- The 2026 BMW iX3 is the first BMW to carry the full Neue Klasse design language, which will eventually make its way across the whole lineup.
- The debut model is the iX3 50 xDrive, which has two electric motors producing 463 horsepower.
- The iX3 will go on sale in the U.S. next summer, with 50 xDrive pricing starting “around $60,000,” according to BMW.
BMW is about to kick off something big. The automaker’s Neue Klasse design language will eventually form the basis for a new 3-series, but before that, we get to see how these new aesthetics apply to a familiar SUV shape. Say hello to the 2026 iX3 electric SUV, which debuted this week at the Frankfurt auto show.Eyes on DesignTypically, BMW’s electric vehicles don’t look too different from their gas-fed counterparts. But this time, the internal-combustion X3 debuted a whole year earlier than its electric sibling, so its aesthetic makeover was sort of a half step into the new design language, and the result was more than a little polarizing at the Car and Driver office. After seeing the iX3 in person in Germany earlier this summer, we’re happy to report that its design is significantly more cohesive.View Exterior PhotosBMWBMW’s era of cartoonishly large kidney grilles has come to an end. The iX3’s snout carries a set of tall, thin kidneys, evoking the original Neue Klasse design language that led to now-classic vehicles like the 1600. The grille forms a cohesive unit with the headlights, which are on the thin and triangular side. We get a bit of XM in the lower part of the front fascia as well.The iX3’s side profile is awfully wagonlike, closer to the latest iteration of the larger iX, with prominent edges limited to the wheel arches, giving it a bit of a muscular stance. The rear end has a pair of taillights that nearly form a single unit, and their thin shape reflects the front end’s similar lighting arrangement. This should look pretty slick when it’s adapted to the 3-series sedan.View PhotosBMWView PhotosBMWProportionally, the iX3 isn’t that much larger than the gas-gulping 2025 X3. The EV’s body is about an inch longer, the roof sits about an inch lower, and the wheelbase is also about an inch longer.Whew, That’s a Lot of Tech in ThereInside, the iX3 clearly pulls a great deal of futuristic inspiration from the iX. The steering wheel is easily the wackiest thing in here. Its stanchions are at the 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock positions, and the button pods flanking the center don’t actually connect to the wheel rim. The buttons offer a unique feature as well, illuminating only when the corresponding function is either activated or available.View Interior PhotosBMWYou see that little strip along the bottom of the windshield? That’s your new gauge cluster. BMW calls it Panoramic iDrive, but regardless of name, it’s a 43-inch strip of darkened windshield onto which information is projected. The usual important stuff—your speed, what gear you’re in—is right under the driver’s sightline, while the other spaces can be configured to suit personal tastes. Under that is a 17.9-inch touchscreen display rocking the latest iteration of BMW’s infotainment software, which has been rejiggered to reduce menu complexity. Don’t worry—gesture control is long dead, and not a moment too soon.Standard equipment on the iX3 50 xDrive includes two-zone automatic climate control, keyless access, an automatic tailgate, and wireless device charging. Options abound, though, and they include adaptive headlights, illuminated kidney grilles, an upgraded Harman/Kardon audio system, and three-zone climate control.View PhotosBMWView PhotosBMWCharging AheadThe first variant BMW will release is the iX3 50 xDrive. The 50 xDrive model packs a pair of electric motors—an electrically excited synchronous front motor and an asynchronous rear motor—that combine to produce 463 horsepower and 476 pound-feet of torque. BMW believes that’ll be enough zoot to shunt this ship to 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds, and it’ll top out at a buck-thirty. More variants are on the way, though their badges and specs have yet to be revealed.Of course, all of that power is no good if there isn’t enough capacity in the battery to go anywhere. Under the body lies a juicer with 109 kWh of usable capacity. It’ll be good for 500 miles according to European WLTP standards; for us Yanks, BMW is aiming for an EPA estimate of up to 400 miles, but it’ll be some time before the feds get around to publishing their figures. The battery now features cylindrical cells instead of prismatic ones, which BMW claims is good for a 20 percent boost in energy density.View Exterior PhotosBMWThe battery will be able to charge at speeds up to 400 kilowatts—an increasingly popular speed at European chargers that’s only just beginning to show up in the U.S.—which should add about 231 miles of range in 10 minutes. If you dig AC over DC, the iX3 comes standard with an 11-kW onboard AC charger, though a mega-beefy 22-kW unit is available as an option.Now We Play the Waiting GameHopefully, you’re a patient person. The 2026 BMW iX3 will start leaving the plant in Hungary early next year for European markets, but the U.S. will have to wait until next summer to get a crack at this new electric SUV. BMW has the iX3 priced at €68,900, which converts to roughly $80,000. That’s a big pill to swallow, but we’re in luck—we’re not beholden to the exchange rate. Over here, BMW claims that the iX3 50 xDrive will start “around $60,000,” which is vastly more palatable. Either way, there will be other, less expensive variants to come. No matter what it costs, get used to this face; you’ll see it just about everywhere soon enough.Related Stories
- BMW iX3: What We Know So Far
- 2026 BMW iX3 Prototype: BMW Hits the Reset Button
- 2026 BMW iX3 Is a Luxury EV SUV Worth Waiting For
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Source: caranddriver.com
