Wouldn't it be nice, after the dieselgate scandal, for car manufacturers to not lie. Jack very nicely said but clearly also said BMW lied as to why they designed this car.
Completely agree to the 2nd conclusion. I just had a test drive in a EV6 and will testdrive the I4 when it is launched. I was really impressed with the EV6 and think it will probably be the better Allround car of the 2 due to its bespoke electric design.
Agreed. The situation at BMW and Nissan really isn't that complicated though - both of them has CEOs, Senior Management Teams and Boards that supported EV manufacturing, then they lost these employees/board members so both reverted back to ICE vehicles due to pressure from lobbyists and workers unions. Now Government legislation is pushing them back to EVs.
Yup, the i3 and i8 showed that BMW could be innovative with materials and design, and they've thrown that away and simply slapped on grills that are inspired by mutant hamsters
C for achievement and E for effort. The electric blue tat everywhere says ‘we really could not be bothered’. While BMW are ‘stuffing batteries up the bottoms of their ICE vehicles’ to create EVs the rest of the market will soon be stuffing their EVs up BMW’s bottom; and that is a world of hurt.
@@PaulMansfield If BMW built a fully electric version of the i8, for a reasonable price, I'm sure they could convert quite a lot of sports car owners. It's such a great car, but it falls flat on the nose due to its hybrid, which isn't even done well.
If you are in the UK then check out the MG5 long range - twenty five grand for 300+ miles range with 7 year "everything" warranty. Which by the way, if a chinese company can stand behind their product for 7 years, why can't a german one?
Yup, I had the eqc for a week and got over the acceleration by day 2, made my kids sick and just destroyed range for the sensation of going ‘fast’ for a few seconds.
Completely agree. I worry that there's going to be a spate of accident caused by folks driving cars that are insanely fast without the driving skills to match.
Teslas have "chill mode" that takes the voom out of the launch. I guess other EVs have versions of this "comfort mode" or something. Just because it's a powerful car, does not mean you have to thrash it. My Father-in_law had a 2002 911 Carrera 4 and if you stamped on it, it bit you right back!
That was one of the quickest 20 minute car review I’ve watched in a while. Very funny and well said. I would also agree with your conclusion about BMW’s vision on electrification. This vehicle is definitely a cop out and we all know they are capable of creating magical products if they want to.
And it is still too expensive! And it has all of their terrible infotainment, irrational maintenance, before BMW experience. Beyond that, I loved my weekend with one, especially the funky look.
Refreshing presenter nice to see a young well spoken and knowledgeable person presenting, I find all the fully charged team entering and there is a balanced mix of ages that blend together like a fine wine. FYI I fully agree with the comments about the BMW, but as a guy about to hit 50 I was brought up with cars that look like cars and I think people used to think that a car is to expensive to purchase to make a mistake of it not holding some value, with time I feel cars will charge design as people as I have become used to electrification👍
I remember the i3 coming out and thought, "oh dear, they've felt the need to make an EV look very different." It was quirky, it was odd. Some might have said it was ugly. Me included. But I always thought that it might win me over if BMW improved a few things. Like range. Like a bigger, more efficient battery. And they did. And nowadays, if a used one popped up at a good price, I'd recommend it to a switcher [from dirty petrol/diesel to serene electric]. And those quirky looks look fine now. But I can't find a place for this one. Don't make excuses for this one Jack. [ok, he didn't] It's ugly, it's an SUV, which people need to get over the obsession of. 1% of drivers go off-road, and for that there's an iPace [because it has the off-road capabilities of a Land Rover and most other SUVs don't, except a Rivian, but people don't know about them yet], and for everyone else there are crossovers, saloons/sedans, hatchbacks and estates/station-wagons/shooting-brakes and people carriers. Oh, and vans. On the wider point of legacy auto-makers. They've got to get their arses in gear because the likes of Tesla, Chinese manufacturers, new EV start-ups worldwide, and perhaps Kia/Hyundai, are going to totally roast them.
I wouldn't call it ugly, but it's something worse: "meh." It's not even polarizing, let alone exciting... it's just an electric X3. The iX, at least, will get people talking. And I definitely agree BMW doesn't seem to grasp the urgency of the situation like Tesla, Hyundai/Kia and even Mercedes does. If a brand doesn't have a plan to fully electrify large parts of its lineup, it's in trouble.
This is a car for normal people who want to go electric, want something solid/premium, that has a proper interior with buttons, drives well through bends not just straight lines and is immensely practical and has a great design that isn't shouting EV for the sake of it. This car is that. I test drove the iX3 twice and placed an order yesterday. It's just such a nice place to be. Other options I looked at: Q4 eTron, Ev6, iPace.
My husband and I leased an i3 when BMW first introduced them and loved, loved, loved that darling thing of a car - its roominess, its handling, and yes, its looks, its interior finishes, and the fun of driving one pedal. The reason we didn't purchase it at the end of the lease is the same issue for us now as we once again eagerly look forward to finding an electric vehicle that has a decent range. If BMW updated the i3 with a longer driving range I'd buy it in a New York minute.
