BMW has been banging on about Neue Klasse for what feels like longer than it takes to find a good barista in the suburbs, but the all-new iX3 50 xDrive has finally been given a price tag for Australia, and it is rather a cracker: $109,900 before on-roads.
Unveiled at the IAA Mobility show in Munich last year, the iX3 is the first Neue Klasse model to land on Australian shores, and it arrives loaded to the gunwales with technology that makes the current iX look like it was designed on a Commodore 64.
The headline numbers are properly staggering. An 805-kilometre WLTP driving range from a 108kWh battery. 400kW DC charging that adds more than 350 kilometres in just 10 minutes. Ten minutes. You can barely order a flat white and argue about oat milk in that time. The 10 to 80 per cent charge takes a mere 21 minutes, which makes the current generation of EVs look positively glacial.
Under the skin sits BMW’s sixth-generation eDrive technology, complete with 800-volt architecture and cylindrical battery cells. The dual-motor xDrive setup delivers 345kW and 645Nm, punting this rather substantial SAV to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds on its way to a 210km/h top speed. It is, to borrow a phrase, properly quick.
Three-phase 22kW AC charging comes standard for Australia, which is a welcome touch of common sense in a market where some manufacturers still think 7kW is acceptable for a six-figure car.
Inside, BMW has gone full science fiction. Four “superbrains” (their word, not mine, though I rather like it) handle everything from driving dynamics to automated driving to infotainment. The BMW Panoramic Vision projects vehicle information across a nano-coated surface stretching from A-pillar to A-pillar, spanning a frankly absurd 43.3 inches. It is, essentially, the world’s most expensive screensaver, except it actually tells you something useful.
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Standard specification is generous enough to make the options list refreshingly brief. M Sport Package, Harman Kardon audio, Driving Assistant Plus, panoramic glass sunroof, heated seats, comfort access with Digital Key Plus, and those rather fetching 20-inch wheels all come included. The options programme is largely confined to paint colours (most at $2,000, with a rather cheeky $6,000 for Frozen Space Silver), wheel upgrades, and an M Sport Package Pro for $3,500 that adds red brake callipers and M seats.
The design language is a significant departure from the current BMW lineup. Gone is the controversially enormous kidney grille (and the hysterical reactions it provoked), replaced with something altogether more restrained and, dare I say it, rather handsome. BMW calls it “timeless, modern and reduced.” I call it a blessed relief.
At $109,900, the iX3 50 xDrive sits in fascinating territory. With that range, that charging speed, and that level of standard kit, BMW has lobbed a rather elegant grenade into the premium electric SUV space. Further variants will follow, but this opening salvo is a proper statement of intent.
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive arrives in Australia mid-2026.
Specifications
| Spec | Value |
| Model | 2026 BMW iX3 50 xDrive |
| Drivetrain | Dual Motor, Fully Electric, xDrive |
| Power | 345kW |
| Torque | 645Nm |
| Battery | 108kWh (800V Architecture) |
| Max AC Charging | 22kW (3-Phase) |
| Max DC Charging | 400kW |
| AC Charge Time (0-100%) | 5h 30min |
| DC Charge Time (10-80%) | 21 minutes |
| 0-100km/h | 4.9 seconds |
| Top Speed | 210km/h |
| Energy Consumption | 15.1kWh/100km |
| WLTP Range | Up to 805km |
| Price | $109,900* |
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Alan Zurvas is the founder and editor of Gay Car Boys, Australia's leading LGBTQI+ automotive publication. Before launching GCB in 2008, Alan's automotive writing was published in SameSame.com.au and the Star Observer. With over 16 years of hands-on car reviewing experience, Alan brings an honest, irreverent voice to every review — championing value and innovation over brand loyalty.
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