Even though sales haven’t officially kicked off anywhere else than in China for the BMW iX3, the all-electric SUV from Bavaria is already winning awards in certain places of the world. The guys from What Car? magazine in the UK declared it their Best Large Electric SUV for 2021. It’s a notable win for a car that is yet to arrive in most European countries and prove its worth. The new iX3 is the second all-electric model from BMW, ever.
This is the response offered by Munich to Ingolstadt’s e-Tron or Stuttgart’s EQC. Unlike its rivals, the iX3 feels a lot more like the car it is based on rather than a standalone model. There are hints of the X3 everywhere and the main differences are obvious from the outside. The front-end has a different design with a more aerodynamic approach, while the side profile reveals aero-optimized wheels. The rear-end doesn’t have tailpipes anymore, instead using a set of blue-accent tailpipe replacements.
But what convinced the What Car? magazine to bestow this award upon the iX3? According to them it was the room inside and in the boot, the great steering, comfortable ride and range of 279 miles. Now, what you should know is that this is the claimed range, based on WLTP testing. Real-life results might be different, depending on a variety of factors, from weather to load and even how you drive it.
According to What Car? the BMW iX3 is more fun to drive than a Jaguar i-Pace, even though the Jaguar is more powerful and faster. Furthermore, you don’t have to break the bank to have fun in an electric car, like the Taycan, when the iX3 is available. Other key elements mentioned in the video below are the composed ride, strong but not over the top performance and an overall good feeling for the driver.
The packaging of the iX3 features an electric motor, power electronics and transmission arranged in a central housing. The single electric motor positioned on the rear axle produces a maximum output of 210 kW/286 hp and peak torque of 400 Nm/295 lb-ft. This allows the iX3 to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h or 62 mph in 6.8 seconds up to an electronically limited top speed of 180 km/h or 112 mph. The motor is connected to a 80 kWh 400V lithium ion battery.
