Belonging to the globally popular mid-size SUV segment, the next-gen BMW iX3 will be the company’s most significant mass-market EV launch in years. The Germans are revealing product details gradually, ensuring it remains in the spotlight until its world premiere at IAA 2025 that opens on September 8 for the press.
Having experienced the first-gen BMW iX3, and seen the Vision Neue Klasse X concept up close last year, here’s what we expect from the next-generation iX3.
Exterior
BMW’s design philosophy in recent years has stirred controversy, but even a pivotal product like the next-gen iX3 (codename: NA5) won’t keep designers from playing dare. As we’ve depicted in our exclusive renderings, the exterior will be designed to stand out.
The next-gen BMW iX3 will have a monolithic design, characterized by tight tolerances and a bare minimum use of character lines. Central to its identity is an offbeat front, with a tall and visibly narrow faux kidney grille and, wide glass panels housing the headlights, and inward-slanted daytime running lights. A dipped section in the center of the hood would lead to the vertical kidney grille.
On the sides, the next-gen iX3 will feature conventional proportions. That said, we do expect a few distinguishing touches, such as a unique garnish on the rear quarter glass, for instance. Flush-fitted door handles will add to its sleek aero-optimized styling.
At the back, the design should stay relatively normal with fewer seams and character lines to maintain the clean look. Thankfully, BMW designers don’t appear to be caving to the trend of connected tail lights, preserving the classic elegance.
Interior
The low-profile theme would continue inside, most evident in a slim dashboard and center console, both with far fewer physical controls than in an ordinary BMW. The next-gen BMW iX3’s main talking point will be the BMW Panoramic Vision, a new type of head-up display that projects information from A-pillar to A-pillar onto a black printed surface in the lower section of the windscreen.
BMW Panoramic Vision will complement a conventional HUD, which will display fewer and only the most essential details like the driving speed, navigation directions, and automated driving information. The steering wheel will have an unusual type of four-spoke design, with the fourth spoke being located at the 12 o’clock position. The central touchscreen will have a parallelogram-like shape, with its sides slanted toward the front passenger.
The next-gen BMW iX3’s infotainment system will run the BMW Operating System 9, which is based on an Android Open Source Project (AOSP) software stack. Customers will be able to install more than 60 apps worldwide, including Zoom, via the BMW ConnectedDrive Store.
Specifications
Based on a new dedicated EV platform, the next-gen BMW iX3 will measure 188.1 in. in length, 74.6 in. in width, and 64.3 in. in height and have a 113.4 in. wheelbase, as per a Bimmerpost forum thread. It will reportedly offer 18.3 cu. ft. of cargo space, expandable to 61 cu. ft. by folding the rear seat. BMW has confirmed it is working on a China-specific long-wheelbase version alongside the global version.
BMW should launch the next-gen iX3 in single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD variants, with the latter being capable of hitting 0 to 60 mph in just around four seconds. The company will use a module-less battery pack consisting of its next-gen, cylindrical cells instead of the current prismatic cells.
In the long range variant, we expect the next-gen iX3 to travel around 400 miles on a single charge, as per EPA’s estimation method. Thanks to an 800-volt system, a 10-80% charging session may take just around 20 minutes.
Price & Release Date
The next-gen BMW iX3 could be priced from around USD 60,000 and arrive in American showrooms by the first half of 2026. BMW plans to start manufacturing it in Debrecen, Hungary, in August 2025.
International Automotive News Editor since 2014, covering global motor shows, industry events, and test-driving various vehicles, with a focus on hybrid and electric cars in recent years.