These days the 42 kWh battery is more than enough for a small car. It's actually unfortunate they don't update the rapid charge capability to 100+ kW which would make it far more usable on road trips. We're using our '19 i3 around town and we only need to charge about once a week.
The fully charged show car reviewers are on top form these days, they're engaging, likable, and informative. Fully charged have a great team, but I would like to see more tech and engineering videos from Helen.
Jack, I like your reviews more and more with every new video! Your sense of humor fits the channel so well, and the conclusions are even useful if people are looking for an honest opion on the car in question.
EV6 it is. German and Japanese premium Legacy makers have missed the mark. Korean and the Chinese are the new “legacy” in the EV world and setting the standards for others to follow
I'm on my second i3S now, what a brilliant vehicle. If they'd bring the software up to speed and use the battery tech from the iX3 (which would give it about 52kWh), they'd sell a load more of them
@@jonpetter8921 If i look at thier current lineup and how the new front design language is rated by the public, i dont think they know what they are doing. Atleast in this car, they went back to the classic grill design. See BMW, the classic grill can look good as EV too...
Got a 5 year old BMW i3 still 80k miles still going strong never had any big issues other than the recalls, trackrod ends and tyres of course. Still drives like it did on the day I got it. And not lost any hourses yet lol.
Right from the get go this presenter has been 100% engaging. I love the i3 for it's looks, and we had one for a few days as I test drive. Absolutely loved it. Keeping an eye on the used market. Keep doing what your doing Fully Charged! Love the content!
I own a BMW i3 and love the car. It looks futuristic still today. This though, it looks dated already. The Ioniq 5 and the EV6 by comparison are so much more interesting and by the looks of it, just as well built. You will also not get robbed alive by a BMW dealer.
We have the ix3 (facelift) since 2 years and 50.000 km now. The best car we've ever had (Previous was Mercedes E class estate). There are so many superb things in a ix3. Really outstanding.
So love Jack’s reviews. Informative, educational and entertaining. So we’ll judged and how can you think of so many things to say about a ‘car’. I drove a Honda E yesterday, was asked what I thought and came out with ‘it drives like an EV!’
I agree that not every electric car needs to be super quick but BMWs are supposed to be reasonably quick. That being said, it sounds like that one is reasonably quick to me, if you want something quicker, wait for the M division to catch up with the competition (like with the BMW iX M), or go for another brand. This one is aimed at the person who would have gotten a normal X3 in the past, not one of the high performance x3 models.
Yeah, I think this is BMW trying to appeal to BMW drivers who still have the option of EV or ICE. It's a makeweight for someone about to replace a diesel X3 who has an EV or 2 on their shortlist.
I have an i3 and I really love it. The fact I paid just under $16,000 makes it even better. It makes me wish there were more/any EV's starting under $30,000.
I much prefer Jack's take on electric car reviews. I don't watch any of the videos by his contemporary who goes on like every EV he drives is wonderful and incredible.
The infotainment iDrive system is the same as on ICE BMW cars, and is very good, giving you the best balance of physical buttons and allowing you to use the system without taking your eyes off the road. Nice to see it on an electric car, but still think it’s worth waiting for the next generation cars before moving from a fuel efficient BMW ICE car. Great review.
Silliest response I ever got to a comment on long bonnets was at the Mazda stand at the live show this year... The sales person said it's specifically destined for a rotary range extender for the Australian market, and also American as 'the charging infrastructure won't be ready for another 100 years'. WTF
That range extender is on again, off again. Mazda can't make up their mind about it. Actually, range extenders are great. My i3 has one and I don't know what this "range anxiety" is all about.
Well done Jack, I think this is your best review to-date and I agree with every last word you said! I would add that Tesla Model Y is now available to order in the UK (at last) with delivery early 2022 - surely a very strong competitor to the iX3. Keep up the good work team Fully Charged!
I'm sorry, I must weigh in on this: Jack, you wisely suggest that this latest rather stale looking ev from BMW might be their response to the cool reception they got on their first i3. In my opinion, this is the classic legacy auto company reaction to a product that doesn't sell like mad. IT MUST HAVE BEEN TOO UNUSUAL, TOO FUTURISTIC, SO LET'S MAKE THIS NEW ev LOOK LIKE THE SUVs WE MADE TEN YEARS AGO, AND JUST PLUG THAT GRILL OF OURS WITH A BIG PIECE OF SHINY PLASTIC. Another missed opportunity. I would suggest that the i3 was a very good car with too low a range for too high a price. I think they could have just given that weird and wonderful car more range and more features to justify the price, and found a lot more buyers, including me.
...instead, what they've done is take an existing ICE platform vehicle, "push some batteries up its bottom" and slap an extra large EV size price tag on it. I agree with Jack's point that some legacy car makers risk losing serious market share if they don't innovate for real, or offer conversion models at a competitive price.
Agreed. To this day, I think the i3 looks modern - on the outside. The inside hasn't aged too well. But way to expensive for the limited range. Much better value on the used market.
@@TheTriumfAnt As an i3 driver I must respectfully disagree with you. The i3 on the inside still looks very modern and is a really nice place to be. Especially the Suite interiour with the eucalyptus trim looks really nice.
