BMW has refreshed the iX3. Already? Yes. BMW felt like their very young EV needed a facelift with a ‘refreshed design’ and a bigger grille. I doubt if the actually buyers hate the grille as much as irrelevant journalists because BMW is now mentioning it in the highlights that the iX3 now sports a bigger grille. Now then, before I fuel a debate, let us go through everything that is new with this one.
The exterior
I like how it looks. The front end, the tail-lights, the entirety of its design. With the growing demand for SUVs in recent years, it was BMW that got me convinced that every SUV will NOT be boring. Oh! And I don’t really mind the grille either. That being out of the way, I think the grille is more likeable because of the pearl-effect chrome with blue accents to signify it is an EV. There isn’t much of a change really other than some very minor ones. For example, the headlight contours are now 10mm slimmer which gives the car a sharper look more in line with the i4.
BMW also mentions that the lower air intake, which comes with ten-stage active air flap control to cool the drive system components and brakes, has grown in size. The air curtains positioned at the outer edges of the front end are now L-shaped and have blue accents. Air breathers in the front side panels also have a new M-specific design, while the blue accent in the side skirts is omitted. Muscular and aerodynamically optimized surfacing marks out the rear apron of the new BMW iX3.
Buyers of the BMW iX3 M Sport or BMW iX3 M Sport Pro (quite a mouthful), will have the choice of four exterior metallic body paint color options including Carbon Black, Mineral White, Phytonic Blue and Sophisto Grey. Black High Gloss exterior trim will be offered as standard alongside 19” Black aerodynamic wheels, automatic tailgate, adaptive suspension, heated steering wheel and panoramic sunroof completing the exterior look of the BMW iX3 M Sport.
EV Technology
The new iX3 deploys BMW’s fifth-generation eDrive technology including an innovative charging unit, which sends power to both the 400V battery and the 12V on-board power supply. When charging using alternating current, it enables both single-phase and three-phase charging at up to 11 kW. Plugging the vehicle into a direct current rapid-charging station opens the door to charging outputs of up to 150 kW, meaning the high-voltage battery can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent of its full capacity in 34 minutes.
The gravimetric energy density of the 188 prismatic cells in the new BMW iX3 is around 20 per cent higher than that of the battery cells used in previous fully-electric BMW Group vehicles. A gross energy content of 80 kWh – of which 74 kWh is utilized – and the high efficiency of the drive systems allow the BMW iX3 to offer a range of up to 286 miles as per the WLTP test cycle.
The inside
While there is not much of a change in the interior layout, as has been with almost every other BMW, but the new infotainment is worth talking about. The BMW iX3 is equipped with the latest generation BMW Operating System 7 (BMW OS7), which allows for every line of software code in the car to be updated over the air in the future. The standard-fit BMW Live Cockpit Professional offers a fully-digital screen grouping comprising a high-resolution 12.3 inch instrument cluster behind the steering wheel and a 12.3-inch Central Control Display.
The enhanced intuitive multimodal interaction allows the driver to take their pick of control interface for the situation at hand: Control Display touchscreen, iDrive Controller, multifunction buttons on the steering wheel, voice control or BMW gesture control.
The latest version of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant takes the connection between driver and car to a new level in the new BMW iX3. Activated by a spoken prompt (for example “Hey BMW”) or at the touch of a button, this digital companion acquires new capabilities all the time. The system helps the driver, learns their preferences and is familiar with their favoured settings – e.g. for the seat heating or the places they drive to frequently using the navigation system (“Take me home”).
The iX3 M-Sport and the M-sport Pro boast power figures of 286 HP and a 400 NM of peak torque. Electric consumption and range details along with the pricing are as below:
