[S8, E17] BMW iX3: In Depth Review Of "500 Mile" EV
Annotations will appear as you listen
0:00
48:14
Car
BMW iX3
The BMW iX3 is a fully electric car that looks like a regular SUV but runs only on electricity instead of gas. It's BMW's way of making a clean, green car that still feels like a BMW to drive.
Car
iX3 (G08)
The iX3 is an electric SUV made by BMW. It looks like a regular SUV but runs only on electricity, so it doesn't use gas. People talk about it because it offers a quiet and smooth ride with no emissions.
Term
electric car
An electric car is a car that runs on electricity stored in batteries instead of using gas. This means it doesn't make smoke or pollution when you drive it.
Concept
enthusiast-based podcast
An enthusiast-based podcast is a show made for people who really love cars and know a lot about them, especially fast or special cars that use gas.
Term
petrolheads
Petrolheads are people who really love cars that use gasoline. They like the sound and feel of these cars when they drive.
Brand
Lamborghini
Lamborghini is a car company from Italy that makes very fast and flashy sports cars. People who love cars often talk about Lamborghinis because they look cool and go very fast.
Brand
Ferrari
Ferrari is a famous car company from Italy that makes very fast and expensive sports cars. Many car lovers admire Ferrari cars for their speed and style.
Term
electric vehicle
An electric vehicle is a car that runs on electricity instead of gas. It uses batteries to store power and doesn't make pollution from the exhaust.
Term
heads-up display
A heads-up display shows important driving info right in front of you on the windshield, so you don't have to look down at the dashboard.
Term
electric consumption
Electric consumption means how much battery power your electric car is using while you drive or use things like the heater or lights.
Term
climate
Climate means the car's heating and air conditioning system that keeps the inside warm or cool.
Term
ADAS
ADAS means the car has special technology to help the driver, like automatic braking or lane keeping, to make driving safer and easier.
Term
single-pedal driving
Single-pedal driving means you mostly use just one pedal to go and stop the car. When you take your foot off the pedal, the car slows down by itself, so you don't have to press the brake as much.
Concept
motorway self-drive
Motorway self-drive means the car can drive by itself on big roads like highways. It can keep the car in its lane and control speed without the driver needing to touch the steering wheel all the time.
Term
assisted driving
Assisted driving means the car helps you drive by doing some parts of the driving, like steering or stopping, but you still need to watch and be ready to take over.
Part
electronic door handle
Some cars have door handles that hide inside the door and pop out when you unlock the car, making the car look smooth and cool.
Car
Land Range Rovers
The Range Rover is a big, fancy SUV made by Land Rover. It is designed to be comfortable and can drive on rough roads as well as smooth city streets. People talk about it because it has a lot of useful and fancy features.
Part
floating display
A floating display is a screen inside the car that looks like it's floating above the dashboard. It shows important information and controls, making it easier to see and use.
Term
one-pedal deceleration
In some electric cars, when you take your foot off the gas, the car slows down by itself without pressing the brake. This is called one-pedal deceleration and helps save energy.
Term
regenerative braking
When you slow down an electric car, it can save some of the energy it uses and put it back into the battery. This is called regenerative braking and helps the car go farther.
Term
SAV
SAV means Sports Activity Vehicle, which is BMW's way of saying their SUVs are more sporty and fun to drive than regular SUVs.
Car
BMW X3
The BMW X3 M40i is a sportier version of the BMW X3 SUV. It has a stronger engine and is designed to be more fun to drive while still being a practical car.
Car
BMW M3
The BMW M3 Touring is a fast and sporty car that looks like a wagon, which means it has more space for stuff. It's like a sports car and a family car combined.
Car
BMW 120I
The BMW 1 Series is a small car made by BMW that is comfortable and fun to drive. The 120i is a version with a good engine that works well for everyday driving. People like it because it feels sporty but is easy to use.
Term
Silverstone
Silverstone is a well-known race track in England where many important car races happen. It's a place where fast cars are tested and raced.
Car
BMW X3 M40d
The BMW X3 M40d is a version of the X3 SUV that uses diesel fuel. Diesel engines give more power at low speeds and can be more fuel efficient.
Term
extended range
Extended range means the car can go a long way before the battery runs out and needs charging again.
Term
charging
Charging is plugging the car into electricity to fill up its battery so it can drive again.
Car
Porsche Taycan
The Taycan is a fast, electric car made by Porsche. It doesn't use gas and is known for being quick and smooth to drive. People mention it because it shows how electric cars can be exciting.
Term
optional equipment
Optional equipment means extra things you can add to a car that don't come with the basic version. These extras usually cost more money.
LIVE
Now, we know lots of you don't love it when we record episodes whilst driving in a car,
but we are making an exception.
You keep saying this as well, mate.
What?
To upset the people.
Why don't people do it whenever we've done episodes in cars whilst driving?
People go, audios crap, you've ruined this podcast, unsubscribe.
We're sorry.
That's why we stopped doing them.
No.
But we're back.
We're back.
In a car.
Because, well, we think this is a very important car.
It is.
And we've literally just stepped into it for the first time.
And rather than spend the morning driving it and then sitting down at the loudest, we're
just going to give you raw, immediate, first impressions of the all-new BMW iX3.
Oh, no, mate.
Go away.
You can't say the make of the car.
No.
Because the computer's going to talk to us.
All the while.
Okay.
So we can we say iX3?
Yeah.
We're in new iX3.
Which, look, yes, let's get it out of the way.
It's an electric car.
Yeah.
You know.
We like electric cars.
No.
No.
You never liked electric cars.
I have liked electric cars for a while, but let's face it.
This is an enthusiast-based podcast.
Can we say that?
I think, you know, we're talking to petrolheads.
We assume.
Most of the time, yeah.
And most of the time they just want to hear about Ferraris and Lamborghini.
Yeah.
I'm aware that, but this is an important electric car, people.
Very important.
It's moved the goalposts.
We think so.
On paper it has.
Well, yeah.
We're about to find out if that's a reality.
We are here in the UK launch of this car.
And, yeah, I mean, literally it has been handed the keys.