@@tonrotterdam That's perfectly fine. I'm glad you like it. I was only disappointed in the size and image quality of the infotainment system. The rest of the inside was top notch.
@@TheTriumfAnt Well, compared to Tesla's size indeed it's quite small. But like is said in the review of the iX3, the screensize is perfectly fine. With widescreen Apple CarPlay for me personally, I don't need a bigger screen. All controls are manually (no touch screen) but don't need to be. With the iPhone and Siri most things are done via voice control.
My parents were early adopters of the i3 when it came out. They’d been intending to electrify for a while but weren’t convinced by anything on the market until the i3 showed up and I have to say, we all love that car. They came down from Scotland to visit me in South-West England (yes, long journey in an EV) and we pootled around the countryside and I am as impressed by its performance as I was then. The controls still feel pretty modern and usable and I know my father’s added at least one other i3 to the local Electric Car Club because they are just genuinely very good cars. But as you say… probably came along a little bit early for what they were.
Great review. I'll say it again, BMW absolutely blew it by not iterating on the i3, one of the most brilliant cars ever made. 8 years on, and it still looks like a car from the future, and I get even more questions about it now than ever. It was designed using first principles, and ahead of its time, so it will never age. If BMW had continued down that path, they could have been competing with Tesla at the top of the EV industry, but they were too greedy and short-sighted. Such a shame to see my favorite car brand become a colossal failure, an embarrassment to their ethos of performance and design. EVs are the greatest opportunity in a long time to advance both those aspects by leaps and bounds, and they didn't even try. I'll never get over this.
I am not a BMW driver but I have to entirely agree with your sentiments. Not only the i3, they had a fleet of electric Minis in the USA that their test drivers adored and what did they do? Put them all in the crusher and start oiling their cogs, gears and pistons. When it's too uncomfortable not to change - you'll change. The Beemer brigade obviously have a ways to go.
One of my favourite episodes, great job Jack. We definitely should try to normalise normally accelerating electric vehicles. And yes, where are the electric estates!?
Honestly, fully charged just goes from strength to strength. Great video as always, quality just improves and improves. Car isn't my taste but can see it converting a lot of BMW die hards.
Thanks for all the car reviews. Don’t think I would swop this for my MG ev5, which is spacious, good range and probably half the price. Not that desperate to have a bmw parked on the drive to impress the neighbors.
Great review from Jack, again. I don’t agree that electric cars “should look like cars”. By not designing for electric from the bottom up, you miss out on all the extras and touches that excite the owner. I’m looking forward to the 1 series size for my motorway commute, which I hope BMW do a really good job on, like we all know they can.
I own an ICE X3 and it will likely be my last ICE vehicle. I don't plan on replacing it with anything but a true electric vehicle. Currently leaning toward a Tesla Model Y.
I think to buy an ICE vehicle at the moment means risking being stuck with a stranded asset in a few years time when no one wants to buy it second hand
You might also look at the Skoda Enyaq, especially if you have a family. Super-practical with lots of boot space and nice features to make life easier. I had the diesel X3 for a while and couldn't get on with it tbh. Much happier without the premium badge and more practicality. But each to his own of course.
@@michaelrch I have an Octavia RS at the moment and love it but the Enyaq is to high for our Rottweiler to jump into and i'd prefer not to have to lift surf ski any higher than the roof of an estate
I’m so glad I saw the light and cancelled my iX3 order. Just taken delivery of a Tesla model 3 performance. Amazing car, so much fun to drive and the quality of the Chinese manufacturing is outstanding 🙌🏻
Yes this was my first thought - sixty grand for a shiny shed with an empty transmission tunnel eating into cabin space?! I could get a Model 3 Performance for less.
Great review and pleased that BMW has produced an efficient drive train. I used to like BMW before they joined the arms race in vehicle size and started producing the obnoxious X5, X6 etc which are a blight on the roads in the UK. This offering is just another BMW which is too big and looks outdated compared with the competition. The fact that it doesn't have a frunk under that massive bonnet and that it has a transmission tunnel in the cabin which serves no purpose is far from the ultimate driving machine.
The transmission tunnel has the whiff of "Turbo" on the Taycan. I suppose they could call it a BMW iX3 "Manual Transmission with clutch" edition to suck in the trad auto brigade. Even though it does not have a clutch. Or a Gearbox. Or Gears. or a drive shaft. Or a non linear drive train.
I did a quick, very quick, comparison of the price of the ix3 premier pro against a similar spec ice equivalent x3. The difference? The ice equivalent is not that much cheaper cheaper, bearing in mind that this car has all of the optional, expensive, bells and whistles that come as standard. It was less than 10% cheaper, but factor in the running costs and it’s a different story. I would have much preferred the dedicated EV platform of the new ones coming later, but back in March when I ordered my replacement lease car (and I’m still waiting) that wasn’t an option. For the EV novice, though, this is a safe option. It’s a BMW, it’ll be fine, no worries.
