Summary
The BMW iX3 was an electric version of the contemporary BMW X3 SUV. It arrived in the UK in 2021 to join the regular X3 models, and was on sale until 2025 when it was replaced by the all-new, second-generation iX3.
The iX3 received positive feedback from the UK motoring media during its production life. It was particularly praised for its quiet and refined drivetrain, even compared to other electric cars, and for its better-than-average handling. The main criticisms were that performance was not as sharp as some rivals, and that the iX3 was expensive compared to regular X3 models in the same family.
In what must have been some kind of record, a facelifted version of the BMW iX3 was announced in late summer 2021, almost before the first original cars even started arriving in the UK. The updated models began to arrive in December and offered the usual mid-life updates of revised styling both inside and out, as well as an upgraded mapping system for improved traffic and charging point information.
As of September 2025, the BMW iX3 holds a Used Car Expert Rating of B, with a score of 65%. It scores top marks for its zero tailpipe emissions and BMW’s new EV warranty, while also getting good grades for its positive media reviews and low running costs. However, its safety rating (based on the last-generation X3 from 2017) has now expired, which negatively impacts the overall rating.
Key specifications
Body style: Medium SUV/crossover
Powertrain: electric motor, battery-powered
Price when new: From £65,160 on-road
Launched: Summer 2021
Last updated: Winter 2021/22
Replacement due: Winter 2025/26
Image gallery
Media reviews
Highlighted reviews and road tests from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Featured reviews
“Practical, efficient and good to to drive, the BMW iX3 is an all-electric family SUV that exudes quality.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
Read full review
Auto Express
Ellis Hyde, Richard Ingram
“The BMW iX3 should appeal to EV fans and SUV aficionados equally, but it isn’t as comfortable as it could be.”
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
Read full review
Carwow
More reviews
Auto Express
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The all-electric BMW iX3 does a convincing job of pitching itself as a fantastic family car. It’s a little stiff, but it drives well, charges quickly and comes loaded with kit. We’d like a bit more flair for the cabin, but for those wanting their EV to keep its credentials quiet, the BMW nails its brief.”
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Auto Trader
Score: 9 / 10
“As an all-electric version of one of its most popular SUVs, the iX3 looks like an automatic smash hit for BMW. Its range between charges is impressive, but its performance is only middling when compared to other expensive electric SUVs, even if the electric X3’s refinement is superb.”
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Car
Score: 8 / 10
“Too expensive and not exactly a street-cred front-runner, the BMW iX3 is remarkably efficient and dynamically up to scratch. Three assets stand out proud: superb handling (plenty of old-school emotions), long range (peace of mind) and low cost of ownership (no hefty penalty for saving the world).
Read review
Car Keys
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“The flexibility, speedy charging and long range offered by its powertrain get it off to a great start, while also offering a roomy interior and impressive build quality. So the iX3, along with BMW’s other upcoming EVs, show that there is plenty to be optimistic about.”
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Carbuyer
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW iX3 is an electric variant of the popular X3 SUV, with a 279-mile range.”
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Company Car Today
Model reviewed: Premier Edition
“The new all-electric BMW iX3 is likely to be one of the plug-in hits of 2021, but it certainly has a hefty price tag.”
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Daily Mail
Model reviewed:
“The BMW iX3 is pretty brisk, sporty and engaging. Many may be relieved that the iX3 looks so normal. It lacks the much-debated massive cartoonish grille on recent BMWs which have divided opinion.”
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Daily Mirror
Model reviewed: 80kWh Premium Edition Pro
Score: 6 / 10
“Serial BMW owners, especially X3 owners, will feel entirely at home in the iX3. The interior space is exactly the same as the X3’s even down to the boot, which holds 510 litres. A long range and fast charging are due to it being able to accept 150kW. The car isn’t as high performance as you’d expect from a BMW, but that’s no problem as it’s plenty quick enough.”
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Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Refined, spacious and good to drive, the BMW iX3 makes sense as an electric family SUV – but some rivals feel more special.”
Author: Richard Ingram
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Electrifying.com
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“It would be very easy to dismiss the BMW iX3 as an expensive step up from its plug-in hybrid alternative. But we applaud that BMW is offering another electrified choice to X3 customers and that 285-mile range makes it pretty usable as an everyday car.”
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Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: iX3 Premier Edition Pro 80kWh battery
Score: 10 / 10
“The BMW iX3 combines a high quality, rewarding and very comfortable BMW driving experience with an all-electric powertrain.”
Read review
Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“The iX3 isn’t cheap, but it’s a very impressive car with some very impressive technology.”
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Heycar
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW iX3 is a superbly well-rounded electric SUV. It’s just as practical as a standard X3, while its interior is exceptionally well-finished and it’s a lot of fun to drive. It’s cheap to run, too, even if the £60,000-plus price tag might initially be hard to stomach.”
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Honest John
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW iX3’s brilliance is its simplicity. It takes a gimmick-free approach, providing a decent range and enough space for all the family. The interior really is superb, with fine materials and BMW’s excellent latest media system.”