We had a little short briefing, a very nice short briefing.
Sometimes, as we've talked about in this podcast before,
these media briefings can go on a while.
This one was pretty.
The Italian ones, right?
The Ferrari ones.
Four and a half hours later, they were locked in a room.
They had taken your phone away.
Didn't even offer you any snacks.
Anyway, that was short and concise.
And we're here.
We got the keys.
We sat in it.
And I literally rigged up the cameras.
And we're about to embark on about an hour's long drive to today's lunch stop.
So I kind of want to get going.
But there's some stuff that we need to set up,
clarify, showcase before we actually hit the road.
Well, you told me off, mate, immediately.
In what sense?
I literally got in the car.
You said, don't say anything.
Do not say, don't talk.
Don't say anything.
And then he's like, starts fondling me with a bloody mic.
What are you doing that, mate?
I had to put the mic on you,
which means I have to put my hand down your shirt.
Yes.
It used to be on your trousers.
I'd rather it be my trousers.
The reason I said, don't say anything is because
immediately when you walk up to this car,
just to get in it, it feels different.
Really different.
And the minute you sit in it, there's so much to go.
And I thought you're going to start reviewing it.
It's going to be gold.
It's going to be gold.
I don't want to miss that.
So I was like, just shut your mouth.
Shut your mouth.
Shut your mouth when you talk to me.
I rigged up the cameras.
And here we go.
This is very much going to be a one take.
So this could be a disaster.
So we are going to be driving.
There could be road noise.
We don't know.
We don't know what the cabin noise is going to be like.
We don't know anything.
Anyway.
Okay.
Where do we start, mate?
Give me some of those initial impressions.
We're going to get into all the stats and all that stuff in a bit.
Actually, you know what we should say?
The reason why this is theoretically an important EV,
one that we've been so excited about for a while,
is that it's the first mainstream production
actually electric vehicle to claim a range of 500 miles.
Fair.
Do you want to go?
Should we go for the elephant in the room?
I think that's a lie.
Well, you know, just like with MPG,
claimed combined MPG figures are never quite correct.
What we have learnt quite quickly is,
firstly, to get the supposed 500 mile range,
you have to have the entry level vehicle with very specific wheels.
Yeah.
We are in the M Sport Pro, the Larry one.
Yeah.
With not the right wheels.
And we've got 99% charge and a range of 435 miles today,
here in the UK in seven degrees centigrade ambient temperatures.
As we speak right now.
Right now.
Yeah.
And we should keep track of that.
How are we going to keep track of our...
I know.
What's the mileage on the car now?
That's exactly what I was just trying to work out.
Go to that thing that that man showed us.
No, no, that's not it.
I want to know.
You're right.
I want to know how many miles this car has done.
I think it was 934.
Where did you see that?
We are now exploring the vehicle.
Yeah.
Through these, this new unbelievable.
How does it not show you the miles, mate?
That's weird, isn't it?
Normally it is in status.
It's not in systems.
Units?
There.
Where?
The units.
No.
No.
Shall we be back in someone over?
Yeah, should we?
Please come and help us.
Excuse me.
Can I have some assistance?
You had to get your handbrake off.
Which one's the accelerator?
Where does one find the mylometer or tripometer?
As in how can we monitor how many miles we're doing today?
The quickest way to do it.
It's done well.
You can scroll through today or whatever you want to do.
Perfect.
Well done.
If you want to see the mileage that you've got,
you can scroll across on there.
Look at this.
That's it.
Fantastic.
Tricky so much.
I'm so glad he came over because I would never have done it.
There's been a lot of button pushing going on.
Thank you so much for your help.
Goodbye.
On the right.
Fantastic.
Look at this information.
Can you drink?
I actually love this.
Look at this information.
I'm apologies.
Audio listeners.
We're going to have to be very descriptive for audio listeners.
Fine.
You may want to watch the episode on YouTube afterwards.
In this cabin, we have multiple displays.
There's various different heads-up displays going on.
Panoramic eye drive, did they call it?
Which is essentially a bar running underneath the main windscreen
projecting various bits of information.
We can customise that bar.
We've got a huge tablet-esque screen.
There's also a heads-up display.
The information that we're able to get is actually fascinating.
What they just brought up there is a sort of page
which not only shows us our normal trip data,
but a lot of our electric consumption,
which I love because we're currently using,
although our total consumption is 1.1 kilowatt
in the last 10 minutes we've been sitting here.
32% of that is electronics.
I guess headlights and stuff.
Yeah.
67% is climate.
Well, that just goes to show, because that is true, by the way,
because if you're driving down a road
and your electric runs low on a normal electric car,
you turn the climate up and the range goes up.
Oh, yeah.
Well, look, we've been sitting in the car for 16 minutes.
That's amazing.
Right, let's crack on.
So I think you're going to have to help me explore some of this
whilst we're driving because I want to be driving.
Fine.
So if we hit, hit, it's very intuitive, this system.
Yeah.
I don't know if it's just because I'm familiar with BMW stuff,
but it's unbelievably intuitive,
considering it's all new equipment.
Yeah.
It's what we call familiar.
So let's do the main route at 53 minutes.
And how many miles do you say?
Oh, no.
Three to shark right.
We're going to turn her off.
Turn on.
33 miles.
So, Tony, we should have 400 miles left of range.
On the dot.
Theoretically.
How do I make her quiet?
I had to say that it was intuitive in our settings.
So the instructions go away.
Okay.
Right.
So no on off button.
Foot on break.
Drive.
And we're moving.
So how does that work then?
You just literally just get in the car and it turns on.
I just got in.
That's all I did.
Right.
Have you got your badge?
We're going to need to tap out.
Oh, would you?
Would you?
Oh, maybe I've got my badge on.
Hello.
How are you?
Oh, very well.
Thank you.
Let me badge you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you very much.
Enjoy your drive.
Thank you so much.
Bye-bye.
Okay.
So we are being released from BMW HQ, UK HQ.
Oh, Tony, help me.
ADAS off.
Let's do that.
So.
Didn't you just turn it all off?
