BMW iX3

BMW kicks off a new era with a radical electric SUV that can officially cover 500 miles on a charge On sale March 2026 Price from £58,755

- DARREN MOSS

WHEN MARVEL'S IRON Man film came out in 2008, it reset the bar for what a superhero film could be. In the same vein, the new, second-generation BMW iX3 is intended to not only showcase the best technology that the German brand can offer, but also set the template for a new generation of models.

And straight out of the gate, the iX3 delivers a sucker punch to its electric SUV rivals, with an official electric range of 500 miles for the 50 xDrive - the sole variant available at launch.

That figure is a huge improvement on the original iX3's official range of up to 292 miles and makes the new model the longest-range electric vehicle (EV) available in the UK. It comes courtesy of a massive battery with a 108.7kWh usable capacity (compared with its predecessor's 74kWh).

Other statistics for the iX3 are almost as impressive. Two electric motors produce a combined 463bhp and drive all four wheels, allowing the iX3 to accelerate from 0-62mph in just 4.9sec - a second quicker than the equivalent Q6.