BMW built its new iX3 around a computer it calls Heart of Joy, and on my first drive the technology mostly disappeared. The iX3 50 xDrive is the first production car from BMW’s Neue Klasse generation, ahead of the i3 sedan that opened U.S. reservations last week. BMW scheduled U.S. deliveries to start September 25 at $61,500 plus $1,350 destination, and I drove one at Ray Catena BMW of Westchester in White Plains, New York.
The iX3 weighs more than 5,000 pounds. Coming from my dad’s BMW M340i xDrive, I expected to feel all of that weight in the corners, and I barely felt it.
BMW’s Heart of Joy Computer Runs the iX3’s Driving Dynamics
Heart of Joy is the single control unit that runs the iX3’s drivetrain, brakes, charging, energy recuperation and steering subfunctions. BMW says it computes those functions up to 10 times faster than conventional control units, and that 98% of braking can be handled by recuperation alone.
BMW’s iX3 launch release calls it one of four “superbrains” in the car. The other three handle automated driving, infotainment and comfort functions such as climate and seat adjustment. The software is easy to see on the center screen, which can show a 3D camera view of the car you can rotate with a swipe.
The accelerator was easy to modulate, and the power came in smoothly and predictably unless I floored it. In Sport mode the response was so quick it almost felt as if the car could read what my brain was telling my foot. The calmer modes never felt sluggish, though the difference between modes was easy to feel.
The iX3 Rides Smoothly on Bad Roads Without Feeling Soft
The iX3 comes on conventional tires, and BMW said run-flats would be an accessory option in the U.S. That helps explain why it rode more smoothly over broken pavement than a gas BMW on run-flats. The suspension still felt firm enough for a sporty drive.
BMW’s Neue Klasse product chief, Jennifer Selig, told Tarmac Life about the run-flat plan last December. On rough roads I could barely feel dips up to half a foot deep.
Strong Regen Lets the iX3 Drive on One Pedal
In Silent mode I barely touched the brake pedal, because lifting off the accelerator slowed the iX3 hard enough for one-pedal driving. The regenerative braking was abrupt, though, like a sports car’s engine braking at about twice the strength, and the transition could be smoother.
The brake pedal has a short range, so it was easy to brake too hard, especially coming from the M340i, which has a long pedal. When I braked hard, the nose didn’t dive forward the way you’d expect from a tall, heavy SUV.
The iX3 Corners Flat Despite Weighing 5,154 Pounds
Kelley Blue Book lists the iX3 at 5,154 pounds (2,338 kilograms). Yet it handled like a taller sports car with looser steering, and body roll stayed small in fast corners. Bumps in the middle of a turn never unsettled it, even when only one side of the car hit them.
The steering felt very smooth at all speeds, which fits BMW putting steering under the same computer as the brakes and motors. The iX3 was annoyingly easy and fun to drive.
EVXL’s Take
I care less about how quick the iX3 is than about how relaxed it feels on an ordinary drive, including the days when you’re tired and not driving at your best. My drive was short and in one condition, so I can’t tell you how it handles rain or whether the range holds up. BMW’s U.S. pricing release lists up to 434 miles EPA on optional 20-inch summer tires and 383 miles on the standard all-seasons, and BMW’s own team drove one 626 miles on a charge in Europe by staying off highways. Based on this drive, the iX3 is a well-built, all-around midsize electric SUV. BMW named the computer Heart of Joy, and after driving the car I think the name fits.
Sources: BMW Group PressClub, Tarmac Life, Kelley Blue Book
EVXL uses automated tools to support research and source retrieval. All reporting is by Damien Kesteloo, edited by Haye Kesteloo.