No, I didn't.
That was...
Yeah.
I'm okay.
Perfect.
I don't want that back because we're going to get...
What about the self?
What about the hands off driving?
Is that allowed?
Wow.
I know it's coming in the summer.
Yeah.
Thank God.
Okay.
So look, let's chat as we drive.
Uh-huh.
I think that briefing that I just had was maybe the least driver-focused briefing I've ever
had at any press launch ever.
I agree.
I think 90% of the chat was not about anything to do with how the car drives or performance...
Like, just anything.
Which is technology?
Technology, recycled items, battery harvesting, all this kind of stuff.
I'm sorry, there's going to be so much to work.
Steering wheel, very different.
It feels quite nice.
But genuinely, like apart from talking about the heart of joy, which I want to discuss,
and the fact that it's still a BMW so it must have ultimate driving pleasure, that was it.
They didn't talk about anything else with regards to how the car actually goes down the road.
They literally had to put that in there.
If they didn't put that little bit of speech in, you might as well just...
You're literally just getting into an iPhone at that point.
What does it mean?
It was more about like how not to drive the car, all the stuff you can do in the car
and with the car except drive it.
Right.
So we've got all this entertainment, which we're going to have to talk a little bit more about.
Yeah.
But yes, all new battery infrastructure, which is allowing the supposed 500 mile range, which is actually...
It's a whole new design.
It's a whole new design.
It's a whole new ground up.
Ground up electric vehicle, which is going to kickstart.
What did they say?
The start of 40 new vehicles before the end of 2027.
Yeah.
And interestingly, also what they said, which we already know, is about you'll be able to choose what you want.
So you can have this in electric, hybrid, combustion form.
Oh, I misunderstood.
I got a different understanding of that.
Did you?
Yes.
They're going to offer a range.
They're going to continue to offer a range because we've just got a new X3, which is combustion or hybrid.
And then this is the electric version.
Yeah.
You're not going to get this particular car with an engine or a hybrid.
No, no, no.
But they're saying...
Across the range.
Across the range of version because what they said is so customers can choose what they want.
Okay.
I have so much to discuss about the driving.
So first things first, I really like it.
First things first, I generally really like it.
Literally two miles in, I really like it.
Okay, good.
There's a lot of single-pedal driving going on.
I haven't touched the brake pedal once, yet we've stopped for a roundabout stuff.
It's all very pre-emptive.
Yeah.
Again, again, the focus is on not actually driving.
No.
Just like with the briefing, the car is essentially driving itself.
And I mentioned it a moment ago.
Terrifying.
We're not going to be able to experience it.
But coming or will be available from the summer is motorway self-drive, hands-off driving.
Yeah.
Which you'll be able to activate in this kind of moment, like cruise control, hands-off.
Yeah.
Our American listeners will be very familiar with this, but we don't have a lot of this
technology in the UK yet, and up to 130 kilometres an hour.
Yeah.
And to change lanes, all you do is look in the mirror.
I mean, that is terrifying.
Shall I see if it's working?
Maybe it is working, aren't so?
Let's turn that on.
Assisted driving.
Do I let go?
No.
This feels sketch.
Is it going to yell at me?
What's it doing, mate?
I don't know.
Oh yeah, it's telling me to put my hands back on the wheels.
Okay, so yeah, that is coming in the summer.
What?
Fine.
What I like about it initially, as soon as I got in the car, it's a BMW.
Yes, I agree.
Oh, thank you.
No, thank you.
The first thing that I, as I opened the door, it was very, very familiar.
Would you want to talk about opening the door?
Yeah, we can.
So, a normal conventional door, you kind of pull a handle and a latch releases and you
open the door.
This is very odd.
This is electronic.
Very odd.
Very odd.
Apparently, there's like a little micro switch behind the handle.
The handle, handles sit very flush in the door.
And obviously, when you unlock it, they come out.
We've seen that on a lot of cars now, Range Rovers.
There's a lot of BMWs that you can have it as well.
But there's a micro switch behind the door, which is touch feel.
So, as soon as you put your hand, the door just opens like no latch anymore.
It's sort of unsatisfying.
Yeah.
There's no movement.
There's nothing to engage with.
Yeah.
But also, it's like, you know, the old adverts, I mean, how they're going to do that?
Remember the old adverts, you shut the door.
It's a Golf or it's a BMW or it's a Porsche.
Because the clunk of the door.
Yeah.
Well, that might still happen.
We haven't actually tried closing the door.
We've always done this openness.
We did close it, mate.
We're in it.
But it is, and this is the whole thing.
The minute, walking up to it, I don't think, which I quite like,
from the outside, it's not dramatic.
You know, you said, I think I saw one of these on the road on the way here.
No, last weekend.
Oh, last weekend.
Sorry.
It would be very easy to confuse this with an old X3 or an IX.
Or they haven't gone aggressive on the outside, which I appreciate.
But the minute you interact with it, you're like, oh, here we go.
Yeah.
You know, various things are lighting up.
So this floating kind of display we've got in front of us,
which for some reason, my eyes are struggling to adapt to.
But there's just a lot.
All the touch points are new and different and unique.
I quite like on the steering wheel, of course, it's sort of haptic touchy.
But there are buttons as well.
There are things that I can feel.
I have to constantly look down.
Which is nice.
Which is nice.
And there is an intuitive stuff.
I've got still stalks for indicators and windscreen wipers.
Fine.
So there's enough seat controls, a little bit different.
It's sort of futuristic without being annoying.
Yeah, without being annoying.
Well, I think this, see this bar here.
I can't see the head up display, obviously, but you can.
I can see why you're...
I think that's too much, mate, in front of your eyes like that.
Like, can be a little bit distracting.
Yes.
I don't think I...
I definitely don't need the heads up display and the floating bar thing.
No.
And I say it's floating.
I don't think it is.
It just gives you that sort of weird impression.
And I don't know where to look.
Do you know what I mean?
Like, so obviously...
Obviously, I'm trying to look at the road.
But I'm like, okay, so...
And obviously, we're going to get used to this, right?
You can customize this bar to have whatever information you want on it.
