First drive by Alan Murphy.
First, the bad news. If you’re looking to get your hands on BMW’s new iX3 for 2026 delivery, you’re out of luck: all of BMW Ireland’s allocations have been sold at the time of writing.
The first production model of the German car-maker’s Neue Klasse designs, it’s difficult to overstate how important this iX3 is for BMW.
The car is a ground-up re-imagining of the brand’s design philosophy that harnesses the latest technology and design thinking while using more sustainable materials.
Following years of teases, sketches and ‘Neue Klasse X’ concept car unveilings, the iX3 production model was finally shown to Irish customers last October and was an immediate hit, with strong orders before.
So does the car live up to the years of BMW Neue Klasse hype? Based on our recent first-drive impressions in southern Spain, the answer is an unequivocal yes.
So has it any street cred?
As with many modern BMW designs, the looks have polarised opinions online. The retro kidney grille (with its optional ‘Iconic Glow’) is a clear nod to the original Neue Klasse from the sixties. That’s where the similarities end, however, as the rest of the car looks modern and clean while retaining many BMW design cues, including the ‘valley’ on the bonnet that runs down to the grille and the sharp light cluster. This theme is replicated at the rear of the car and gives it a purposeful stance without looking too aggressive.
For me, the car looks better in some colours than others; Space Silver and Ocean Wave Blue really accentuate the design features, while the likes of the Brooklyn and Polarised grey options do the car no favours.
What’s it like inside?
Sit inside and the first impression is of modern, clean design with a single, large central screen and BMW’s new Panoramic iDrive spanning the width of the cabin.
While the six-sided shape of the central screen could appear gimmicky at first, the clever ergonomic design means that all regularly used functions fall within easy reach. It’s a big improvement on the good widescreen set-up in much of the current BMW range.
While the panoramic dashboard concept is nothing new (early noughties Renault Espace, anyone?), the quality and execution here is superb. Projected onto a black space at the bottom of the windscreen, essential information seems to float in front of the driver, while much of the display can be configured by simply swiping some widgets on the central screen.
This is all supplemented by an upgraded version of BMW’s head-up display, which now features 3D navigation that proved to be particularly useful on the twisting mountain roads of our test routes.
The layout, tech and displays are so good they might just distract your attention from the steering wheel… While the thinner width and ergonomics are a massive improvement over BMW’s current chunky steering wheels, the design looks fussy and a little odd. It’s the only let-down in an otherwise excellent cabin. (The wheel in the M Sport Pro model is the least offensive in this regard.)
The rear is roomy, comfortable and overall the cabin feels very premium.
Boot space is on par with the iX3’s rivals; its 520 litres expands to 1,750 litres with the rear seats folded flat. There’s also a very usable 58-litre frunk.
What is under the bonnet?
The iX3 50 xDrive launch model features an all-new 112kWh battery that delivers 469hp to power dual motors, on the front and rear axles. The rear motor is the more powerful of the two, giving the car’s drivetrain a typical BMW real-wheel bias.
The battery is a series of cylindrical cells (think oversized D batteries) packed in a flat structure that forms part of the chassis, lowering the car’s centre of gravity and creating more space.
Claimed WLTP range on the launch model is in the 800km bracket, which is game-changing territory for Irish drivers. While it’s not feasible to accurately test this figure over two days of driving different cars, I’d estimate 750km is achievable under a normal mix of driving conditions.
At the Spanish launch, BMW engineers claimed the car was driven 1,000km on a single charge from the Debrecen manufacturing plant in Hungary to BMW HQ in Munich… with 20km to spare.
The 400kW DC charging and compatibility with both 400V and 800V chargers ensure the car is future-proofed for whenever we see this rapid-charge infrastructure rolled out. BMW claim an increase from 10pc charge to 80pc in 21 minutes under rapid charging.
We can expect a single-motor, less powerful (and cheaper) model a little further down the road.
What’s it like to drive?
On the road, the new car feels light years ahead of the outgoing iX3 model.
Steering around town is light and responsive, while clever computing eradicates any lurching under braking and brings the car to a ‘soft’ stop every time. Get a passenger to close their eyes and they will have a hard time telling you when the car has stopped after braking.
This computing power is delivered by BMW’s ‘Heart of Joy’ processing unit that controls power delivery, steering, braking and recuperation and is one of the stand-out aspects of the car.
On the twisting mountain roads north of Malaga, the car revealed a sporty, engaging character with sharp steering, superb power delivery and the type of confidence-inspiring handling that makes you forget you’re driving a family SUV weighing 2,360kg.
The car’s suspension felt well set up and, despite the aforementioned mass, coped effortlessly with every mid-corner undulation and pothole.
So confident were BMW about the car’s handling capabilities, they allowed us some laps on the Ascari circuit. This outing included some slalom driving and simulated motorway emergency braking.
Now, the chances are remote of an iX3 ever troubling a track day at Mondello, but the car and its Heart of Joy system really showed their worth at the more extreme end of the driving spectrum.
Sudden changes in direction on the slalom were composed and stable, while emergency braking from 120kph while steering around obstacles was a non-event … all thanks to computer processing power rather than any driver skill.
On the wet circuit, with an M5 setting the pace, the iX3 felt assured and surprisingly fun and engaging to drive fast. While there were a few ‘computer says no’ moments during some provoked sliding, overall the automatic systems felt natural and unobtrusive.
Back on the road, some motorway cruising gave the opportunity to try the Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS). Powered by a powerful ‘Superbrain’, and depending on specification chosen, this can offer up to Level 2+ hands-free motorway driving with automatic lane-change, while also dealing with relatively complex urban scenarios including roundabouts and junctions.
On the motorway, the lane-change function is prompted by the car, which then monitors the driver to ensure the mirrors have been checked before it signals and carries out the overtake manouevre.
It mostly works well and, unlike many lane-assist systems, doesn’t require a lot of force for the driver to intervene and overcome the system. Manual braking by the driver while ADAS is active doesn’t disengage the system, and the car will return to the speed limit once the brake is disengaged.
At motorway speeds, the cabin feels very refined and quiet for both front- and rear-seat occupants.
A remote parking function is also available as an optional extra. Operated via a ‘dead man’ control in the My BMW app on your mobile device, this gives the car self-park capability with the driver outside the vehicle. It works well, but I’m not sure there’s many practical advantages to justify the €975 cost to tick that option box. (This option is now available as a remote upgrade to compatible BMW models.)
Verdict
The new iX3 is the best all-round car BMW has delivered in a long time. In an era where many cars are packed with tech, the iX3 stands out from the crowd by delivering it all together in a seamlessly integrated package that enhances efficiency, safety and driving pleasure while delivering game-changing range.
On-the-road pricing for the iX3 50 xDrive is €73,725, with the M Sport and M Sport Pro variants €77,075 and €78,995 respectively.