UK Drive: Could the BMW iX3 40 be the pick of the range?
The new ‘40’ model is lighter and cheaper, but does that make it better? Jack Evans finds out.
What is it?
However, at launch the iX3 has only been available in tip-top ‘50’ specification with its huge battery and dual-motor setup. This car – the 40 – promises to tone things down a bit while still offering the great number of features that the range-topping iX3 delivered.
What’s new?
The new iX3 also comes with vehicle-to-load technology, which means that you can use the car’s battery to power external devices such as fans, pumps or lights. You just need a small adapter which plugs into the power socket, and you’ll get a three-pin plug to use. BMW sells this separately.
What’s under the bonnet?
The maximum charging speed has dropped, too, from 400kW to 300kW respectively. But this change also means that the 40 gets a 200kg weight saving over the 50 which should – in theory – help to make the whole car feel a little lighter.
What’s it like to drive?
The wide expanse of dashboard ahead of you does feel a little intimidating to begin with and it can, at times, be tricky to judge just where the front of the car is. However, the good news is that you’ve got a large front screen and a broad rear screen, so overall visibility isn’t bad at all. Even with its single motor, the 40’s 0-60mph time of 5.6 seconds is more than quick enough for usual driving and, at speed, the whole car is quiet and comfortable.
How does it look?
We’d argue that the iX3 is one of the more successful designs of recent BMW models, but that really is down to personal preference.
What’s it like inside?
With 520 litres, the boot of the iX3 is more than spacious enough for most requirements and you can easily lower the rear seats to provide additional storage room. Plus, there’s a 58-litre ‘frunk’ where you can store the cables, or anything else that you want to be kept particularly secure.
What’s the spec like?
Speaking of tech, you’re getting that large central infotainment system which is intuitive to use, though we’d like a few more physical controls to make accessing certain elements – such as switching in and out of Apple CarPlay – much easier. That Panoramic Vision display is also handy and you can configure it to show various information and readouts. We liked that you could easily see what song was playing without having to look down too far.
Verdict
The iX3 40 feels like the obvious choice. Of course, there’s a sacrifice in terms of outright range, but unless you spend all of your time flying up and down the motorway, we doubt you’ll notice much of a difference. The 40 feels slightly lighter, but it’s still got that great refinement that we liked about the iX3 when it first launched.
At this price, it’s a proper contender and feels like a car that brings a lot more for less.