Let's try doing that as I'm moving.
So I hit these three bars here.
I can go along to the trip information.
That's what they said, wasn't it?
And there you go.
We're starting to look at our kilowatt usage.
Our trip total so far, 5.9 miles.
We're down to 423 miles.
So so far...
We've used loads of miles.
We've used loads of miles.
Let's see if that catches back up on itself.
I want to go back again.
See what the map does.
Well, okay.
Again, I've got a massive screen here.
Yeah.
We don't need that there.
So far, it feels very unnecessary.
It's not really adding much to my experience.
Because I've got this huge screen in front of me, which is very nice.
Yeah.
Very familiar.
Yeah.
But is it just change?
Is it just because we're not used to having that kind of tech?
Possibly.
Possibly.
And you know, one thing that I took from this car in the briefing,
I thought, oh, actually, that's a really good point.
It's the price.
Oh, my God.
The pricing.
They have done a fantastic job.
I think it's a fantastic value for running this car.
Well, okay.
Well, it's in line.
Can we quantify that for an EV?
No, I'd say full stop there.
It's in line with the X330E.
So they're hybrid X3.
Yeah.
Okay, maybe you're right.
Because actually the amount of kit you're getting on this vehicle.
Yeah.
Brand new, good looking, fully loaded, 63, 64 grand.
And is that like, that's how it comes.
It's the, it's the, it's the IX350M Sport Pro.
63, 64 grand.
So there's nothing else you can put on this?
I'm sure.
I'm sure there is.
I'm sure you can.
You know, well, M Sport Pro is about as low as you can get.
Yeah.
And then there'll probably be, you know, a sound.
What's called?
Yeah.
What do they call it?
The extra packages you can do.
There will be something.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like a comfort pack or.
So like, here's an example of this tech, which again,
all your listeners, I apologize.
I've got the main screen, which is huge.
Yeah.
Show me the navigation.
Full screen navigation.
Yeah.
I've got heads up display.
Yeah.
Giving me a visual, what's called a visual display.
Yeah.
Of the road and the directions.
And the floating bar is also showing me.
I've got three things giving me navigational help.
Yeah.
I just don't need it.
You don't need it.
But.
My system.
And this is a petrolhead doesn't need all this because someone that's an enthusiast,
they're normally quite a competent driver.
They, they, they.
Sorry, I'm going to interrupt you.
No.
This is not about a competent driver.
This is about like, I've got three things like one, two, three, all in my direct.
Line of vision.
I'm trying to get to the bottom of it, which is what I'm trying to explain before you,
before you've, you've never let me finish.
I know.
Just piled in.
Go on.
Because I'll get to the bottom of it and then you'll go, oh yeah, fair enough.
I understand.
Hurry up.
Because a competent driver wouldn't need all this information and they're enthusiast,
which is what our audience are.
This car isn't aimed at them.
This car is aimed at people like your sister, my sister.
Man, you need a bit of help.
No, but no one needs that much help, mate.
That's why I can.
No, no, no, no.
I'm sorry.
If you need three things in front of you showing exactly the same information, you need help
leaving the house.
You need help putting your socks on.
Like I'm worried about you being on the road.
It's too much.
Can I also just point out we came off the motorway there 70 miles an hour to a red light at
the top of the off-ramp.
I didn't touch the brakes once.
Perfectly judged, perfectly smooth, fantastic one-pedal deceleration.
Oh, one of the brake lights come on.
Oh, they have to.
Do they?
Yeah, 100%.
Because it's doing, but it's literally just regenerating and do it on its own.
Well, it's doing it totally on its own.
It's judging it perfectly with whatever cameras and sensing and obviously we've got navigation
active, so that will be playing a part in the car knowing kind of what's coming up or
what's going on.
But it was, it was perfectly smooth, wasn't it?
I literally just let go of the accelerator as we hit the off-ramp and it just glided me
up to that.
And it was an uphill off-ramp too.
But do you think the brakes are actually working or do you just think it's regen?
Because if the brakes are, I mean, it's never going to need a set of brake pads or discs.
You're nuts.
Yeah.
Talk to me about in car experience from the passenger seat.
I always feel a little bit like, and I don't get this in a combustion car, but in an electric
car, feel a little bit like headed sometimes.
Yeah, that's weird.
I don't know why there's the noise or the ambiance or whatever it is, but the drive, the comfort
of sitting here, the road noise is very good.
There's not any really bad road noise.
Yeah, I think it's nicely quiet.
It's perfectly quiet, yeah.
As a car to live with, really nice.
There's a firmness to the ride, but not uncomfortable.
You're not floating on this airbed suspension.
You can definitely feel the road underneath you.
Yeah.
What I couldn't understand from the overview is obviously nowadays with the standard car,
your M Sport, your M Sport Pro, and BMW saying here in the UK, we lean towards these M Sport,
M Sport Pro models.
They didn't seem to have any real direct relation to performance anyway.
It was sort of more equipment.
And looks.
And looks.
They pointed towards bumpers and wheels and aesthetics.
Because you used to get sort of M Sport suspension and things like that, didn't you?
Of course.
I don't know if that still carries over for this, Michael.
But it's all very easy, familiar, intuitive, lovely.
There's just too much going on for my eye.
I'm getting a headache.
I really want to turn off the heads up display.
It's stressing me out massively.
Yeah, there's just too much.
And the size feels nice, I have to say.
It doesn't feel overly large on a UK road.
What do you think about the...
What's that little thing?
I don't know.
Is that an old MG?
It's an old MG.
Do you want to lift?
What do you think about the cabin finish?
What do you think about the buttons, the feel?
I like it.
I think it feels quite premium.
Doesn't this sound smooth?
Let me do an acceleration first.
Yeah, I'll take that.
I'll take it.
Yeah.
You don't like it?
I don't know.
It's like...
It's so hard for me to explain,
because it does feel very fake.
And apart from the initial uptake
that you get from all electric vehicles, like...
Yeah.
It's just like...
I don't know, mate.
I think I'm too old.
No, no, but hold on a sec.
You've now got like, oh, he's a crap.