I was also surprised how good the iX3 is. It’s not perfect, and it even doesn’t excel in any specific category. But it also has basically no flaws, at least no serious ones. And this is what makes it really one of the best EVs. As to your comparison with Hyundai/KIA, I would put it this way: BMW took a very successful car (the X3 is actually challenging the 3 Series as their most sold car) and made it electric. This brought in their whole platform - the chassis that you liked so much, the bodywork, the infotainment system - this is a very nice heritage! Whereas Hyundai and KIA are set to try out something new. I respect them for doing this, and we’re all lucky to have them, because they challenge the existing „leaders“. But even as a dedicated EV, the Ioniq 5 is not better than the iX3. If you want to have a very decent dedicated electric car, look at Tesla - this is how it’s done. I’m very curious to see if the traditional vendors will be able to keep up in this race. Would be very sad if not, I’m a car guy myself.
Great review .. This lukewarm effort from legacy car makers wont only kill them but also jeopardize millions of jobs/ households depends on them...when they stop thinking about next quarter and start thinking 1 year, 5 year 10 year perspective?
The sad thing is, BMW did look into the future, back in 2011 when they decided to turn the i3 into a production vehicle. But then the old boys took over and the team that designed the i3 and i8 left for China.
Jobs won't be lost if one or another company goes bust... the demand didn't change, the jobs just shift across to another company. Companies going bust is not something we need to be concerned about.
This is a hilariously bad take. This ix3 will sell more than any other premium electric car globally (and I’m not classing Tesla as premium). Do you know how many x3s sell in Asia where this car will be the perfect EV adopter?
Always enjoy Fully Charged reviews on cars, solar, etc. We need more non-car videos, please. Cars are too singular-focused. Also going to start a drinking game every time Jack says "bespoke"....
No you guys are completely right. Why would you want a car that is way easier to charge, more efficient, more spacious and more fun to drive. People knock Teslas because they are an easy target. I love mine, although there are many other EVs that I would like too.
"pfff" Also I have to concur.. with a premium car in the 60-70k EUR range, I do expect it to be fast, especially if it has a BMW badge on it. The acceleration of the iX3 is laughably bad compared to e.g. an Ioniq5/EV6 that cost 20k less and are roughly the same size and weight. BMW really needs to add an AWD version of the iX3 if they want it to succeed.
I agree thiugh this does compare directly to the acceleration of the RWD versions of those cars, The ionic 5 RWD is over 7s if memory serves. They need to make an iX2 with the same(ish) battery and motors, would/ should be around the same price as the Korean cars and most wouldn't bat an eye spending 40k on a BMW
Yeah, I wonder who (if any) from traditional OEMs will survive electrification. I think Hyundai has the best chance :) As for me, waiting for Giga Berlin to go online. Looking forward when the new tech (4680s, megacast, structural pack) that Tesla will have there wipes out those lazy ba****ds :)
@@JasperPauwels Perhaps they will survive, if they get their fingers out and get on with it. So far, despite years of this and that concept car, not a great deal has actually arrived. I think the point Vita was making was the current lean crop of German cars hardly stack up to a 10 year old Model S. And Tesla have moved on since then and is accelerating their development if anything.
@@ouethojlkjn I disagree. VW AG will be more than fine due to economy of scale and how invested they are in the transition to electric. Mercedes EQ cars built on their MEA architecture show us what they are capable of and that too is more than fine. Ironically, BMW is the one (from the big 3 Germans) lagging behind the most despite having a head start with the i3.
@@JasperPauwels It reminds me of kodak dabbling in this "digital photography" fad - "but seriously, no one will ever give up on chemical film processing in favour of this low resolution expensive digital picture thing". The problem is if you ask a German Diesel engineer what the solution is, unsurprisingly, they suggest a diesel car is the best option. It is also worth mentioning that VW certainly produce tens of thousands of EVs every year already. As do Audi, And Toyota. But you can only buy one of these EVs if you happen to be Chinese. These corporations are already quite capable of producing EVs for the rest of the world, They just don't want to. And if Tesla wasn't eating their lunch, they still wouldn't be. I do agree that BMW, like VW, sidelined their EV Evangelists and started listening to their diesel engineers again, but there wasn't the stink of "Dieselgate" hanging over BMWs heads, so only VW got their fingers out and at least made a start to try and catch the likes of Tesla.
Probably a £3k option and you don't need to specifiy it. Famously, BMWs listed AM / FM radios as an "option". Oh and a recent 5 series had folding seat as an option.
As Jack said, this should have been an estate (wagon/station wagon) - use that efficient rear wheel drive electric motor and put it in a 5 series estate with skateboard architecture... an i5 estate designed as electric from the ground up along the the lines of the i3 would be a winner!
I think this car review is the one I most agree with that I can remember. Not even a single time I thought yeh but or I wish you’d said… It was very intelligent, realistic and fair.
Huge respect for being brutally honest when reviewing near the end - it's true, manufacturers are being so lazy and half-arsing when releasing lousy conversions - It was never acceptable and even more so now years later when the market has matured with skateboards etc. Not only that but BMW manufacturing UK market cars in China means they need to remove the German luxury price-tag and give us a competitively priced Chinese manufactured car to match. Wish you would have shown under the bonnet to embarrass them or mention how they refused to allow you to show it because it's pure shameful! Great review as always, good job to fully charged team!
