BMW iX3 long-term test: report 6

The car BMW iX3 M Sport Pro Run by Steve Huntingford, editor

Why it's here We want to see if this large SUV is a great all-rounder, rather than a one-trick pony

Needs to Combine its precise handling with comfort, refinement and range worthy of a £60k+ electric car

Mileage 3482 List price £63,970 Target Price £63,970 Price as tested £63,970 Test range 240 miles Official range 282 miles

26 June 2022 – Information overload

American jazz great Charles Mingus once pointed out that making the simple complicated is commonplace; it’s the reverse that requires genius. And while the infotainment system in my BMW iX3 absolutely shows that genius, I’m afraid its instruments do more to prove the other side of his argument.

You see, like many brands that have swapped traditional dials for a screen, BMW has tried to put a lot of information directly in front of you, which is great in theory. However, in reality much of it overlaps, making it difficult to read what you need to at a glance.

The fact that one of the layout options (below) strips things right back suggests the designers realised this. Unfortunately, it goes too far the other way, even removing the range readout.

I’m grateful, then, that M Sport Pro cars like mine also get a head-up display, which projects the most important info onto the windscreen, right in your line of sight. Instead of making the complicated simple, this makes the simple simple, which is almost as rare.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read more on our long-term BMW iX3 >>

Read about more long-term test cars >>