2027 BMW iX3 First Drive Review: Everything is Neue Again

SOTOGRANDE, SPAIN—“All-new” is one of the most overused terms in the automotive industry, right up there with “dynamic” and “no-compromise.” It’s rarely accurate, either.

This is different. This is the 2027 BMW iX3 and it really is all-new—or rather, all-neue. As the first vehicle to debut in the Neue Klasse era, the iX3 brings with it so much change. A new platform, new generation electric motors, new BMW styling direction, new interior design centered on a whole new infotainment experience. All built at a new plant. The iX3 isn’t just an all-new car, it represents an entire philosophy shift at BMW.

All that begs the question: is this even really a BMW at all? I spent a day in Spain, on the road and track, grappling with that challenge. And the answer, thankfully, encouragingly, is yes.

Uh, that’s kind of answered up above, right?

For more context, Neue Klasse will be an entire, er, class of vehicles; the iX3 is simply the first to roll out. The platform is a purely electric one, with thinner battery packs still slung low in the floor like a skateboard. Unlike the fifth-generation prismatic cells, BMW is utilizing round cells here, which it says offer 20-percent more power density and 30-percent improvements to both charging speed and range. The 108.7-kilowatt-hour pack nestled within the iX3 is expected to return an absolutely mega 400 miles (643 kilometers) of range per charge. Based on the hilly drive route that should be entirely doable, too…

The platform is BMW’s first 800-volt architecture, which unlocks charging speeds of up to 400 kW. Translation: adding around 175 mi (282 km) back in just 10 minutes, provided you’ve plugged your shiny new BMW into the right DC charger. That isn’t just quick, it’s the quickest you’ll find in North America.

To get an idea of the iX3 size, drop the i. It’s marginally longer tip-to-tail but narrower and lower, with a wheelbase about 1.3 inches (33 millimeters) longer. Like many modern BMWs, it needs to be seen in person to get a better grip on the styling. The new look isn’t without controversy—at this point almost a BMW hallmark unto itself—but it is altogether cleaner, simpler, and confident. The integrated headlights and faux-grille is a look that can be tweaked depending on the body shape: here, the thin lighting signature gives the impression of depth on either side of the kidney grilles. The kidneys are thin now too, harking back to pre-war Bimmers.

There’s a strong shoulder line that swells out from aft of the rear doors, leading into wide taillights that give just a bit of Black Manta vibes. The indented tab on the nose is mirrored at the tail, neatly aligning with the roof spoiler.

BMW is debuting a few new colors here. My tester is a pretty yet familiar Space Silver; the new Polarized Grey is a richly dark purple that has more than a hint of Sepia Metallic to it. That’s the pick for me. Standard wheels are 20 inches, with 21s and 22s available.

At launch the iX3 will be available just in this 50 xDrive trim. Yes, BMW is changing up its naming conventions again, though the badging is actually a little cleaner now.

This dual-motor setup is appropriately rear-biased, with around two-thirds of its 463-horsepower total coming from the rear axle. System torque peaks at 476 pound-feet. BMW says it’ll clear 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.9 seconds but very rough timing at Circuito Ascari suggests that, like so many modern M cars, the iX3 is quicker than its official figures. Power is available instantly, and it can be accompanied with a tweaked version of the Hans Zimmer-crafted soundtrack. It’s not even trying to be an engine noise and is honestly better for it; I keep it on for a better sense of gaining and losing speed.

Speaking of the latter, the iX3 sets a new standard for regenerative braking. Not just in its power and predictability, but in the sheer smoothness of it at low speeds. A lot of EVs can come to a complete stop via one-pedal driving, but only the iX3 does it almost imperceptibly. Not just with a foot fully off the brake, either; with a light but consistent pressure, the EV still rolls to a stop without upsetting the equilibrium. I close my eyes to experience it—while riding shotgun, of course!—and it really is uncanny. It’s a small but important reminder of the inherent advantages of a ground-up, all-electric platform.

Efficiency? On a route that saw us dive into valleys, climb mountains, and engage in plenty of short-burst acceleration, the iX3 comfortably undercut 20.0 kWh / 100 km (32.2 kWh / 100 mi), suggesting it should achieve BMW’s estimates.

Maybe even more than the styling, modern BMWs get a lot of flak for their handling. From us included. That’s what makes the iX3, a model without an M in its name, such a revelation.

On the road the funky new steering wheel is well-weighted and consistent in its feedback. It’s very quick yet utterly predictable, making it easy to lock in on one of the endless apexes along our route and trust that the iX3 will follow the intended line. The iX3 slices in with an eagerness, the body staying flat despite the hefty 5,200-pound (2,360-kilogram) curb weight.