I don't know.
I'm just trying to turn on the heads up display
because it's really stressing me out.
Oh, there we go.
Generally, that heads up display was too much
and making me feel unwell.
So, let's go back.
There we go.
That's all I need.
The...
Don't forget, this is just a normal...
Every day.
They didn't even call it an SUV.
They call it an SAV.
Sports Active Vehicle or something like that.
But you can have an all-month...
You can have an every-day
interesting combustion vehicle still.
Yes, I know.
But my point being,
because we've done a couple of accelerations there
because we're on a big dual carriageway
or coming out of a roundabout,
and up into that point,
you're like, oh, this all seems fine.
Then there's something like, oh, actually, this is crap,
just because you didn't like the acceleration.
But that's literally what's just switched me.
It's literally because, like,
yeah, all that last 20-minute drive,
that was, like, fine.
We're just sitting here.
We're just in a normal car.
We're just, like, having a chat, you know?
And then as soon as you put your foot down,
where you'd expect some sort of performance,
some noise, some feel,
it's sort of just like...
Well, honestly, we got noise and we got performance.
But not what I wanted.
Not emotion.
Not the emotion that I wanted.
You didn't connect with it in the same way?
No, like, at all.
Like, it was just like, oh, all right, then.
Well, I think you're maybe being a little bit pessimistic
in that sense.
Like, I know what you mean,
and it's made me feel nauseous
because that's an instant talk to your stomach
and then not a lot else.
So it's just a weird sort of feeling.
Yeah.
But...
I think you're being pedantic as the word that I mean.
What?
Because it literally just did exactly what you said.
Performance and sound.
We got both.
Okay, yes.
But I want it.
Not in the way that you want it.
Yeah.
So that's not being pedantic.
That's just an opinion of how I expect something
to be...to deliver something,
and it's not delivered what I expect.
Well, it's...
Oh, well,
not deliver what you expect in what way,
because I would suggest it's just different.
It's a different way of delivering it.
What would you expect when an electric vehicle,
what did you expect that performance to be?
But this is the thing, you see.
I could have almost,
because of the refinement of most combustion model cars now,
we could have just been in a normal car.
Yes.
I didn't really...
Okay, I know I'm in an electric car,
but if you just got in this really,
like, we're just in a car.
Yeah.
How we've driven so far,
this easily could have been a two-litre petrol
or something like that.
Correct.
Nothing is different.
Because I get...
This is the noise I get from the Range Rover.
There's no noise.
Yes.
Yeah, yeah.
You know, it's exactly the same.
And what literally changed my emotion
and my feel was when you put your foot down,
oh, okay, I'm in an electric car now.
Okay, I'm a bit bored.
But why do you need...
By the way, I'm playing like...
I know.
I'm glad.
Yeah, yeah,
because I'm trying to explain myself.
Why do you need that?
And we're just here in a...
I don't need it.
You don't need it, like...
I want it.
I don't need it.
No, you don't need anything.
This is all the car, by the way.
You'll ever need.
Yeah, I agree.
If you're a punter...
Yeah.
If you're the 80-odd percent of people
that just want a car,
this is all the car,
and it's completely perfect.
If I've got all the tech,
blah, blah, blah,
drives itself,
it does everything.
But I don't want that.
But would you buy an X3 M40i?
Um, yeah.
Mmm.
Over this?
No, no.
In general.
As in my point being, like,
I feel like you're coming at it
from I just have an M3 touring instead, thank you.
Which, obviously, that's not what this car is.
No.
So, so...
I'm just trying to sort of pick apart...
Are you just saying it
because you don't like EVs?
Are you just going like,
oh, well, yeah, it was great,
but now I'm like,
but it's an EV,
so, like, it's crap.
No.
It's not about whether I like EVs or not.
EVs, people buy cars,
as we know,
especially us,
our people,
they buy cars for an emotion,
for a feel.
And we know that all EVs,
for a purpose,
they are absolutely fine.
And this moves the...
If I wanted a car, right,
to just,
or put my Mrs in,
or just roll around in,
do my everyday nonsense.
Like you're using that little one series at the moment.
I have come using that,
that still doesn't do the reins
of the one series, by the way,
but whatever.
But, yeah, this is absolutely fine.
Because there's no emotion in that one series.
No.
Because it's just a car.
Yeah, I agree.
And that's absolutely fine.
I don't need that,
but the difference between this,
when you put your foot down in the one series,
is it doesn't feel like a performance car.
You don't expect it.
That this feels like a performance car.
So you expect some performance.
Why does this feel like a performance car?
Because the way you just accelerated,
I mean, there's not many
non-performance combustion cars
that would do that.
You know, if I use that 120
that I'm using at the moment, as an example,
you'd still be bloody halfway back up the road.
Yes, but this is why I think that's a good thing.
I don't understand why you're seeing that as a...
Because this is a car that you would use.
I would very much...
This would fit into my lifestyle very well.
But just the mundane, the nursery runs,
the shopping trip runs,
I'd see my mum like, whatever it might be.
But then we literally,
a dual carriageway opened up
and we just overtook six cars
in the blink of an eye.
Yeah, and that's fine.
This is great.
So what more do you need?
Because as you said, the 120i,
which you've been barking on about for the last two weeks,
oh, it does 800-mile range and I adore it.
It's not 800 miles.
Whatever it is, you know.
It does 500.
Yeah, that's unbelievable.
Oh, but it's slow as hell and it's just boring.
It's just a car.
Yeah.
This is just a car,
but it can do that.
Yeah, but it's just a car,
but it's not bloody as well.
The one series,
it's just a little hatchback.
This is just a little SUV, mate.
No, mate.
No, no, no, no, no, no.
No, no, no, no.
Because as well,
like, if that one series was 62,000 quid,
I'd tend to poke it.
No.
It's 25,000 quid.
But that's the whole point.
So your option against this is an X-330e.
My option against is an X-330e.
Yes.
So you're, because you're all about,
I hate it because it's electric.
I don't hate it.
Well, but you're,
sorry, your nose is,
I really liked it until I remembered it's electric.
