Say hello to…
…the BMW iX3, the second generation of the all-electric family SUV. The iX3 is based on an all-new platform that will also give rise to a new i3 saloon. The iX3 is available in two forms, the 40 which has an 82.6kWh battery and a 320hp motor with a range of 395 miles, and a 50 which has a 108.7kWh battery, a range of 500 miles and a 469hp motor.
There are three trim levels:
- Standard
- M Sport
- M Sport Pro
Standard equipment includes 20-inch alloys, wireless phone charging, two-zone climate control, powered front seats with memory, a huge infotainment system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and vehicle-to-load.
M Sport adds M Sport body kit and interior.
M Sport Pro adds uprated sports seats, illuminated front grille and adaptive LED headlights.
Is The BMW iX3 Suitable For My Fleet
On paper the BMW iX3 ticks all the right boxes: premium brand appeal, huge official range, great interior space, ultra-fast charging (400kW maximum) is impressive and a high quality interior. However, while the official range in claimed at 500 miles, this is down primarily to a massive battery, rather than being efficient. In our test we saw just 3.5 miles per kWh, which would give a real-world range of 380 miles. But if you’re public charging, there are more efficient options.
Leasing A BMW iX3
Gateway2lease is offering the BMW iX3 xDrive 50 for £887 a month on a 3+36 contract with 10,000 miles a year. Running costs are forecast at £45 a month over the same mileage, according to Gensen Reports, while Class 1A NIC comes in at £34 a month.
Driving A BMW iX3
Thanks to the interior – which features a narrow digital display running just below the windscreen as well as the usual large infotainment screen and driver’s display – the BMW iX3 takes a little getting used to, but once you settle into it, it makes a strong case for being one of the most accomplished long-distance electric cars around.
The steering wheel is also a big initial adjustment. Its unusual vertical-spoke design looks distinctive, but makes it surprisingly difficult to work out which way up the wheel is when manoeuvring. It’s a minor irritation rather than a deal-breaker, but one that takes some acclimatisation.
There are a few other quirks to learn. Some functions are buried too deeply in the touchscreen menus – disabling the passenger-side mirror dipping when reversing, for example, is far from intuitive. There isn’t an easy way to change the direction of airflow from the vents because it’s too deep in the menu system, which suggests BMW may have overcomplicated some of the car’s controls in its pursuit of a minimalist cabin.
The large display strip running along the bottom of the dashboard screen looks like it could be distracting, but in practice it’s surprisingly useful and quickly becomes a natural part of the driving experience.
Where the iX3 really impresses, though, is its range and charging capability. The enormous 108.7kWh battery gives it the sort of long-distance ability that makes range anxiety largely irrelevant. Even in cold weather, real-world range looks likely to be in the high 300-mile region, while our testing saw it managing close 400 miles on a full charge with zero eco-effort.
And when you do need to recharge, the 400kW charging capability is genuinely impressive. It means that, provided you can find a sufficiently powerful charger, adding a meaningful amount of range can be remarkably quick.
For all its interface quirks, then, the iX3 is an extremely capable electric car. Its combination of huge range, rapid charging and generally well-resolved driving experience makes it particularly well suited to drivers who cover serious mileage – just make sure you have lower cost charging available.
FleetandLeasing.com Verdict On The BMW iX3
An impressive SUV with a huge range, but only average efficiency.
BMW iX3
- Model: iX3 xDrive50 M Sport
- Power: 469hp
- Torque: 645Nm
- Max speed: 130mph
- 0-62mph: 4.9s
- Official range: 500 miles
- Test range: 380 miles
- CO2 emissions: 0g/km
- BIK tax band 2026/27: 4%
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