A great honest reviews. This is why I watch Fully Charged? It is just lazy design really. They really haven’t used any of the space at all that you get from building an EV
I can relate to both the conclusions stated by Jack. I really do like this car, among the other converted ones, but I really LOVE the i3, I love the efficiency of the whole project, the eco-friendly materials, the importance given to weight and powertrain efficiency and even the upgrades it got through the years (higher capacity battery but with the same size and weight). I want an i3, I will get one (a used one) one day. But I don't feel comfortable with getting a converted ICE vehicle, it seems like a joke to me that I'm obsessed with EVs. I'm currently studying Energy Engineering because of this obsession I have, I could never trade-in efficiency for looks nor premiumness. With that said: great video, as always, long but not boring at all, fun and with every necessary information. Thank you, Jack.
I think Jack makes a great point about the difference between a bespoke EV platform and an adapted ICE platform, but it's worth remembering that luxury buyers are frequently more conservative, and may be more attracted to an EV that provides an ICE-like experience. For BMW that may be more important that it is for Kia and Hyundai.
We have an i3 and a year old X3 PHEV in the US, now we wish we could get the iX3 and ditch ICE altogether, but it’s not available here and not in AWD sadly. I think it’s a great car with real buttons!
Jack had mixed views about this new electric BMW - but what do you think? Tell us below...
BMW is being lazy... Why would anyone buy this instead of a Model Y?
Rather ship an Xpeng P7 from China and have £30k in my pocket.
Wouldn't it be nice, after the dieselgate scandal, for car manufacturers to not lie. Jack very nicely said but clearly also said BMW lied as to why they designed this car.
It's a NOTx4 as well as being modified from the ICE version?? 🤷🤦
Completely agree to the 2nd conclusion. I just had a test drive in a EV6 and will testdrive the I4 when it is launched. I was really impressed with the EV6 and think it will probably be the better Allround car of the 2 due to its bespoke electric design.
About as much effort put in as a student doing last minute homework in class compared to the brilliant i3
😂😂
Agreed. The situation at BMW and Nissan really isn't that complicated though - both of them has CEOs, Senior Management Teams and Boards that supported EV manufacturing, then they lost these employees/board members so both reverted back to ICE vehicles due to pressure from lobbyists and workers unions. Now Government legislation is pushing them back to EVs.
Yup, the i3 and i8 showed that BMW could be innovative with materials and design, and they've thrown that away and simply slapped on grills that are inspired by mutant hamsters
C for achievement and E for effort. The electric blue tat everywhere says ‘we really could not be bothered’. While BMW are ‘stuffing batteries up the bottoms of their ICE vehicles’ to create EVs the rest of the market will soon be stuffing their EVs up BMW’s bottom; and that is a world of hurt.
@@PaulMansfield If BMW built a fully electric version of the i8, for a reasonable price, I'm sure they could convert quite a lot of sports car owners. It's such a great car, but it falls flat on the nose due to its hybrid, which isn't even done well.
I want an electric car to be a car, no gimmicks, just a car
I agree with you. It should work as a car. No quirks
If you are in the UK then check out the MG5 long range - twenty five grand for 300+ miles range with 7 year "everything" warranty. Which by the way, if a chinese company can stand behind their product for 7 years, why can't a german one?
I like it. Legit daily driver.
Couldn't agree more: normalize normally accelerating cars (for me the e-up is already totally fine)
Especially to get them in sensible Insurance groups!
Yup, I had the eqc for a week and got over the acceleration by day 2, made my kids sick and just destroyed range for the sensation of going ‘fast’ for a few seconds.
Completely agree. I worry that there's going to be a spate of accident caused by folks driving cars that are insanely fast without the driving skills to match.
Teslas have "chill mode" that takes the voom out of the launch. I guess other EVs have versions of this "comfort mode" or something. Just because it's a powerful car, does not mean you have to thrash it. My Father-in_law had a 2002 911 Carrera 4 and if you stamped on it, it bit you right back!
That was one of the quickest 20 minute car review I’ve watched in a while. Very funny and well said. I would also agree with your conclusion about BMW’s vision on electrification. This vehicle is definitely a cop out and we all know they are capable of creating magical products if they want to.
The i3 was too expensive! Not too soon! It's still a distinctive looking car, and I think the tech in it was pretty good 😊
It is still for sale you know! And the tech has been updated in 2018 meaning it's perfectly fine for the car it is.
The being early means expensive, battery prices have fallen 87% in 10 years, thats also why the rex maked sence.
And it is still too expensive! And it has all of their terrible infotainment, irrational maintenance, before BMW experience.
Beyond that, I loved my weekend with one, especially the funky look.
