FIRST DRIVE | Why the Neue Klasse BMW iX3 is one to watch

The latest BMW iX3 is a hugely important car for the European, North American and Asian markets. In South Africa it is significant — but given how small the percentage of electric car sales is in the country — the chances of this model supplanting the engine-powered X3 any time soon are unlikely.

But what this new iX3 will do is give Mzansi buyers a taste of what they can expect from BMW models to come, from design and user-experience perspectives. This is the first in the breed of what BMW dubs its “Neue Klasse”: the New Class.

And it already comes with a noteworthy accolade, having been knighted the 2026 World Car of the Year. We tested the latest iX3 in the Western Cape last week. Before we get into the nuts and bolts of the model, we need to remember its predecessor.

It went on sale in 2022 carrying a price tag of R1.2m, and our report on the car was published in July that year.

We declared the iX3 as a strong indication that BMW was ready for the future of electrification. The experience was quirk-free and delivered on textbook BMW hallmarks, nor did the car try too hard to be overly progressive or extroverted like the large iX that came later.

Employing an 80kWh battery, with a rear-mounted electric motor (210kW/400Nm); the model had a quoted range of 460km and could scoot from rest to 100km/h in a reasonable 6.8 seconds.

What you will find with this second-generation iX3 is that it improves on material aspects such as range and performance, in addition to forging a stronger distinction between itself and the traditional G45-code X3.

In fact, it does not share a platform with the X3 — and goes by a totally different internal designation of NA5.

Visually, however, it looks like an expected evolution of the X3, carrying similar proportions (but on the larger side dimensions), but sharper edges and a more aerodynamic impression. Unlike many recent BMW models, the iX3 has smaller kidney grilles, which should keep critics happy.

The iX3 remains a practical steed, with its capacious 520l boot bolstered by a 58l frontal boot. Before driving the iX3, we were shuttled from the airport in a standard X3 — which enabled a comparison of interior space.

Given the packaging benefits of the electric powertrain, the iX3 certainly feels a tad roomier. That could also be an impression created by its sleeker, minimalistic cabin layout.

This is where customers are going to find the most radical change. It is unlike any BMW before, and yet — oddly — there remains an element of familiarity to the placement of controls and the ergonomically sound vibe overall.

Instead of a typical instrument cluster, the iX3 has a display that spans across the lower portion of the windscreen. The three sections can be configured to show whatever you choose — from a nifty G-force indicator to a more sensible consumption display, as well as navigation directions.

That is complemented by the customary large infotainment screen, which is more of a rhombus than a plain rectangle, making it appear slightly less like a cumbersome smart TV screen tacked atop the fascia — as so many central displays do.

But the most distinctive element is the new steering wheel design, a four-spoke affair that some futurists may have envisaged as the tiller for a spaceship. It is chunky with a satisfying grip on typical BMW steering wheels, but the bulky design and buttons encased behind transparent plastic may take some getting used to. After a few minutes behind the wheel, though, the new iX3 takes little time to establish familiarity if you are coming from any other contemporary BMW.

The driving dynamics make a particularly strong impression, especially where refinement is concerned. The inherent silence of the electric powertrain is bolstered by extensive insulation that seals off virtually all intrusion. Even on a blustery day through Clarence Drive, the cabin remains near silent. For now BMW is offering the iX3 in 50 xDrive guise, priced at R1.69m. There is a less powerful and cheaper rear-wheel drive model wearing the 40 label planned for 2027.

The warranty is for a two-year/unlimited mileage duration, with a separate eight-year/160,000km coverage for the battery system. A five-year/100,000km maintenance plan is part of the deal.

This 50-badged version ups the ante considerably over what we encountered in the old iX3. Its total output is a generous 345kW/645Nm which translates into a claimed sprint time of 4.9 seconds.

This is plenty quick in the real world. Though it can be had with M Sport trappings — as worn by our tester — the iX3 is more of a composed, assured tool than a sporting instrument. It is a wonderfully relaxing car to drive.

And drive on, you can, thanks to a claimed range of between 679km and 805km — all depending on your style of operation and usage of on-board systems such as climate control. The car has a sizable gross battery capacity of 108.7kWh. The brand says the iX3 is “more BMW than ever”, and while that might prompt a subjective take, the newcomer certainly has plenty going for it.

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