2027 BMW iX3 First Look: A Massive Shake-Up For the EV World

• The 2027 BMW iX3 is a new electric SUV that's packed with tech inside and out.
• It sets the tone for a new generation of cars from BMW.
• Highlights include up to 400 miles of range and a completely revised iDrive infotainment system.

A new wave of BMW EVs is coming, and it all starts with the 2027 iX3. This SUV will bring its all-electric efforts into the future with a clean-sheet design and a barrage of fresh technology that will expand throughout the BMW lineup. In other words, this is a really big deal.

It seems like every automaker makes a massive declaration about its next-generation EV every time a new one rolls around. But this time around, BMW really means it; the platform that underpins the iX3 is the biggest investment the company has ever made into a product in its history. BMW is doing a lot more than responding to some EV fad — this is a long-term play. 

All new everything

Though BMW has EVs on the road already like the iX and the i5, the new iX3 shares nothing in common with them whatsoever. Everything from its battery cells to its interior technology is different. If you've already got a BMW in your garage and think you know what's coming, trust me, this is an entirely different ballgame. 

Design-wise, the iX3 will likely be a very welcome change in direction for a brand that has been criticized relentlessly over the last few years for cars that have failed to aesthetically connect with the masses. This won’t win everyone over, but it isn’t so polarizing. Personally, I think it's a win.

Part of that exterior design is about gliding through the air to maximize range, and BMW's early estimates are promising. The twin-motor iX3 50 xDrive will hit the market with an estimated 400 miles of range. For some context, the farthest-driving BMW we’ve put on the Edmunds EV Range Test went 377 miles, so we’re most likely looking at a new benchmark for the brand. 

The iX3 50 xDrive will also offer 463 hp and 475 lb-ft of torque from its two motors, which BMW says propels it to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds. As with its other EVs, I would expect the iX3 to eventually be offered in faster and slower trim levels, too. The 50 is just the tip of an electric iceberg.

Powering the SUV is a 108-kWh battery, made with a new cylindrical cell design that improves power density and cooling. It also charges quicker than current BMW EVs, now up to 400 kW in ideal conditions. The iX3 also comes with a Tesla-style NACS port, so you'll be able to juice up at Supercharger stations without an adapter.

We outlined some of the insane new hardware powering this car and how it will affect the driving dynamics in an early prototype drive of the iX3 a few months ago. We came away impressed, but that was just a prototype, so we'll wait to pass final judgment until we drive the real deal. That said, BMW isn't shy about its claims for the iX3, asserting everything from more natural-feeling driver assistance features to smoother brake regeneration is all part of the package.  

A look inside the future of BMW

Even with its long list of fresh hardware, I think the most meaningful change to the iX3 is its tech-filled cabin. It’s a huge departure from every BMW on the road today and acts as a roadmap for how all of the company’s cars will look in the future.

It starts with a new infotainment system called Panoramic iDrive. In the center of the dashboard is a large 18-inch touchscreen that’s tilted toward the driver. Upon sitting in the car for the first time and interacting with the display, I was immediately impressed by how quick the screen responded to my inputs. This is probably the first system I’ve ever used that felt more responsive than a Tesla.

Working with the touchscreen is a mass of information that runs the entirety of the dash and the base of the windshield, something that BMW calls Panoramic Vision. Think of this as a gigantic head-up display because it isn't a screen; all of the info at the base of the dash is actually projected onto a black bar painted onto the base of the windshield. 

It's meant to take all of the most important information and put it high up in the driver’s line of vision. You can select what you want displayed up there by sending things from the touchscreen to that glorified head-up display and reconfigure on the fly. It’s a little overwhelming at first, but the functionality seems very cool.

BMW also has a new voice assistant that debuts in the iX3. The icon that pops up on the dash looks kinda like Spider-Man, but I digress. It can handle basic stuff like inputting destinations and making phone calls, but eventually it will handle more complex tasks with AI integration. BMW says it will roll out in time via over-the-air updates.

Once you’re done digesting all of the new screens around you, the rest of the iX3’s interior starts to make an equally strong impression. There’s a lot less going on inside than in the current 5 Series, at least from a design perspective. No crazy, shiny ambient light strips or crystal control wheels — the iX3 reduces the number of things you’re looking at to just the essentials. Some might find that boring, but after an era of controversial BMW interior design to go with the polarizing exteriors, some simplicity might be exactly what buyers want.

Obviously, our team will need to spend much more time inside this thing to give it the comfort seal of approval, but my 10 minutes inside were pleasant. The seats are soft and supportive, with enough bolstering to hold me in place without feeling like I was being smushed. The driving position feels extra elevated, with no traditional gauges above the steering wheel — remember, everything is at the bottom of the windshield in the Panoramic Vision. Backseat space is also pretty generous. Though this is called iX3, the passenger room inside is more similar to that of the larger X5 SUV. 

The BMW iX3 will launch first in Europe later this year after its introduction at the IAA show in Munich this month. It will eventually make its way to the U.S. market in the middle of next year, as a 2027 model year vehicle. Translation: If you’re excited about putting an iX3 in your garage, you've got a wait on your hands.

BMW says the iX3 50 xDrive will start at around $60,000 in the States. That’s about $15,000 less than the BMW iX, which offers less range and older technology. That's a touch more than competition like the Tesla Model Y and Audi Q4 E-tron, but on first blush, this BMW looks like completely different gravy. But we'll know for sure once we get behind the wheel.