No, mate.
That's not, that's not...
That's literally what you said.
That is what I mean.
I was very happy,
but when you accelerated,
I reminded it was electric
and I didn't like it anymore.
No, it's just,
it reminded it and it puts me off.
It's just like,
I'm in an electric car.
There's no emotion.
Which I hate.
That's the problem.
I so...
That's it.
I so get it.
That's the end of the conversation.
It's not.
I've got to go now.
Bye.
No.
I'm telling you,
I don't know where you're coming from,
but to me,
I just hear that as,
oh, it's electric.
Therefore,
I'm always going to say like,
there's something missing.
We're actually...
Well, there is.
But all that's missing is emotion,
which is not something
you necessarily need from it
because you're driving
an unemotional car
all the time.
Yeah, but...
You've said to me
that literally about this conversation
on the podcast,
last time we recorded,
we sat down,
or two weeks ago,
about,
you said,
just go and get a Monday
and every day car.
You don't need anything
exciting as your daily.
Get a van.
It's true.
So,
for the miles that I do as well,
there's lots of...
But this doesn't...
Two of the miles that...
That's a...
four hundred and something miles.
No, mate.
Same as your one series.
Because as well,
like I noticed the other day,
I noticed on the presentation,
the guy presented for us,
very good as well,
by the way,
is that,
you know,
it can charge this amount
this quickly.
And then,
yeah,
that's based on
a four hundred...
I mean,
on what bank
she gives you four hundred kilowatts?
I literally Googled.
You're still in there
forty minutes.
I literally Googled
how many four hundred kilowatt
charges are in the UK.
When he said that,
I like giggled to myself.
I googled
how many four hundred...
Surprisingly,
there are more than you think,
but about
from what Google
AI told me,
around fifteen to twenty
in the UK.
But they won't give you
four hundred kilowatts when you
put them in.
Yes, of course.
they're only that many
rated to four hundred
kilowatts,
and then they're probably
not going to deliver for...
So,
it's a bit like,
and it's great marketing,
right?
It's like,
our battery will charge
from naught
to five hundred miles
in seven minutes
on a thousand kilowatt
charger.
It's like little
asterisks in the bottom,
isn't it?
It's like the man who speaks
really fast at the end
of a TV ad.
Because it's not like,
most in the UK
are most accessible,
semi-reliable,
high-speed chargers
are one hundred and fifty
kilowatts, of which you get
ninety to one hundred and ten.
I agree.
So, you know,
you've got to be realistic
therefore,
and that's what we're here
to do is to kind of talk
about this real well,
because on paper,
this car looks amazing.
So what is it actually like?
You know, what real world
charging, mileage, et cetera,
are you going to get?
Now, I'm going to just,
I'm going to allow you
your comments
as much as they frustrate me
because I feel like
that is buried in EV hate.
And start talking about driving
because I have been
slowly leaning on this car
over the last ten minutes or so.
And I am finding it
actually quite enjoyable
and engaging to drive.
There's obviously the predictable,
slightly un...
unimaginative.
Well, it's the EV talk, right?
The EV talk band.
Yeah.
Sure, it's fun,
but it's, that's nothing new.
Right.
But the car sits well on the road.
I say,
I've still got this communicative steering wheel.
I feel like I can place it.
I do like the size.
Like, I'm starting to be like,
okay, cool,
I could get a hustle on here.
Now, I like you.
Don't enjoy driving
an electric vehicle rapidly.
No.
Firstly, it makes my stomach turn.
Yeah.
Secondly,
it just feels
a bit computer game-like.
You can get absorbed
into playing forza for hours.
Yeah.
But it's nothing like
actually going to Silverstone
and GT3 RS.
No.
And that's what I think driving
an EV briskly feels like.
Yes, is it doing the job?
Absolutely.
Is it going fast?
Sure.
But you do not get that same
sensation.
I think you don't get the same
heart racing kind of thing
unless you're making the car
physically move around,
which you couldn't do for hours
anyway because you'd run out of
blood and charge.
Yeah, 100%.
So,
it's that kind of weird thing
where this car continues
to do a great job,
continues to be effective,
and is impressing me with how
it performs.
Uh-huh.
But it's just the overall
package.
It's adding to the overall
package.
I'm not suddenly going like,
oh, yeah, this is,
this is really great.
I'm just going, okay, cool.
Like, it can also do
X, Y and Z.
Yeah.
But so can lots of other cars.
It can do X, Y and Z.
Okay, so hold on a sec.
Hold on.
Do you not like this car anymore?
No, no, no.
I do.
No, no.
It's fine.
It's not about that I don't
like it.
It's, I think it's very impressive
in terms of what the
tech it's got on it.
The pricing is even more
impressive now I've been in it.
Yeah.
Because I think that's the
biggest win for this car.
I think it's done a fantastic
job in pricing it properly,
you know, compared to some of
the other brands, what they're
doing with some of these
cars.
So that is a huge win.
But like, mate, I'm not a,
I'm not going to get in an EV
and go, oh my God, like, this
is the best car ever now.
Like, because, and I'm, it's
never, that's never going to
happen for me.
Is it the best EV you've
experienced?
One of.
What would you put up?
What would say?
For sure.
Well, I've not, I've not driven
in the McCann, but I've been
in the McCann and it's,
it's not quite got the finish
of the McCann.
Agreed.
In terms of plush, but it's
bloody 20 or 30,000 plan
cheap or so who cares.
But all the electric
Mercedes stuff and the Audi
stuff that I've been in and
some of the all mundane stuff,
I'd have this over all of them.
For sure.
I'd have this over like pole
stars and stuff like that.
Oh, of course.
Yeah.
This would be miles above
that.
Absolutely.
Teslas.
Oh yeah, hands down.
Of course.
Absolutely.
So I'm not, I'm not writing it
off or saying I just don't
want it.
It's just that this doesn't
really fit in my life for me
essentially.
Would I put my misses in
something like this?
Can we just clarify what
she drives at the moment?
She drives a Lexus LBX,
which is completely fine for
us.
A little hybrid car.
It does 66 miles to the gallon.
