hard, scratchy plastic – around the starter button, for instance – let the side down a little.

Usability is tough to fault, thanks to a logically arranged dashboard with proper buttons and knobs for the air-conditioning (rather than fiddly touch-sensitive pads like those in the E-tron). The fundamental driving position is also superb, although you do need to go for range-topping M Sport Pro to get adjustable lumbar support.

The iX3 has the brilliant <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/bmw">BMW</a> iDrive infotainment system. The 12.3in display in the middle of the dashboard works as a touchscreen but you can also operate it using a secondary rotary controller between the front seats. The latter is much less distracting, as is the natural speech voice control function, which (most of the time) works surprisingly well.

Wireless phone-charging is standard, and if you go for M Sport Pro trim you’ll get an upgraded Harman Kardon sound system.

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

Practical, good to drive and has a longer range than its closest rivals

Despite the fact that a big battery has, in effect, been shoehorned under the floor of the BMW iX3, rear space is just as good as it is in the regular X3. That means two tall people can sit quite comfortably in the back of the car with leg and head room to spare.

Even if you add a middle rear passenger into the equation, things are still agreeable for all concerned. You’ll have more room to lounge in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/i-pace/estate/review/n122">Jaguar I-Pace</a>, though. The outer rear seats can be reclined to give a more laid-back seating position, a feature that isn’t available in the iX3’s direct rivals.

The main boot area is identical to the X3’s, too, which means it’s slightly smaller than an <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/e-tron/estate/review/n18397">Audi E-tron’s</a> but bigger than a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/eqc/4x4/review/n19377">Mercedes EQC’s</a>. The only thing you lose in the iX3 is a bit of underfloor storage, but there’s still enough room for the charging cable.&nbsp;You get 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats come as standard on both trim levels.

For more information about how the iX3 stacks up for space and practicality, head over to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n42">BMW X3 review</a>.

The BMW iX3 is good to drive and practical, with a better range than rivals, namely the Audi E-tron and Mercedes EQC. It also has a fab infotainment system and a smart interior, so it’s a fine buy if you’re looking for a big electric SUV.

<h2>What we're looking for </h2><ul><li>Long range and ultra-fast charging capability</li> <li>Luxurious and comfortable interior</li> <li>Smooth ride and capable handling</li> <li>Lots of high-tech driver aids</li> <li>Strong performance and great refinement</li></ul>

Large Electric

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Large SUV

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Sufficient range between charges to fit in with most people’s lifestyles – and in the real world, not on some far-fetched official test </li> <li>Quick charging times and compatibility with the most ubiquitous types of public charging points </li> <li>Priced to be within the grasp of more than just the privileged few </li> <li>As with any car, ride comfort, practicality and ownership costs can’t be ignored</li></ul>

We define an electric car as one that runs purely on battery power and has no tailpipe to puff out nasty chemicals. These cars qualify for the maximum plug-in car grant (PICG) of £3500.

The Renault Zoe is one of the most affordable options and has a surprisingly long range of between 120 and 180 miles (depending on the weather and the road type). However, the Nissan Leaf and Volkswagen e-Golf are more practical and more accomplished to drive, even if the latter doesn't have a particularly long range between charges.

At the other end of the scale, Tesla’s ground-up EV philosophy – and the American brand’s own network of super-fast chargers – makes the Model S a tempting choice. It has seating for up to seven, an classy interior and a long enough real-world range to make inter-city travel a real possibility.

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