2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport Pro | UK Review
The first BMW built on Neue Klasse underpinnings has arrived - is it the game-changer promised?
As the first of 40 new models to come out by 2030 using Neue Klasse underpinnings, there really is no understating the significance of the all-new BMW iX3. If the car is a hit, it might elevate the manufacturer to the top of European EV sales charts and buy the brand sufficient emissions breathing room to ensure the survival of combustion engines elsewhere in the lineup. Conversely, if it’s sub-par, BMW - now faced not only with its usual cohort of European rivals but also the onslaught of cheaper options from China - is in for a tough end to the decade.
The good news so far is the iX3 seems to have gotten off to a cracking start. After (but probably not entirely because of) a surprisingly positive reaction to its September reveal in the PH forums, BMW has added a second shift at its 100 per cent renewable energy-powered Debrecen plant in Hungary, which can produce 150,000 cars a year, to keep up with demand. No doubt a decline in Tesla sales has helped BMW attract customers looking for a European alternative, yet it also seems desirable enough to have received a near full bank of opening orders in its own right, even before customer test drives commence.
Demand is likely helped by the fact that the 50 xDrive model we’re getting first has a beefy 108.7kWh (usable) battery with a claimed 500-mile range, making the iX3 the first production EV to go on sale in Europe to hit the psychological mark. It might be beaten by a Volvo EX60 later this year, but only by an anticipated three miles, and with 800-volt architecture, the iX3 can fight back with a 400kW charging capability, for 231 miles of added range in 10 minutes. Even on one of the UK’s 350kW service station chargers, that would equate to adding London to Leeds distance in little more time than it takes to choose the components of a Boots meal deal.
Coming out of the gates in 50 xDrive format does mean the iX3 starts at £58,755 and quickly rises over £60k once the M Sport box is ticked. But that’s actually competitive versus the Mercedes GLC EV and Audi A6 e-tron - plus lower-specification batteries and powertrains are due - meaning all of the car’s numbers, including its near-2.4-tonne kerbweight, should come down in lesser variants. That said, the car we’re driving, a top-grade M Sport Pro, is the priciest of the lot so far, with 22-inch alloy wheels, a panoramic sunroof and other optional extras adding ten grand to its £62k list price.
All 50 xDrive models use the same twin-motor setup for 469hp, 476lb ft of torque and a quoted 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds. But the additional mass - both unsprung and sprung - of our car means this iX3 loses 10 per cent on that headline figure for a claimed range of 449 miles. Also, with no adaptive damping available yet, the iX3 gets a fully passive suspension setup, which, given the state of UK roads at the moment, does mean that forking out £3.3k on those admittedly very cool-looking 22s might not be the wisest choice. More on that in a bit.
First, that design. After years of us acclimatising to the iX’s gopping front kidney grilles, the iX3’s small ones - which are inspired by the original Neue Klasse BMW, the 1500 of 1962 - will be to some a bit of a relief. Whatever your thoughts of the front end, this is a more distinctive design than the old iX3 featured, and, particularly in one of the lighter colours, the dark accents applied to M Sport models emphasise the new car’s larger muscles.
Inside, the Neue Klasse interior features lots of recycled plastics and yet it feels well put together. The fit and finish of panels and fabrics is tight and tough, and even the digital stuff looks quality. The 43-inch-wide projected display that spans the entire dashboard acts as a neat way to display lots of information, without it feeling cluttered or distracting. While an optional head-up display, part of the Technology Pack, projects sharp details directly onto the windscreen. Both displays are customisable as well, as is the 18-inch central infotainment system, which has smartphone-like reactivity, with customisable shortcuts to key pages to prevent you from getting lost in the many menus.
Still, I won’t be the only PHer frustrated to find a lack of physical controls for climate, even if BMW says customers of its other models - which have had fully digitised climate control for years now - apparently prefer on-screen buttons (I’m yet to meet someone of that opinion myself). At least the temperature controls for the driver and passenger are permanently on the lower section of the screen, although to make manual adjustments to fan speed requires a tap of the fan button, and then a second of the adjustment bar, which means three to four seconds with your eyes off the road. It’s a far cry from the interior of an E53 X5, put it that way.