Probably not quite that
because she drives it locally.
It's 40 quid to fill up on fuel.
Yeah.
Why wouldn't you put her in this?
But well, because it's
double the price of the
Lexus for a start.
Okay, sure.
But objectively, I mean,
I genuinely feel like
from the minute you remember
that you were in an electric car,
you're not bothered by the
second floor.
You've completely changed
your, like the first half
of this podcast.
Yeah.
You were all up on
your little bushy tail
and you were like, oh, look at
this.
Just singing for the same
hymn sheet.
The minute you remember
it was electric,
you're like, no, I'm over it.
Well, yeah, probably,
because that's the way
I behave in an electric car.
Like it's just a tool, mate.
It's just a machine
to go from ear to ear.
And that's all,
they all are that.
So they absolutely drain
the life out of any emotion.
I mean, I'm amazed
I'm still sort of
to the camera to be fair.
I could be asleep.
We have done,
we've caught up with our range.
Well done.
So what's that all about?
Absolutely.
I want it now.
Well,
I've lost the,
because of my bloody floating
one of my screens,
which was showing me useful
information is now showing me
the map, even though the main
screen is showing me the map.
So you can get it off.
There you go.
So we've done 30.1 miles.
Nearly.
They've got 401 miles left.
So we're at 431 miles.
So we've done well
to catch up.
And I've done a few acceleration.
You have, yeah.
So that's maybe because
we're getting more.
I would say that's probably what's
happened.
Yeah.
It's a bit of a region.
No, we're going to turn,
I think.
What are you saying about the
back road?
I really like it.
I really, really like it.
I think,
I think,
would I have one?
Yes.
There's a third X3 in my life
from an M40i to an M40d
to now get one of these.
Yes.
Now here we go.
This is supposedly
an interesting background.
So I've done anything to drive
and ride.
I don't even know how to do
driving modes.
Again, I like the size
and it doesn't feel
overtly heavy.
Now,
the one pedal drive is not
nice on a road like this.
How do I do driving modes, Tony?
Can you help me?
Help you.
Down here somewhere or
something?
What can I?
Give me a driving mode.
No, there's nothing there, mate.
Because I don't like that.
I don't want one pedal
driving.
Assistant.
Driving.
What's driving?
Driving.
Give me a mode.
Driver sound,
vehicle rolling.
Chassis.
Chassis.
No.
Drive train.
No.
I don't want to drive sound.
Configure my modes.
No.
Give me something there.
OK.
So what do you want?
Give me an individual.
What does that do?
Dynamic.
Not available.
I bet you've got to stop.
No.
That's in my mode.
Give me an individual.
Nothing.
No.
Set up.
Sport.
Energy recovery.
Low.
Low.
Right.
Right.
Do you want to go
drive train sport?
Assistant.
Do you want to go
drive train sport?
Yeah.
Yeah.
When do it?
Not available in the
current my mode.
What mode am I in?
Come on.
There's got to be a...
We've done something wrong here,
mate.
But there's nothing down there.
Unless...
Unless...
What's this?
I don't want to touch it.
It's the gears.
No, that's the volume.
Literally being the wall.
How do I change
driver mode?
That's insane.
Well, it was quite intuitive,
apparently.
It was, but...
Sort of a bit wrong.
How do I change driver mode?
This is insane.
My vehicle...
There's a car thing there.
What's that do?
I don't know.
That's this.
Oh, I should watch the road.
Your stability holds.
Give me sport mode,
God damn it.
I'm trying to make
driving an assistant.
Because we're on
a nice road now.
How can it be...
I mean, this proves
that driving is not
the important part
of this vehicle.
Correct.
Because it would be...
It's in...
It's in driving, mate.
But it's not...
There's nothing here.
What's the problem?
How not, mate?
I'm literally about to go
onto the really nice road.
Come on, please.
Please.
What's the ability to...
Right, I'm going.
Just go, mate.
Whoa!
It's effective,
but yes, okay.
This is bloody not...
This is not bloody...
Well, we've at least
turned the region off.
I'm going to leave it, obviously.
You've turned the region off.
Well, yes.
I've no longer got one pedal.
I've got much more...
Much more natural feeling.
Okay.
You've got one mile,
then you've got to turn left.
But this is nice.
This goes down a back road like this.
Nicely.
I'll take it, generally.
Yeah, okay.
It's not overly floaty.
It doesn't feel too heavy.
Fine.
Brakes are effective.
Steering weirdly less
communicative at higher speeds.
I didn't like that just then
going into that corner.
That felt weird.
What, no feeling at all?
What?
No, there is some,
but it just didn't relate
to actually what happened.
I turned...
I turned the wheel,
and, you know,
I didn't love that, but...
I'm still trying to find a sport motor.
Okay, let's give this up
and go back to our...
absolutely.
So, the reason I like it
is because I'm viewing it as,
yes, a replacement
to the X things I had before.
Yeah.
As a car this is going to tick
or do everything.
Just literally do all the jobs
I need to do.
Yeah.
This is going to do exactly that.
Yeah.
I used to get off an airplane,
walk over to the car,
the airport car park,
get in those X things
and go, God, this is a nice thing.
Start it up and just drive home
in comfort, plushness.
God, it was easy.
And I was always like,
oh, I love these cars.
Is that going to happen in this car?
Yes.
Really?
It's one billion percent,
because it does exactly that.
It's really nice.
It looks good.
You get in it.
Nice place to be.
It drives quietly.
It's going to have your music glass.
It just does those jobs.
And I've just proven there
that if I was on a little back road,
could I put my foot down
and go quite briskly?
Absolutely.
Is it going to light my water fire?
No.
Nor did the M40i or M40D.
I never got out of that.
I was like, oh, what a thing to drive.
I was just like, yeah.
It went fast down a road
and it went into a corner
and I did not roll.
So it was just effective.
And that's why I like this thing.
It is an electric vehicle.
Because of the extended range,
it would fit into my lifestyle more
because I do a lot of unpredictable miles.
One day I'll do 20 miles.
Next day I'll do 200.