Our morning route terminates at Circuito Ascari, a winding, 26-corner beauty of a track. There are tight corners, chicanes, big banking, and a healthy amount of elevation changes, not to mention slalom and emergency lane-change exercises at the two back straightaways. The track iX3 has the optional performance rubber which is slightly wider at the back, but is otherwise the same as the road-going tester, no adaptive suspension and all.

The iX3 remains composed here, and doesn’t feel out of its element. Sure, understeer is easy enough to call up if one sends it in hot, but work within the well-telegraphed limits of the EV and the whole experience is fun. Again the regenerative braking deserves mention here, with lift-off typically providing enough decel to get the weight on the nose to help turn-in. All this bodes very well for upcoming M variants on this platform.

It’s plenty athletic, yet the iX3 retains a fluidity on the road that is exceptional. Again, without any adaptive bits in the suspension, just a well thought-out passive system. Spain’s typically smooth roads devolve to rough surfaces part-way through the morning route, and the iX3 takes it in stride. There’s not much in the way of suspension noise, and the ride stays pleasant (albeit Germanically firm) on the mid-level 21-inch wheels. Mid-corner bumps don’t upset the BMW either, as the iX3 quickly recovers from any shocks while staying laser-focused on its original path.

Full credit to BMW’s Heart of Joy here. Developed entirely in-house, it is one of four “superbrains” housed within the Neue Klasse and focused exclusively on driving dynamics. Showcasing the potential for software-defined vehicles, it calculates the myriad driving parameters and inputs at lightning speed without needing to farm calculations out or wait for feedback from other components. BMW says the responses are 10 times quicker than a traditional ECU. For the driver, the result is a more natural feel behind the wheel. Sounds counterintuitive given the sheer computing power, but there’s no arguing with the results.

I’ve said it a few times now but it bears repeating: BMW is putting out some of the most interesting and enjoyable cabins right now. The iX set a high bar when it debuted a few years ago, and the iX3 brings that same sense of forward-looking optimism along with some inspired material choices.

A wraparound upper dashboard design incorporates Veganza (BMW-speak for faux leather) and the slimline air vents with their even thinner ambient lighting strips. Scoff at Veganza all you want, but it’s incredibly convincing. Choice bits of metallic trim offer up the necessary contrast, with no shiny black plastic to distract. Jutting out from below that is a fabric-wrapped spar, with an open-pore knit that’s satisfying to touch. At night thin, diagonal strips of light beam through the passenger-side knit, a much more subtle approach to ambiance than other German brands manage. Ahem.

Yes, the steering wheel looks weird. I found it generally easy to use and hold, other than a strange inability to tell when it’s right-way up. Maybe it’s the odd six- and twelve-o’clock spoke positions, made possible by the complete rethink of in-car infotainment.

There’s enough tech talk with this vehicle to warrant an entire separate review. The iX3 debuts Operating System X—like Apple, BMW is pronouncing the X, not saying “ten”—which incorporates not only a new infotainment screen, but also the Panoramic Vision Display, a thin display running the full length along the base of the windshield.

We’ve seen other brands attempt this sort of thing before, but BMW has quite possibly cracked it. To start, the thin display is a projection, not a screen. Not only does that mean it isn’t affected by glare nor polarized glasses, but it projects in a way that makes it seem further away than it is, so our eyes don’t spend as much time adjusting. Customizing the different widgets is easy to do via the central touchscreen as well. Beyond that, the display changes its theme and displayed widgets depending on the drive mode selected.

That main touchscreen is sharp, and the central mission is all about minimizing the number of inputs for any desired function. There is a customizable main menu along with a quick-access top menu accessible with a single swipe. Climate controls are easy to access, though even the vents are now handled via software. The screen shape isn’t just for style, either: the angle ensures no wasted space obscured via the steering wheel.

Things I don’t love: the eager voice assistant ever present in the pano display, though it will quickly fade away should it be apparent its summoning was accidental. I still don’t like an EV lacking a proper on/off button too: I want to know the car is actually off, thanks.

BMW’s safety assists are numerous. New tech includes a useful remote park feature that not only scans, identifies, and then parks in spaces, but has the wherewithal to brake or even swerve to avoid pedestrians. One particularly confident BMW employee walked so close behind a backing-up iX3 that his shirt brushed the car and it still stopped before hitting him.

I had big hopes for the 2027 BMW iX3. It was one of my most anticipated models this year, and BMW touted it as a veritable sea-change of a vehicle. Hype was high yet the new model sticks the landing, feeling positively cutting edge and making every other small(ish) luxury EV SUV seem old hat.

Is it still a BMW? Maybe not the ones we’ve become accustomed to; but instead the ones we remember. It’s engaging but still comfortable, tech-forward but not simply for the sake of more tech. That it might end up at near price parity with its ICE counterpart for a vehicle with class-leading range and charging capability shows just how strong BMW’s game is here. And if this initial Neue Klasse offering is so good, just think about how the next few dozen, all arriving by 2028, will impress.

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