Refreshing presenter nice to see a young well spoken and knowledgeable person presenting, I find all the fully charged team entering and there is a balanced mix of ages that blend together like a fine wine. FYI I fully agree with the comments about the BMW, but as a guy about to hit 50 I was brought up with cars that look like cars and I think people used to think that a car is to expensive to purchase to make a mistake of it not holding some value, with time I feel cars will charge design as people as I have become used to electrification👍
I remember the i3 coming out and thought, "oh dear, they've felt the need to make an EV look very different." It was quirky, it was odd. Some might have said it was ugly. Me included. But I always thought that it might win me over if BMW improved a few things. Like range. Like a bigger, more efficient battery. And they did. And nowadays, if a used one popped up at a good price, I'd recommend it to a switcher [from dirty petrol/diesel to serene electric]. And those quirky looks look fine now. But I can't find a place for this one. Don't make excuses for this one Jack. [ok, he didn't] It's ugly, it's an SUV, which people need to get over the obsession of. 1% of drivers go off-road, and for that there's an iPace [because it has the off-road capabilities of a Land Rover and most other SUVs don't, except a Rivian, but people don't know about them yet], and for everyone else there are crossovers, saloons/sedans, hatchbacks and estates/station-wagons/shooting-brakes and people carriers. Oh, and vans.
On the wider point of legacy auto-makers. They've got to get their arses in gear because the likes of Tesla, Chinese manufacturers, new EV start-ups worldwide, and perhaps Kia/Hyundai, are going to totally roast them.
I wouldn't call it ugly, but it's something worse: "meh." It's not even polarizing, let alone exciting... it's just an electric X3. The iX, at least, will get people talking. And I definitely agree BMW doesn't seem to grasp the urgency of the situation like Tesla, Hyundai/Kia and even Mercedes does. If a brand doesn't have a plan to fully electrify large parts of its lineup, it's in trouble.
@@aurelian1 Indeed, at least when BMWs got a good Bangling in the past you could speculate on if it was pre-crashed before delivery.
This is the weirdest comment I've read in a while.
I always look forward to Jack’s EV reviews. Good to have a sense of humour injected into this stuff. Well done again FC for hiring him!
This is a car for normal people who want to go electric, want something solid/premium, that has a proper interior with buttons, drives well through bends not just straight lines and is immensely practical and has a great design that isn't shouting EV for the sake of it. This car is that. I test drove the iX3 twice and placed an order yesterday. It's just such a nice place to be. Other options I looked at: Q4 eTron, Ev6, iPace.
*smooshes face against keyboard *
pffttt...
Fhenzjcjew
Ditto
Your face writes very well...
@@snowstrobe asddfghhjkkpp (thank you)
I love the hand gestures. Jack has such a stern face when pausing the radio.
Really sober review, nice to see pros and cons! Really good that the drivetrain is efficient, especially on a SUV.
Another great quality video, like the Lama T-shirt
My husband and I leased an i3 when BMW first introduced them and loved, loved, loved that darling thing of a car - its roominess, its handling, and yes, its looks, its interior finishes, and the fun of driving one pedal. The reason we didn't purchase it at the end of the lease is the same issue for us now as we once again eagerly look forward to finding an electric vehicle that has a decent range. If BMW updated the i3 with a longer driving range I'd buy it in a New York minute.
These days the 42 kWh battery is more than enough for a small car. It's actually unfortunate they don't update the rapid charge capability to 100+ kW which would make it far more usable on road trips. We're using our '19 i3 around town and we only need to charge about once a week.
@@tonrotterdam Yes it is an improvement but I could not justify the "improved" price. It was well north of £40k in the UK!!
Jack is just about the only presenter I'd listen to when being told to comment. Glad you guys gave him a platform.
Thanks dude, it really does help 👌
The fully charged show car reviewers are on top form these days, they're engaging, likable, and informative. Fully charged have a great team, but I would like to see more tech and engineering videos from Helen.
Jack is very quickly becoming my favourite car reviewer on TH-cam! Great job man! 👍🏻
❤️❤️
Jack smashed another review! Best reviewer of EV’s period!
He is isn’t he…
Jack, I like your reviews more and more with every new video! Your sense of humor fits the channel so well, and the conclusions are even useful if people are looking for an honest opion on the car in question.
EV6 it is. German and Japanese premium Legacy makers have missed the mark. Korean and the Chinese are the new “legacy” in the EV world and setting the standards for others to follow
Think its the e nero for me , not overly impressed with EV6 and way over priced.
It's really unfortunate that BMW dropped the ball after delivering the most fantastic car ever (the i3)!
I'm on my second i3S now, what a brilliant vehicle. If they'd bring the software up to speed and use the battery tech from the iX3 (which would give it about 52kWh), they'd sell a load more of them
BMW knows what they are doing obviously even if it didn t meet your short term expectation......
@@jonpetter8921 If i look at thier current lineup and how the new front design language is rated by the public, i dont think they know what they are doing. Atleast in this car, they went back to the classic grill design. See BMW, the classic grill can look good as EV too...
Totally agree 👍 I’ve only ever owned two BMW’s and they were both i3’s… absolutely brilliant cars 😇
Got a 5 year old BMW i3 still 80k miles still going strong never had any big issues other than the recalls, trackrod ends and tyres of course. Still drives like it did on the day I got it. And not lost any hourses yet lol.
What a brilliant presenter. Relaxed, informative and entertaining. Superb
Right from the get go this presenter has been 100% engaging. I love the i3 for it's looks, and we had one for a few days as I test drive. Absolutely loved it. Keeping an eye on the used market. Keep doing what your doing Fully Charged! Love the content!