The main controls for media and cruise control are, mercifully, physical buttons on the steering wheel. Well, technically they’re part of single-piece plastic panels, but their 3D texture and haptic feedback do a good enough job of making them easy to use without requiring you to look away from the road. And talking of ergonomics, while you’re very obviously in an SUV, the seat can be lowered for a BMW-appropriate view out, the wheel is in easy reach and the supportive M Sport seats offer plenty of adjustment. The odd-shaped wheel won’t be to everyone’s taste, but at least M Sport Pros get a helm with thinner grips at 10 and 2 o’clock, which contrasts with the thick rims of BMWs of late for more ‘feel’.
While this obviously isn’t an M car, the iX3 50 xDrive really does get a move on. A 0-62mph time of 4.9 seconds is fairly average in the world of dual-motor EVs, but the iX3’s rolling acceleration and spaceship noises make it feel like a quicker machine. Admittedly, this early model’s passive springs allow for a bit of nose lift under heavy power and some lateral roll through the bends (no matter how low in the body its 600+ kilos of battery are, physics is physics) but the damping does keep lean in check after a few degrees. There’s plenty of room for an adaptive damper model to boost body control, yet even in this fully passive iX3 50, there’s some serious cross-country pace. Albeit with controls that are totally void of feedback.
Well, that is unless you count the feedback coming through the floor, as our car’s 22-inch rims, great as they look, do mean the ride is busier on a UK road. It’s never crashy and there’s enough squidge in the configuration to soak up speed humps and bigger lumps, but cracks and drain covers are often very noticeable. Even a smooth (by UK standards) motorway can’t completely isolate you from the occasional jiggle through the body, meaning it’d probably be wiser for Brits to stick with the standard M Sport 21s - or better yet, wait until adaptive dampers with a Comfort mode join the available options.
Something that won’t be joining the iX3’s extras list are steering wheel paddles to adjust regenerative braking because - like the manual climate control buttons - BMW says these are something its EV buyers typically don’t use. Without them, it means you’re forced to dive into the menus to adjust regen strength, although thankfully, BMW’s Adaptive setting is actually very good, automatically reducing the resistance provided by battery regeneration when you’re on open roads, and ramping it up as you approach slower traffic or road furniture, such as a roundabout. It works well enough, though it does still prevent EV drivers who like maximum control from getting fully engaged. Even if we’re considered a minority.
As for the majority, interior practicality is probably be of much greater importance than flappy paddles, and the iX3 delivers on that front. There is generous amounts of rear legroom across all three seats, helped by the compactness of the battery and its short cylindrical cells below. The boot behind is 10 litres bigger than the old iX3s as well, and it has some underfloor storage space to go with more room in a ‘frunk’ under the bonnet. Nevertheless, the new iX3 cannot claim class honours versus the bigger GLC EV in terms of space.
The key area it wins, then, is tech. With a new park assist that’s genuinely useful (it’s much faster than before and even has a remote function), and, when it arrives this summer, a hands-off semi-autonomous driving system for the motorway, there are clearly several class-leading features in this first Neue Klasse car. But the one that matters most is the range, because for families in need of an EV that can really go the distance, there’s now an electric car that could feasibly be your exclusive source of year-round transport. Especially if you save a few quid and stick with the M Sport’s standard 21s.
Specification | BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport Pro
Engine: twin electric motors, 108.7kWh usable battery
Transmission: single-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 469
Torque (lb ft): 476
0-62mph: 4.9secs
Top speed: 130mph
Weight: 2,360kg (unladen)
Efficiency: 3.68 miles / kWh (PH averaged 3.0 to 3.5 miles / kWh)
Electric range: 449 miles (500 miles in non-M Sport)
Price: £62,755 for M Sport Pro; price as tested, £72,162 (50 xDrive entry price: £58,755)
Bwahahah 
BMW rage baiting you people on PH...
Would have expected to hear more details about whether the new Heart of Joy architecture (which paves the pathway for the quad motor electric M3 in the next few years) is a genuine step forward in how the car drives and handles? Most of the youtube reviews seems to think it is a game changer.
Again, from an EV perspective, what was the actual charge curve like on a 350kw charger during the review? Or did they not bother to test charging in the real world?
What about the claimed improvements in braking where again, many Youtube reviews have already commented on how if their passengers were blindfolded, they wouldn't be able to tell that the car has come to a stop? Was it really that good or not?
What was the actual 0-60 time? BMWs are often are quicker than the official figures.
What about road and wind noise at speed? There was one youtube video where was disappointed with how noisy the car was at motorway speed.
