When BMW launched the first series-production Neue Klasse model, the headlines were all about 805 km of range and 400 kW charging. But the real test of a revolution isn’t the flagship – it’s the way in. That way in is called the iX3 40: rear-wheel drive, 320 hp, up to 635 km WLTP and a German starting price of €63,400. Add the M Sport pack and you have what may well become the most common new iX3 on the road.

Neue Klasse, no cut corners

First, the good news: BMW hasn’t stripped the look of the entry model. According to the company, the iX3 40 shares its standard equipment and design with the iX3 50 xDrive. That means the new face with vertical kidney grilles integrated into the lighting signature, clean surfacing and a body that is 4,782 mm long on a 2,897 mm wheelbase. The M Sport package brings 20-inch M alloys, M Sport brakes with blue callipers, bespoke bumpers, side skirts and diffuser, a sports steering wheel and Veganza/M PerformTex upholstery – everything that makes an SAV look lower and meaner without touching the powertrain.

Inside, BMW Panoramic iDrive takes centre stage. BMW Panoramic Vision projects information across the full width of the windscreen, from pillar to pillar, while an optional 3D head-up display adds depth to navigation. It all runs on the new BMW Operating System X, and in Germany the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant now teams up with Amazon Alexa+.

The new Neue Klasse BMW iX3 (pictured: iX3 50 xDrive) — Photo: BMW (BMW Group PressClub)

One motor, lots of efficiency

Powering the iX3 40 is a sixth-generation BMW eDrive electrically excited synchronous motor on the rear axle. Output is 235 kW (320 hp) with 500 Nm of torque. BMW quotes 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds and a limited 200 km/h top speed. That’s a step down from the 469 hp iX3 50 xDrive, but on paper it’s ample for a family SUV of this size.

The battery uses cylindrical cells integrated directly into the pack (cell-to-pack) and offers 82.6 kWh of usable capacity. WLTP consumption is 14.6 kWh/100 km – a figure you’d expect from a much smaller car – and that’s what unlocks the up-to-635 km range. The architecture is 800 volts: DC charging peaks at 300 kW, ten minutes on a fast charger adds up to 300 km, and 10-80% takes 21 minutes. AC charging is 11 kW as standard or 22 kW as an option (0-100% in 4 h 15 min), and the car is bidirectional-charging capable.

Practicality and tech

The boot holds 520 litres, growing to 1,750 litres with the rear seats folded, and there’s a further 58-litre frunk under the bonnet – the perfect home for cables. Standard kit listed by BMW includes two-zone climate control, Comfort Access and wireless phone charging. Under the skin sit the so-called superbrains: the “Heart of Joy” controls drivetrain and chassis dynamics, while a separate unit handles driver assistance. The iX3 is built at BMW’s new Debrecen plant in Hungary, which runs without fossil fuels in normal operation.

Who is the iX3 40 M Sport for?

Simple: for the buyer who wants Neue Klasse technology but has no need for twin motors and 469 hp. The range gap to the 50 xDrive is real on paper, yet 635 km WLTP and 300 kW charging already place the iX3 40 near the top of the premium electric SUV class, alongside the likes of the Mercedes GLC and Audi Q6 e-tron. The downsides? No all-wheel drive, and €63,400 in Germany (before the M Sport pack) is hardly small change. In the UK it starts from £53,250 OTR. European market launch is summer 2026. If BMW’s efficiency promises hold up in the real world, this could be the smartest buy in the range.