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Road test review: BMW iX3

Thursday, 14 July 2022

The iX3 is the latest member of BMW's all-electric i family.
Apart from the blue bits and the glossy ‘grille’ the BMW iX3 looks like a standard ICE X3.
Apart from the blue bits and the glossy ‘grille’ the BMW iX3 looks like a standard ICE X3.
Look closer though, and you will see the iX3 also boasts things like different lights, particularly the heavily sculpted taillights.
Look closer though, and you will see the iX3 also boasts things like different lights, particularly the heavily sculpted taillights.
The two-tone brown and black interior doesn’t photograph well, but looks great in real life.
The two-tone brown and black interior doesn’t photograph well, but looks great in real life.

BMW is deep in the middle of a veritable avalanche of new EVs from the brand landing on our shores. The deeply impressive iX is being followed by the i4 sedan, the iX1small SUV and the large i7 luxury limo. But first, we have the iX3 mid-size SUV that is built off the basis of the hugely successful X3. Surely a sweet spot in the range if there ever was one?

OUTSIDE

More splashes of blue differentiate the iX3’s interior from the ICE models.
More splashes of blue differentiate the iX3’s interior from the ICE models.

Whereas its first electric efforts were visually their own thing in the range, BMW has played it smartly this time around, splitting its electric SUV offerings between the striking (and polarising) iX and the far more traditional and conservative iX3.

**READ MORE:

* Road test review: BMW iX xDrive50

The iX3 is only available as a RWD model, and is a wonderfully involving drive.
The iX3 is only available as a RWD model, and is a wonderfully involving drive.

* First Drive Review: BMW iX3

* BMW prices the all-electric iX3 SUV

While it is smaller than the iX, the iX3 is also far more conventional looking. Which is good or bad, depending on your point of view.
While it is smaller than the iX, the iX3 is also far more conventional looking. Which is good or bad, depending on your point of view.

* BMW prices all-electric iX SUV for New Zealand

**

While the iX looks like nothing else on the road, the iX3 could easily be mistaken for an ICE X3. It does have its more radical touches, however, with the distinctive taillights, blanked off grille and blue highlights announcing that this is the electric version.

I can’t say that I am enamoured by the glossy black plastic ‘grille’ and the blue highlights seem like an unnecessary afterthought. While the latter can be optioned away, the grille is just something you will have to come to terms with. Personally, I could live with one or the other, but both is a bit much for me.

Otherwise, though, the iX3 is very much business as usual in terms of how an X3 looks, which is fine, as the current X3 is a handsome traditionally styled SUV.

INSIDE

The ‘same but different’ story continues inside the iX3, with only a few modest blue highlights to say that you are in the electric version. The interior remains attractive and well laid out, although it does seem a bit dated now, particularly when compared to the likes of the iX's remarkable interior.

The two-tone leather could be polarising, but I liked it, while the quality is impeccable. There are a few typically-BMW points around the cabin that are made from hard plastics, but generally speaking the quality is high throughout.

UNDER THE BONNET

The iX3 is propelled by a 210kW/400kW single electric motor attached to the rear axle, powered by a 73.8kWh battery. All of which is good enough to punch the 2255kg SUV to the open road speed limit in 6.8 seconds. And, to be honest, it feels quicker than that.

But if you are after instant punch-style EV thrills similar to a Tesla, then the iX3 isn’t going to offer that. Instead, it is more than quick enough, but with a sweet balance to how its power and torque come in. The torque is nicely distributed, retaining enough at higher speeds to give a solid mid-range punch, making the iX3 a fantastic open road cruiser and a deeply impressive winding road warrior to boot.

While the decision to make the iX3 rear-wheel drive is unusual, given that slapping a motor on the front axle would put it on par with its obvious AWD EV rivals, like the Audi e-tron, Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes-Benz EQC, it does pay dividends when it comes to handling…

ON THE ROAD

Where the iX is brilliantly capable, but almost completely uninvolving from a keen driver’s perspective, the iX3 is wonderfully engaging.

A RWD X3 is not something I would ever have thought I needed in my life, but the iX3 proves that BMW hasn’t left the ‘Ultimate Driving Machine’ thing out of the current range of EVs, like the iX worryingly suggested.

Sharp, precise steering is accompanied by a beautifully composed chassis that happily gets about the business of doing whatever it is you are asking it to do with Teutonic precision. The extra weight of the battery is never an issue, or even ever really noticed, apart from its admirable effect of lowering the centre of gravity further.

VERDICT

A surprisingly fun car, the iX3 definitely shows that BMW isn’t forgetting driver involvement in its electric future. Where the iX is impressive as a technological powerhouse that cocoons you in luxury, the iX3 is actually a car a driver will enjoy.

While I truly love the iX for everything it does fantastically well (and that freakin’ awesome audio system…), its total lack of driver involvement made me worry that BMW was moving away from making cars for keen drivers as it transitioned to electricity.

The iX3 truly does prove otherwise and just makes me look forward to the i4 even more…