What about reviewing idrive X and all the improvements they have made with AI, especially with voice control? How good are those in the real world?
In terms of regen and adjusting it, surely the reviewer saw the button on the centre console where you can switch it from D to B without needing to use the touchscreen? Which is how you can do it on current BMW EVs as well.
I d definitely consider one of these for my next daily driver.
Why on earth would you want a petrol or diesel over this?
What's with the pro? Is it meant for electrical offroadig professionals? When will this marketing bs stop? Adding M, sport, pro on a tired family suv... what's next? X, gt, ultra, rs, wrsxsti?
Seeing some comments here that the car is efficient, practical, etc. Why wasting your life drivig something so plain, unexciting and ordinary? Working so hard to throw a fortune on something completely forgettable, a consumption good. Take initiative, the buyer has to dictate what he wants, not being tought by the sellers what he should.
I'm surprised people say they rather use touchscreen for HVAC adjustments. It's a PITA in my X1 especially as, for some bizarre reason, the fan speed isn't automatically adjusted to warm up the cabin quickly.
I d definitely consider one of these for my next daily driver.
Why on earth would you want a petrol or diesel over this?
Although bmw have shoved a massive battery in this, which helps…. If you’ve ever stopped at a services and I’m afraid to say I have, at peak time, with everyone else charging - you can sit there for an hour waiting to get sufficient charge as the high speed drops down (700 miles an hour down to 100). Or like the BP pulse I used the other day a most pleasant £18 for 90 miles (not really 90 miles about 60 miles on motorway) of range.
I can charge at home and at work but on the road it’s not great. I also understand people who have tested this BMW have got nowhere near the quoted range (obvs).
I’m not fully against EV…. We will soon have a Renault 5 runabout but the long hauler will be petrol.
That ignores the P11d on that BMW will soon be horrendous with increased rates, lease deals aren’t what they were due to depreciation etc
If you do minor miles yes you would own an EV…. Or a bike. But for anyone relying on public infrastructure (even Tesla’s excellent stuff) or doing decent miles it just isn’t quite there…… I’ve now clocked over 70,000 miles in EVs …. Just my experience.
I have stood right next to it though, and pushed and pulled the various bits of its interior and exterior.
The pictures in this article give no reference points to judge the size off the car - it is really quite big, and a step on from the "old" X3.
Looks are a personal thing but, for me, it is hideous (and is much worse in the flesh than in photographs). Whichever wheels you choose, they end up looking tiny!
The original international launch featured cars in a rather fetching blue with light interiors, but all the (three) UK RHD cars I was shown around had coal black interiors (like, it seems, the PH test car), which don't do it any favours and make it quite oppressive inside. Nonetheless, it is a better interior than exterior.
Notable that, of the many real-world reviews out there, nobody has got anywhere near the claimed range and actual efficiency seems disappointing.
The looks alone put me off it, but if you can get past them (I cannot), it seems a reasonably spacious and comfortable family car. Be interesting to see how the Volvo stacks up when it arrives shortly.
Because until this that’s not been the case. Riiiiight.
Reads like a press release.
Although bmw have shoved a massive battery in this, which helps . If you ve ever stopped at a services and I m afraid to say I have, at peak time, with everyone else charging - you can sit there for an hour waiting to get sufficient charge as the high speed drops down (700 miles an hour down to 100). Or like the BP pulse I used the other day a most pleasant £18 for 90 miles (not really 90 miles about 60 miles on motorway) of range.
I can charge at home and at work but on the road it s not great. I also understand people who have tested this BMW have got nowhere near the quoted range (obvs).
I m not fully against EV . We will soon have a Renault 5 runabout but the long hauler will be petrol.
That ignores the P11d on that BMW will soon be horrendous with increased rates, lease deals aren t what they were due to depreciation etc
If you do minor miles yes you would own an EV . Or a bike. But for anyone relying on public infrastructure (even Tesla s excellent stuff) or doing decent miles it just isn t quite there I ve now clocked over 70,000 miles in EVs . Just my experience.
These days - reviewers get the car for a couple of hours and it’s likely been thrashed by all of the previous reviewers who had it.
My iX round trip efficiency varies from 1.8 kWh/mile to 4.2 kWh/mile, depending on weather, temp and how I drive it.
I’m yet to see a review of it which gets better than 3.2 kWh/mile, but it can achieve much better than this.
How often are you seeing queues?
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