I own a BMW i3 and love the car. It looks futuristic still today. This though, it looks dated already. The Ioniq 5 and the EV6 by comparison are so much more interesting and by the looks of it, just as well built. You will also not get robbed alive by a BMW dealer.
We have the ix3 (facelift) since 2 years and 50.000 km now. The best car we've ever had (Previous was Mercedes E class estate). There are so many superb things in a ix3. Really outstanding.
Took the i3 for a test drive in 2016 then bought a Nissan Leaf for half the price and more range.
Thanks Jack for the honest appraisal, the only thing missing is the beige paint work!!
I suppose that ghastly primer grey that is appearing on things like Taycans could be specified -
On Jack's closing remarks: the i-Pace was designed from the ground up as an electric car, it is not based on any ICE car.
Got my first electric car a vauxhall corsa e and i love it,not going back to petrol,love the waving around gag made me chuckle👏💥great job jack👏💥
And when you drive past a packed filling station you can engage "smug mode".
"If you're someone who waves their hands around a lot when they talk, then this car may not be for you" 🤣
Disappointed Italien noise 🥺🤌🏽
they must have thought italian city roads are too narrow anyways 🤷♂️
Can it be switched off in the Settings?
@@clasqm you wish, it takes years to unlearn such guestures
@@dauerwerbesendung7045 I know. I mean switch off the car's gesture recognition.
Great review! Finally someone with a sensible EV review. I have also been lost as to why EVs have to be insanely fast.
Great review!
I think I'll be keeping my Model Y.
So love Jack’s reviews. Informative, educational and entertaining. So we’ll judged and how can you think of so many things to say about a ‘car’. I drove a Honda E yesterday, was asked what I thought and came out with ‘it drives like an EV!’
I agree that not every electric car needs to be super quick but BMWs are supposed to be reasonably quick. That being said, it sounds like that one is reasonably quick to me, if you want something quicker, wait for the M division to catch up with the competition (like with the BMW iX M), or go for another brand. This one is aimed at the person who would have gotten a normal X3 in the past, not one of the high performance x3 models.
Yeah, I think this is BMW trying to appeal to BMW drivers who still have the option of EV or ICE. It's a makeweight for someone about to replace a diesel X3 who has an EV or 2 on their shortlist.
Another smashing video. Keep it up team 🤸♀️🙌🏽
Thank you 🙌
Hi Jack
Here’s my knowledgeable comment as requested!
I second that...
I have an i3 and I really love it. The fact I paid just under $16,000 makes it even better. It makes me wish there were more/any EV's starting under $30,000.
I really enjoy my x3 and would have that ix3 if it were available in neck of the woods. But EV6 is will be my next car, maybe the GT just for kicks.
Excellent off hand summary comment, early in the video: ICE car with batteries shoved up its bottom. One of many. Very entertaining & informing.
I much prefer Jack's take on electric car reviews. I don't watch any of the videos by his contemporary who goes on like every EV he drives is wonderful and incredible.
Because he's trying to sell it to the public, I'm sure Jack's reading from a script.
@@gambriehewert1677 I wonder how many times you've been sure and wrong?
The infotainment iDrive system is the same as on ICE BMW cars, and is very good, giving you the best balance of physical buttons and allowing you to use the system without taking your eyes off the road. Nice to see it on an electric car, but still think it’s worth waiting for the next generation cars before moving from a fuel efficient BMW ICE car. Great review.
I think I would take Tesla Y over this iX3. Oh, and my Merc "conversion" is still running brilliant.
Brilliant what?
@@TWOKDOK1 Well built vehicle - 5 years later it is still working like new. That is brilliant in my vocabulary.
The best presenter on TH-cam.
Silliest response I ever got to a comment on long bonnets was at the Mazda stand at the live show this year... The sales person said it's specifically destined for a rotary range extender for the Australian market, and also American as 'the charging infrastructure won't be ready for another 100 years'. WTF
That range extender is on again, off again. Mazda can't make up their mind about it. Actually, range extenders are great. My i3 has one and I don't know what this "range anxiety" is all about.
Well done Jack, I think this is your best review to-date and I agree with every last word you said! I would add that Tesla Model Y is now available to order in the UK (at last) with delivery early 2022 - surely a very strong competitor to the iX3. Keep up the good work team Fully Charged!
I'm sorry, I must weigh in on this: Jack, you wisely suggest that this latest rather stale looking ev from BMW might be their response to the cool reception they got on their first i3. In my opinion, this is the classic legacy auto company reaction to a product that doesn't sell like mad. IT MUST HAVE BEEN TOO UNUSUAL, TOO FUTURISTIC, SO LET'S MAKE THIS NEW ev LOOK LIKE THE SUVs WE MADE TEN YEARS AGO, AND JUST PLUG THAT GRILL OF OURS WITH A BIG PIECE OF SHINY PLASTIC. Another missed opportunity.
I would suggest that the i3 was a very good car with too low a range for too high a price. I think they could have just given that weird and wonderful car more range and more features to justify the price, and found a lot more buyers, including me.
...instead, what they've done is take an existing ICE platform vehicle, "push some batteries up its bottom" and slap an extra large EV size price tag on it. I agree with Jack's point that some legacy car makers risk losing serious market share if they don't innovate for real, or offer conversion models at a competitive price.
