BMW iX3 review

Between our drive of a left-hand-drive car in Germany last November and the iX3 going on sale in the UK, the whole X3 line-up has been facelifted. The changes aren’t momentous, with restyled lights, slightly larger kidney ‘grilles’, a different gear selector, a new iDrive controller and the latest version of the iDrive infotainment system on a bigger screen. 

A handful pre-facelift Premier Editions, like the car we drove (pictured) will make it to our shores, but all UK cars ordered now start from £59,730 for M Sport trim or, for £3000 more, M Sport Pro. That means they all get the M Sport styling, but all iX3s get the same adaptive dampers, so there shouldn’t be a penalty in ride quality.

Consistent with its looks and origins, the iX3 isn''t an EV that makes a point of being an EV. There’s a conventional gear selector, the digital dial cluster shows the usual four gauges (even including a temperature dial) and there are no gimmicks, other than a spacecraft-like jingle on start-up.

With 282bhp going to the rear axle, it's brisk rather than explosively fast. But as with most EVs, those coming from a normal petrol or diesel car might be pleasantly surprised, as EVs do tend to feel faster up to 40mph than their statistics suggest. The iX3’s 6.8sec 0-62mph time doesn’t set any new records but is respectable enough.

That acceleration is accompanied by synthesised sound that was created with the help of famous film-score composer Hans Zimmer. In Comfort mode, it just blends into the background, but in Sport mode, it’s more prominent. It works well, adding a sense of speed, even if it’s more Eurostar than Batmobile. If it’s not to your taste, you can always turn it off.

The iX3 does not have paddles behind the steering wheel to adjust the level of regenerative braking. Instead, it uses sat-nav data and the sensors on the car to decide how much regeneration is required. Perhaps it just takes more familiarisation, but we found it unpredictable. You can choose low, medium or high regeneration instead, but that's through a menu, so you’re not supposed to adjust it on the fly. In any case, nudging the lever to the left puts it in B mode, which enables full one-pedal driving.