BMW iX3 2026 Review

The 2026 BMW iX3 range arrives in Oz from $109,900 before on-road costs for the flagship dual-motor 50 xDrive, which will be joined by the more affordable rear-drive iX3 40 (from $89,900 + ORCs) in the fourth quarter of 2026.

As you’d expect, the range-topping 50 xDrive – the only grade available from launch – comes fully loaded, rolling on 20-inch wheels (21- and 22-inch shoes are optional), and fitted with LED lighting throughout, a huge glass roof said to repel 100 per cent of UVA and UVB rays, a range of sustainable materials, a panoramic iDrive display, a huge ‘free-cut’ central touchscreen, ambient interior lighting, wireless phone charging, M Sport brakes, M Sport package and a Harman Kardon sound system, to name a few.

Outside, the bold design of the second-gen iX3 is marginally larger than its predecessor and the styling is a nod to the OG Neue Klasse sedans of the 1960s – you see it in the illuminated kidney grille, while updated BMW badges feature at either end to accompany its X Face design.

A 58-litre frunk (front trunk) also lives beneath the bonnet.

At the heart of the iX3 is BMW’s Gen6 eDrive system, which runs an 800V architecture, boasts 345kW/645Nm outputs from a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup and wedges in a very large 108kWh battery pack, equipped with Bimmer’s new round cell tech.

The promise of up to 805km of driving comes with the 50 xDrive – which also nabs ultra-fast 400kW DC charging capabilities – while the cheaper 235kW iX3 40 coming later this year gets a smaller 82kWh battery for a claimed 635km of range.

Safety is just as extensive, including nine airbags, autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and semi-autonomous driving with steering and lane control assist, while every iX3 comes standard with 22 cameras, radars and sensors.

BMW covers the iX3 with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre vehicle warranty and an eight-year/160,000km warranty for the high-voltage system.

Meanwhile, condition-based service packs are offered for four ($5535) or six ($6615) years.

When you’re staring down a six-figure price tag, you expect a luxury EV to do more than just tick a few boxes and thankfully, the all-new 2026 BMW iX3 delivers where it counts.

On winding country roads, the iX3 strikes a sublime balance: it’s nimble, athletic, and feels genuinely quick (yet not sickeningly so), yet remains wonderfully composed and comfortable over rougher Aussie tarmac. 

And even though it doesn’t use the typical adaptive dampers or air suspension found in many high-end machines, the ride and handling experience is top notch; paired with our test car’s 20-inch wheels (wrapped in Nexen rubber), it proved very capable at smoothing out potholes and lumpy roads, while still providing decent levels of grip when cornering with enthusiasm.

The quirky twin-spoke M Sport steering wheel (one of four options) feels great underhand and while it’s not as thick as the tiller in other modern Bimmers, it fits in hand very nicely.

There are some cool tech inclusions when it comes to the driving experience, including what BMW execs describe as the ‘calmest, smoothest stop in any car’ thanks to the rear e-motor’s ability to take out the very last bit of travel to ensure a chauffeur-like stop.

The big battery pack also serves up a claimed driving range of up to 805km and rapid 400kW DC fast-charging capabilities, taking you from 10 to 80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

At a public charging station that’s powerful enough – unfortunately still few and far between in Australia – BMW says you can add around 370km of range in 10 minutes.

The clever NMC battery pack also runs its own cooling system for each row of cells, akin to an air-con gas system able to heat and cool the battery.

There's even a clever AI-powered charging flap that learns your habits and uses GPS to work out when you’ve arrived in your regular charging spot (i.e your garage) to conveniently open the charging flap, ready for you to plug in.

Inside, BMW has nailed the cabin. Sustainable materials meet a striking, edgy interior headlined by the huge, customisable panoramic iDrive display that brings a real wow-factor – you can even project one of five BMW Art Cars (or all of them at once!) across the dash.

From a mid-size SUV perspective, it gets most other things right – the second row is spacious enough for a pair of adults and there’s plenty of amenity (including tri-zone climate control), while a 520-litre boot is generous but not groundbreaking.

It’s clear BMW’s Neue Klasse investment yields an impressive piece of engineering, but the reality is, the iX3 doesn’t come cheap.

Thankfully, the more affordable 40 coming in Q4 2026 is priced just below the Luxury Car Tax (LCT), making it eligible for FBT exemptions (and making more sense financially).

But at $110,000 before on-road costs, the flagship iX3, as good as it is, asks a massive $35,000 premium over high-selling disruptors like the Tesla Model Y and Zeekr 7X – which could make the iX3 difficult to reconcile particularly when you look at their spec sheets side by side.

Another reason you might not pick the iX3 is for its cabin layout. Radical as it is, there really isn’t much in the way of interior storage options. The central lidded armrest is tiny and the glovebox isn’t huge either.

Good thing there’s a large bin/tray between the driver and passenger seat, but there’s no cover or lid, meaning anything you put there will be exposed.

Like many modern vehicles, the cabin is almost entirely stripped of physical buttons – save for an important few – meaning common controls, including the climate control functions, are buried in the central display.

Another downer comes in the form of its claimed driving range, which BMW says drops by around five per cent every inch in wheel size you go up. So, if you opt for the big sexy 22s ($7700 by the way), expect driving range to drop by around 10 per cent – BMW execs say to expect around 630-650km if you go for 22s.

That’s certainly true for the second iX3 tester (fitted with 22s) we jumped in at the local launch, which showed around 326km of available driving range at 50 per cent battery and an average energy consumption figure of 17.5kWh/100km after a predominantly highway drive.

We’re keen to spend more time with the iX3 to find out just how efficient it is.

Ultimately, just how much driving range you’ll achieve will come down to your driving style and the type of driving you’re doing. Oh, and if you plan on utilizing its 2000kg factory towing option ($2000), that’ll obviously affect it too.

Let’s not sugarcoat it – $110,000 is a lot of money for a mid-size electric SUV in today’s competitive market but the 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive is a lot of car for the money.

It’s also a very exciting, tech-laden first taste of what’s to come for the Bavarian marque’s Neue Klasse architecture.

Whether it’s enough to steer cost-of-living-affected Aussies out of cheaper options – for which there are plenty here and even more coming – remains to be seen.

For now, it’s an impressive machine that comes with a lot of promise… for those prepared to pay the price.

2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive at a glance:
Price: $109,900 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two asynchronous electric motors
Output: 345kW/645Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 108kWh NMC (nickel manganese cobalt)
Range: 805km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 15.1-18.8kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2026)

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