So the fact that I can kind of relax
as long as I'm knowing I'm starting my journey
with a full charge is good.
We haven't tried any charging now,
but let's assume that we can gain
50 to 200 miles pretty quickly.
I mean, all in all,
it is what I hoped it would be.
And I think therefore impressive.
OK.
And I'm really annoyed that you're like,
it's electric.
No.
I'm so unbothered by it.
No, mate.
I'm impressed with the car.
As an electric car, I'm impressed with it.
I think it's a very, very, very good car.
Hello.
We're starving hungry.
Straight up, you'll see more BMW staff.
Just one to one.
You might come across some peacocks.
If you do, just drive towards them slowly
and they should get out of your way, all right?
Drive towards them.
OK.
Thank you so much.
Great advice.
Well, look at this.
Now, Tony, you don't get to come on too many
press launches with me.
This is, yes, a UK launch,
not an international launch,
but they're still spoiling us
because we're arriving at some incredible estate.
I mean, look, I mean,
it does frustrate me your whole like,
it's AV.
I'm not fast.
Because this is nice,
but I smell like it's quiet.
It's comfortable.
We've come.
What's our final thing?
So we are bang on 430 miles.
We're back up to,
what do we start with?
So we've lost four miles.
Yeah, we've lost four miles, yeah.
That's pretty good.
It's not too bad, is it?
In terms of actual usage,
where was our,
where was that?
That was in here somewhere, wasn't it?
Yeah.
For those nerds that understand this kind of stuff.
Yeah.
4.9 kilowatts.
Of regen.
Yeah.
33.3 miles driven,
3.3 miles per kilowatt.
Yeah.
I don't know all that.
I don't understand what that means.
Total consumption,
10.5 kilowatts.
And the majority of that,
80% of that has been through driving.
You know what I mean?
It's a good car, mate.
It's done all of this.
I think it's a,
I think it's a very good electric car.
I think this might be one of
the best electric cars I've experienced.
I'd put this up there
on a Taycan level of impressiveness.
I would agree.
And in fact,
all things considered,
I think this is better than a Taycan.
They've got some positivity
right at the end from this.
No, no, no, because,
because bloody Taycan does bloody
200 mile range if you're lucky.
You know what, before we go in,
we should just do a couple
of real world tests.
I want you
to get in the back.
Right.
I'm just pulling over.
Not in the boot.
Not in the boot.
Just go and get in the back
and let us know how that is.
Right.
I will.
I'll go now, sure.
Please do.
Okay, mate.
Because there's one thing
which we haven't done is our
full...
Do I need to unlock the car?
What do we do?
There we go.
I've unlocked the car for him.
Oh, I'm in.
Right.
Tell us what that's like
because they kept banging
about how spacious it was.
Well, they'd be right, mate.
They've got loads of leg room.
I mean, I'm not as tall as you.
I'm like
five foot nine,
five foot 10,
but I've got
ample leg room here.
It's nice and premium, mate.
We're doing some final
market research.
This car, do you know the price
of this car?
I suspect the car that we're driving
right now.
64 grand, isn't it?
Nope.
More.
72.
Ah.
So this has got options on top, then.
So I will tell you in two seconds.
I'm just on the Porsche configurator.
So basic vehicle.
We've got nine grand of optional
equipment on here.
Yeah.
The electric McCann
four is what I think will work.
No, four.
What is the power?
Four s, I think this car is.
So this is 463 horsepower.
We don't really have a competitor.
The four s starts at 77 with no options.
The four starts at 72 with no options.
What horsepower is that I have?
Well, the McCann four is 408.
The McCann four s is 516.
So this car sits in the middle.
Okay.
The cost options in here are the wheels.
Yeah.
A tow bar.
Yeah.
Panoramic glass sunroof.
Technology plus pack.
Park assistant pro.
Sun protection glass.
We've got bits on it.
Nine and a half grand worth of options
on this car.
Fine.
So the base car is 64.
So this is 72.
So like you said,
the equivalent McCann will be 90.
Stacked up.
Yes.
Yes.
Will be 90 grand.
I think so.
So that's 20 grand difference, say.
You look comfy about that.
No, mate.
I've got loads of headroom.
I mean, I could be like four or five inches tall.
I'd be fine.
Yeah.
They're right about the floor being very level as well.
Yeah.
Like, and the boot's big and.
Well, let's summarize them because we're about to go and do a
parking experience, which I'm going to make a real off because
I'm an influencer.
Are you?
Come on.
To sum up, give me an out of 10.
As a car in a hole.
No, I just want an out of it.
Not with the asterisks, but it's an EV and not for you.
Seven out of 10.
I'd give it 8.5.
Fine.
And I couldn't tell you why it's not a 10.
I'm just going to give it an 8.5.
That's, yeah.
What is the three points are missing?
Is it hasn't got an engine?
Yeah.
Yeah.
That's ridiculous.
As an EV then out of 10.
Nine.
Yeah.
For me, nine and a half.
Okay.
So, yes.
As an EV, nine, nine and a half.
As a car, seven, eight and a half.
We're a joke, aren't we?
We're not getting back to any of these events.
Please come watch all the other reviews and not ours.
Well, hopefully that wasn't too unbearable for those of you that hate in-car podcasts.
As I say, we wanted to give you this one.
We brought it out to hold it back because of the embargo,
which means we couldn't post it on the day of recording,
but still, thumbs up for that.
Let's go and find this part and exercise.
Goodbye.
See ya.
About this episode
The hosts take an immediate, raw look at the new BMW iX3 during its UK launch, focusing on its touted 500-mile electric range and driving experience. They discuss the car's advanced digital displays, intuitive controls, and the balance between traditional BMW driving pleasure and modern EV technology. The episode covers the car's single-pedal driving, upcoming hands-off motorway driving features, and the contrast between the tech-heavy briefing and the actual driving feel. Their candid impressions highlight both the innovations and the realities behind the iX3's range claims and usability.
Original notes
This week Tony and I are in the BMW ix3, the first EV that claims to do 500 miles on one charge
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Behind The Glass
Seen Through Glass
0:00
48:14