This iX3 is BMW’s future: is it good enough?

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Huge thanks to DNA Autohaus for the use of the X3 M!
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It’s time for Mat to review the all-new BMW iX3!

It’s the first car to be built on BMW’s dedicated ‘Neue Klasse’ EV platform, but to see if this entry-level electric SUV has the soul of a real BMW, Mat’s doing something a bit different: he’s comparing it to a 6-year-old BMW X3 M!

Can the silent, high-tech newcomer actually hold a candle to the twin-turbo petrol beast of yesteryear?

The iX3 marks a radical departure from the BMWs we’ve reviewed in the past. It features the new "Neue Klasse" design language, so gone are the massive vertical "buck-tooth" grilles, replaced by a wider, horizontal kidney grille that merges into the headlights. The silhouette is sleek (but if anything, a little bland), and it features flush-fitting door handles and a clean, minimalist rear end with wrap-around L-shaped light bars. It’s certainly modern, but will Mat prefer this all-new design over the X3 M?

Inside, BMW has hit the "reset" button. The traditional driver’s instrument cluster is gone, replaced by BMW Panoramic Vision, which projects key information across the full width of the bottom of the windscreen. There’s a new hexagonal central touchscreen and a minimalist dashboard made largely from recycled textiles and sustainable materials. It’s incredibly spacious thanks to the flat EV floor, offering a 520-litre boot (plus a handy 58-litre front boot under the bonnet for your charging cables).

The car we’ve got for this review is the 50 xDrive. This comes with a dual-motor set-up, AWD, and it produces 469 hp and 645 Nm. It’s also capable of 0-60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. What’s more, thanks to the new 800V architecture, it can add 231 miles of range in just 10 minutes at a 400kW rapid charger, with a maximum WLTP range of up to 500 miles.

The new BMW iX3 rolls up with a starting price of £58,755 for the entry-level model. This positions it competitively against the Audi Q6 e-tron and the Porsche Macan Electric, but does this all-new EV offer enough to sway you away from petrol power? Stick with Mat to see if it should!

Chapters:
00:00 Intro: New BMW iX3 vs BMW X3M
00:40 Neue Klasse Exterior Design Review
03:00 Build Quality & Panel Gap Check
04:26 New BMW iX3 Interior & Tech
06:22 Old BMW X3M Interior Comparison
07:16 iX3 Price & Value for Money
07:57 Motors, Battery & Range Specs
08:25 Drag Race, Rolling & Brake Test
11:18 Emergency Moose Test
12:35 iX3 Rear Seat Comfort & Space
14:01 X3M Rear Seat Comparison
15:33 The Baby Seat Challenge
16:45 Boot Space & Storage Comparison
19:27 iX3 "Frunk" Front Boot
20:16 iX3 Practicality Test
21:12 X3M Practicality Test
22:04 BMW X3M Handling & Stability
23:07 New iX3 Driving Dynamics & Handling
24:30 Automated Parking Challenge
27:44 Annoying Features of the iX3
32:17 Best Features of the iX3
33:51 iX3 On-Road Driving Impressions
35:31 Verdict: Should You Buy the New iX3?