BMW iX3 review: Old interior design thanks to the combustion engine platform
A TEST REPORT from Benedict Behring 
on October 25, 2023, 9:00 am | Write a comment
The BMW iX3 is still based on the combustion engine platform. You can find out why we largely see more advantages than disadvantages in our test report.
We were allowed to test the medium BMW SUV in the M Sport version and yes, the 4,73 meter x 1,89 meter x 1,67 meter (length x width x height) can even be driven in a very sporty manner if you want that , keyword range. But more about this in the following test report.
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tl; dr
If you want an electric SUV from BMW with an old interior design language, the iX3 is definitely recommended. Here you still have the rotary push button and significantly more buttons, which are quicker to use than in a menu item on the display. The SUV has a beefy but not boring appearance and if you want, you can drive it sporty and practical at the same time. The assistance systems work almost perfectly and optimize the range wherever they can. However, there is a charging curve that could be improved. You pay 67.300,00 euros for the already well-equipped Inspiring Edition, our Impressive Edition with additional special equipment costs 77.310,00 euros (both including 19% VAT).
Design: Sportiness wherever possible
Starting with the front, the iX3 shines with its present appearance. The radiator grille is almost completely closed, as is typical for electrotechnics. However, if you haven't yet figured out the electric drive, the i symbol and the blue accents that can be found everywhere on and in the car provide further information. Behind the front fenders there are sporty-looking air vents under the M logo. The roof ends in a roof spoiler whose silhouette is similar to that of the rear bumper. I particularly like the LED taillights. These appear quite aggressive due to their distinctive shape. This is also highlighted by the fact that the taillights are not embedded in the rear of the vehicle, but are designed 3-dimensionally. Speaking of lights, the headlights still have laser light because of the donated platform from the X3, which has now been replaced by adaptive LED headlights in newer models. Of course, the luminosity is still better than good.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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Interior: familiar but functional
You are greeted with a beautifully illuminated M door sill. The ambient lighting is not intrusive and if you have forgotten what you are sitting in in such comfortable sports seats, you can find the iX3 lettering at the bottom of the center console, where there is also space for your cell phone for induction charging. There are also further blue accents in the form of the start/stop button and the border of the logo on the steering wheel. Everyone has enough space in the iX3, including the three passengers in the rear, who can even raise their backrests with a lever movement. Without a passenger in the rear seats, shopping from the hardware store can be taken with you with a total of 3 liters of trunk volume with the rear seat folded down (otherwise 1.560 liters).
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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Technology
From a technical perspective, not much has changed in the interior with the new electric X3 compared to the older combustion engine. We have a wall of buttons when you compare it to BMW's new design language. In fact, I'm personally a fan of it, but of course it's a matter of taste. Starting in the bottom row, we have more than just regular buttons for the radio stations. These can also be assigned system shortcuts, for example for the map or the M-Lap timer. Above that we have the familiar climate controls and heated seat buttons. Only in the top row do you notice the aging technology. The infotainment display is not connected to the driver information display and both the resolution and the menu navigation are not at the 2023 level. But I think it's great that you can design your dashboard the way you want. Accordingly, you can display the sports displays in large size on one side and the map and Bluetooth connection next to it. This is quite similar to the Citroën C5 here also presented.
One menu item is called “Caring Car”. If you go into this function, you have the two sub-items “Vitalize” and “Relax”. The former activates an animated melody, green ambient lighting and a repeating fan speed changing from low to high at 18°C to simulate what I assume is a “breathing of the forest”. “Relax” is basically the counterpart to this and ensures what the name suggests. The seat heaters, red ambient lighting and calm melodies are activated.
A real help is the fortunately preserved rotary push button, i.e. the small wheel that guides you through the infotainment. Unfortunately, this was no longer available in the iX1, which we will also introduce to you. But the existing gesture control from BMW is always a highlight for me, as it simply makes driving even more comfortable.
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- Picture: TechnikNews
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Driving impression: Chassis guarantees amazing driving dynamics
As befits its status, the BMW iX3 comes with 3 modes: Eco Pro, Comfort and Sport. In Eco Pro You hardly notice any bumps if you haven't seen them before. The optionally available adaptive M suspension swallows them without Proproblems and in my opinion it is worth the extra charge of 490,00 euros. But the chassis can also point in the other direction. When switched to Sport mode, it gets tough, accelerates to 6,8 km/h in 100 seconds and the steering also seems more direct. This means that the rear-wheel drive, 2.255 kilogram SUV can be chased through curves in a very sporty manner. The lane departure warning system and adaptive cruise control do a good job and even independently form an emergency lane if a traffic jam is detected on the motorway. The speed limit is 180 km/h, at which the rather large BMW is actually still relatively quiet in the interior. I can't complain about the quality of the cameras and the driving experience in the city is definitely not the same if necessary Prostated problems.
The interaction between assisted driving and predictive driving is also wonderful. On the one hand, the SUV accelerates or brakes when you pass a traffic sign at a higher or lower speed and on the other hand, it automatically brakes when you use the indicator before a turn. The HUD (head-up display) indicates each of these steps early enough and you can not have these automations carried out if you wish. By the way, the HUD is filled with useful information that is very easy to read.
range and charging: Too fast, too little
First about the range, because verseproAccording to WLTP, the distance is up to 471 km. In reality it looks a little different. In the test, I had an average consumption of 21 kWh per 100 km, although it has to be said that my everyday life consists of a lot of winding country roads. With a battery size of 73,9 kWh, that's a realistic range of 352 kilometers. But what do I mean by too fast, too little? Well, that describes the charging curve well. It starts with around 20 Prozent state of charge, with approximately the specified 150 kW maximum DC power. But it goes away quite quickly after 40 Procent to 125 kW, from 50 Procent to 80 kW and at 65 ProWe are only at around 65 kW per cent charge level. In my opinion, the charging power is taken off too early here.
Thanks to BMW Germany for providing the iX3 for this review.