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Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“BMW’s first electric SUV is refined, good to drive and lovely inside”
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The Sunday Times
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW iX3 delivers electric engineering excellence – at a price.”
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Top Gear
Model reviewed:
Score: 7 / 10
“BMW’s second full-electric car is a little more ‘normal’, a pragmatic EV that can go a long way on a charge.”
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Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: November 2017
Date expired: January 2024
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 93%
Child protection: 84%
Vulnerable road users: 70%
Safety assist: 58%
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Notes on safety rating
The BMW X3 was originally tested by Euro NCAP back in 2017 and awarded a five-star rating. The iX3 shares the same rating as the combustion-powered X3 models, as Euro NCAP determined that it is structurally identical and would perform similarly in emergency situations.
However, this rating expired in January 2024 and is no longer valid as the car no longer meets the standards required for such a rating. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.
However, if you are comparing a used iX3 to vehicles of similar age, whose ratings will have probably also expired, its safety rating score is still useful.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
The BMW iX3 was not assessed by Green NCAP during its production life.
The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the iX3 would certainly have scored very highly in Green NCAP testing if it had ever taken place. Check back again soon.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 290 miles | B |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.6 m/KWh | D |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 44 | E |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £334 | D |
| Year 2 | £581 | C |
| Year 3 | £845 | B |
| Year 4 | £1,105 | C |
| Year 5 | £1,382 | B |
| Overall | £4,247 | C |
Running costs for the BMW iX3 are much cheaper than its ICE-powered X3 counterpart, according to numbers provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our data partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
The SUV has an average battery range of 290 miles (which varies from 282 miles to 286 miles, depending on which model you choose) according to official UK/EU government lab tests. That’s more than enough for most household needs, so you shouldn’t need to worry about running out of charge in normal day-to-day driving. The car’s service and running costs are good for the first year, and excellent from the second year onwards.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of September 2025, we don’t have enough reliability data on the BMW iX3 to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively for us using warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the iX3 we’ll publish the score here.
Warranty rating
New car warranty information for the BMW iX3
| Overall rating | A | 82% |
| New car warranty duration | 3 years |
| New car warranty mileage | Unlimited miles |
| Battery warranty duration | 8 years |
| Battery warranty mileage | 100,000 miles |
BMW’s standard new car warranty is worse than average, and not as good as some other brands in a similar price bracket as the iX3.
The duration is three years, with no limit on mileage. In addition, there’s an eight-year/100,000-mile warranty for the battery components.
Warranty on a used BMW iX3
- The first BMW iX3 vehicles started arriving in the UK in late 2021, meaning they would have reached the end of their new car warranty at the end of 2024. Cars first registered in late 2025 will still be under new car warranty until late 2028.
- If you are buying an ‘Approved Used’ BMW iX3 from an official BMW dealership, you will get a minimum 12-month warranty included.
- If you are buying a used BMW iX3 from an independent dealership, any warranty offered will vary and will probably be managed by a third-party warranty company.
- If you are buying a used BMW iX3 from a private seller, there are no warranty protections beyond any remaining portion of the original new car warranty.
If you’re looking to buy a used car that is approaching the end of its warranty period, a used car warranty is usually a worthwhile investment. Check out The Car Expert’s guide to the best used car warranty providers, which will probably be cheaper than a warranty sold by a dealer.
Recalls
Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the BMW iX3
Date: August 2023
Recall number: R/2023/235
Model types: All
Build dates: 08/2022 only
Number of vehicles affected: 27
Defect: On affected vehicles due to a supplier component production process error a damaged Combined Charging Unit may have been installed.
Remedy: Replace the Combined Charging Unit.
Date: May 2023
Recall number: R/2023/133
Model types: All
Build dates: 11/2021 to 03/2023
Number of vehicles affected: 28
Defect: A cable bridge connection connecting two circuit boards within the cell supervision circuit (CSC) might not have been installed properly.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the cell supervision circuit (CSC) inside the high-voltage battery will be replaced.
Date: October 2021
Recall number: R/2021/361
Model types: All
Build dates: 06/2020 to 05/2021
Number of vehicles affected: 384
Defect: In rare cases due to a software error the fast intermediate circuit discharge is triggered late.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles software in the Battery Management Unit (BMU) will be updated by reprogramming.
As of September 2024 (our most recent data point), there have been three DVSA vehicle safety recalls on the iX3 addressing various different issues.
Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local BMW dealer.
If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used iX3, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.
Awards
Trophies, prizes and awards that the BMW iX3 has received
2025
- Autotrader Awards – Best Premium Electric Car
2023
- Auto Trader Awards – Best Premium Electric Car
2022
- Fleet News Awards – Best Premium SUV
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the BMW iX3, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Audi e-tron | Audi Q4 e-tron | Ford Mustang Mach-E | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | Jaguar I-Pace | Kia EV6 | Mercedes-Benz EQC | Polestar 2 | Skoda Enyaq | Tesla Model Y | Volkswagen ID.4
Buy a BMW iX3
If you’re looking to buy a new or used BMW iX3, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car.
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Lease a BMW iX3
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Subscribe to a BMW iX3
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