BMW iX3 Prototype review
BMW's Neue Klasse isn't just a new platform – it draws a line in the sand for how the brand designs, builds and powers its electric cars.
I've come to BMW's Miramas proving ground in the south of France to drive prototypes of the first Neue Klasse model: the all-new BMW iX3 SUV. So today marks our first chance to discover whether this rival for the Audi Q6 E-tron and upcoming electric Mercedes-Benz GLC delivers on the promise that BMW has been building over the past two years.
Said promise has unfolded through a series of concept cars. First came the i Vision Dee, a compact saloon exploring new ideas about digital interaction. Then the Vision Neue Klasse saloon heralded a dramatic new design direction. Next, the Vision Neue Klasse X clearly previewed the new iX3 and its Panoramic iDrive system. And most recently, the Vision Driving Experience, a quad-motor saloon, lifted the lid on the performance technology of future M cars.
Now, after all that build-up, here comes the reality. The significance of the Neue Klasse platform shouldn't be underestimated. Since the 2013 launch of BMW's first series-production EV, the i3, each new one has been based on a shared platform originally engineered to support combustion engines. That includes the original iX3, launched in 2020 on BMW's CLAR platform – flexible, yes, but not conceived for full electrification. The Neue Klasse changes that. It's a clean-sheet design, and BMW has invested more than £1.7 billion in its development. More than half of that has gone into an all-new production plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where the new iX3 will enter series production later this year. It will be the basis for at least six new EVs by 2028, including the eagerly awaited electric BMW 3 Series – set to take the i3 name next year.
But it all begins with the iX3. Get inside and it's clear that this is more than just a platform shift – it's a design and user experience reinvention too. At the centre of it all is BMW's new Panoramic iDrive system, which ditches the traditional instrument cluster in favour of a slim, dot-matrix-style display housed within the base of the windscreen. This is complemented by a rhomboid central touchscreen and an optional 3D head-up display – all running BMW's new OS X software with the latest over-the-air software update capability and enhanced voice interaction via a revised Intelligent Personal Assistant.
First previewed on the Vision Neue Klasse X, this cabin concept includes a lower, cleaner dashboard and a completely new generation of steering wheel. The pillar-to-pillar display is sharp and legible, although oddly you can't view the power and torque data and trip readouts simultaneously – an odd oversight for a brand that still holds firm to its traditional 'ultimate driving machine' mantra. Most surfaces remain covered in these early prototypes, so a full assessment of material quality will have to wait – but from what I can see, BMW has taken a step forward.
Interior space is on par with the current ICE X3, with which the new iX3 shares vital components, but with a flatter floor, thanks to the adoption of the new platform. Rear visibility is compromised somewhat by the shallow rear window and sloping roofline. Boot space remains unconfirmed, but expect a similar 570 litres to that of the petrol X3, increasing to about 1700 litres with the rear seats folded.
There's no start button. If the key is nearby, the iX3 is effectively on and ready: just knock the gear selector into drive and off you go. Underpinning the new iX3 is BMW's Gen6 electric drivetrain. It runs on a new 800V electrical architecture, replacing the 400V system of earlier BMW EV models, bringing a major leap in charging capability and performance. It also adopts a new battery made via a 'cell-to-pack' process, in which cylindrical battery cells are placed directly into the battery housing without first being assembled into modules.
Compared with the prismatic cells used by BMW's Gen5 drivetrain, the new battery has 20% greater energy density. BMW has yet to confirm the battery's capacity, but it claims a WLTP range of up to 497 miles for the iX3 – some 210 miles or 30% more than before. The peak DC charging rate has more than doubled from the 150kW of the previous iX3. It's now 400kW, allowing a 218-mile top-up in just 10 minutes under ideal conditions. Bi-directional charging is also supported now, meaning the new iX3 can send power to your home or external devices.
Two powertrains will be available: a single-motor, rear-wheel-drive one and a dual-motor, four-wheel-drive version. The latter pairs an asynchronous motor at the front with a synchronous motor at the rear, delivering up to 402bhp and 443lb ft. Expect 0-62mph in less than 5.0 sec and a higher top speed than the previous iX3's 112mph.
I'm driving early durability prototypes here, some bearing the scars of serious development mileage, yet the steps forward in performance, handling and refinement from the old iX3 are already unmistakable. There are four driving modes: Personal, Sport, Efficient and Silent. The first of those is configurable, allowing adjustment of drivetrain, steering and regeneration settings.
All systems are managed by a new central control unit, dubbed the Heart of Joy, which processes data 10 times faster than BMW's current system. There's a heightened level of response and faster reactions at one end of the driving spectrum, calmer and more composed properties at the other.
Energy recuperation remains a key focus. As such, BMW says that up to 98% of braking can be handled by the electric motors alone and the physical brakes are only required during hard stops. As in other existing BMW EVs, there are no steering wheel paddles to alter the level of regen. Instead, you switch between drive and battery mode via the gear selector. D allows for mild coasting while B delivers robust deceleration and true one-pedal driving.
The new iX3 borrows elements of its double-wishbone front and multi-link rear suspension from the current ICE X3. That means it sticks with steel springs, whereas some rivals have more elaborate air suspension systems. New for this model, though, is a hydraulic rebound stop, designed to iron out harshness and give the ride a more polished and compliant feel.
And polished it is. There's a likeable cohesion to the way the iX3 moves – an assured, unflustered nature that feels distinctly BMW but also evolved for a greater breadth of ability than its Chinese-produced predecessor. Step-off is very smooth and measured. Throttle application is progressive and well metered – linear rather than lurching. The steering is light yet precise at lower speeds, making tight urban manoeuvres a breeze. Push harder and the variable-ratio system firms it up nicely, providing a feeling of connection that gives the iX3 a level of involvement beyond its rivals'.
On the flowing bitumen in and around the Miramas facility, it proved eager and predictable, with plenty of front-end bite and outstanding straight-line stability. Weight distribution, always a key consideration for BMW, is 49:51 front to rear. Despite being larger than its predecessor and most likely tipping the scales at close to 2300kg, the iX3 never feels overly cumbersome.
Body control is one of its standout traits. There are moderate levels of lean, but it's progressive and well contained, communicated clearly enough through the chassis to keep you clued into what's happening. That transparency breeds confidence. And when I switched off the stability control on the skid pan, there was enough adjustability to trim my line with a cheeky dab of the brakes mid-corner.
Ride quality, too, has improved noticeably. The old CLAR-based iX3 often felt a little brittle, especially over broken surfaces; on the 21in wheels and 255/40-profile Goodyear Eagle tyres fitted to the prototypes I drove, the new iX3 felt calmer, more refined and consistently resolved.
'Resolved' is also a word that can be applied to the latest version of BMW's autonomous driving technology. The level-two-plus system has progressed significantly, gaining improved logic, smoother interventions and more intuitive controls, bringing it closer to the polished experience that premium car buyers expect. Included are revised functionality for automated lane changes and enhanced adaptive cruise control operation.
The iX3 doesn't just represent a significant step forward in terms of EV technology for BMW but a philosophical one, too. From packaging to performance, handling to digital display interfaces, this is BMW showing what an electric SUV should be like to drive. Forget repurposed ICE platforms and the sort of tentative steps that came after the original i3. We will have to wait until September's Munich motor show to see the definitive production model and even longer for it to arrive in the UK. But for now, it seems Neue Klasse is the engineering reset BMW needed.
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