Agreed. To this day, I think the i3 looks modern - on the outside. The inside hasn't aged too well. But way to expensive for the limited range. Much better value on the used market.
@@TheTriumfAnt As an i3 driver I must respectfully disagree with you. The i3 on the inside still looks very modern and is a really nice place to be. Especially the Suite interiour with the eucalyptus trim looks really nice.
@@tonrotterdam That's perfectly fine. I'm glad you like it. I was only disappointed in the size and image quality of the infotainment system. The rest of the inside was top notch.
@@TheTriumfAnt Well, compared to Tesla's size indeed it's quite small. But like is said in the review of the iX3, the screensize is perfectly fine. With widescreen Apple CarPlay for me personally, I don't need a bigger screen. All controls are manually (no touch screen) but don't need to be. With the iPhone and Siri most things are done via voice control.
My parents were early adopters of the i3 when it came out. They’d been intending to electrify for a while but weren’t convinced by anything on the market until the i3 showed up and I have to say, we all love that car. They came down from Scotland to visit me in South-West England (yes, long journey in an EV) and we pootled around the countryside and I am as impressed by its performance as I was then. The controls still feel pretty modern and usable and I know my father’s added at least one other i3 to the local Electric Car Club because they are just genuinely very good cars.
But as you say… probably came along a little bit early for what they were.
Great review. I'll say it again, BMW absolutely blew it by not iterating on the i3, one of the most brilliant cars ever made. 8 years on, and it still looks like a car from the future, and I get even more questions about it now than ever. It was designed using first principles, and ahead of its time, so it will never age. If BMW had continued down that path, they could have been competing with Tesla at the top of the EV industry, but they were too greedy and short-sighted. Such a shame to see my favorite car brand become a colossal failure, an embarrassment to their ethos of performance and design. EVs are the greatest opportunity in a long time to advance both those aspects by leaps and bounds, and they didn't even try. I'll never get over this.
I am not a BMW driver but I have to entirely agree with your sentiments. Not only the i3, they had a fleet of electric Minis in the USA that their test drivers adored and what did they do? Put them all in the crusher and start oiling their cogs, gears and pistons. When it's too uncomfortable not to change - you'll change. The Beemer brigade obviously have a ways to go.
One of my favourite episodes, great job Jack. We definitely should try to normalise normally accelerating electric vehicles. And yes, where are the electric estates!?
Honestly, fully charged just goes from strength to strength. Great video as always, quality just improves and improves. Car isn't my taste but can see it converting a lot of BMW die hards.
Thanks for all the car reviews. Don’t think I would swop this for my MG ev5, which is spacious, good range and probably half the price. Not that desperate to have a bmw parked on the drive to impress the neighbors.
Great review from Jack, again. I don’t agree that electric cars “should look like cars”. By not designing for electric from the bottom up, you miss out on all the extras and touches that excite the owner. I’m looking forward to the 1 series size for my motorway commute, which I hope BMW do a really good job on, like we all know they can.
Jack your reviews, are FAB!! Love this channel. Thanks Robert. 👍👍
Glad you like them!
I own an ICE X3 and it will likely be my last ICE vehicle. I don't plan on replacing it with anything but a true electric vehicle. Currently leaning toward a Tesla Model Y.
I hope one of those chinese brands start popping up in the international market. They're making some good stuffs!
I think to buy an ICE vehicle at the moment means risking being stuck with a stranded asset in a few years time when no one wants to buy it second hand
@@geoffsemon7411 Then wait until it becomes an antique car..lol
You might also look at the Skoda Enyaq, especially if you have a family. Super-practical with lots of boot space and nice features to make life easier.
I had the diesel X3 for a while and couldn't get on with it tbh. Much happier without the premium badge and more practicality. But each to his own of course.
@@michaelrch I have an Octavia RS at the moment and love it but the Enyaq is to high for our Rottweiler to jump into and i'd prefer not to have to lift surf ski any higher than the roof of an estate
Great review AND commentary on conversion cars vs. EVs designed from the ground up. Thanks!
I’m so glad I saw the light and cancelled my iX3 order. Just taken delivery of a Tesla model 3 performance. Amazing car, so much fun to drive and the quality of the Chinese manufacturing is outstanding 🙌🏻
Yes this was my first thought - sixty grand for a shiny shed with an empty transmission tunnel eating into cabin space?! I could get a Model 3 Performance for less.
Effing best commenter ever. Already love the channel, keep it up!
Great review and pleased that BMW has produced an efficient drive train. I used to like BMW before they joined the arms race in vehicle size and started producing the obnoxious X5, X6 etc which are a blight on the roads in the UK. This offering is just another BMW which is too big and looks outdated compared with the competition. The fact that it doesn't have a frunk under that massive bonnet and that it has a transmission tunnel in the cabin which serves no purpose is far from the ultimate driving machine.
The transmission tunnel has the whiff of "Turbo" on the Taycan. I suppose they could call it a BMW iX3 "Manual Transmission with clutch" edition to suck in the trad auto brigade. Even though it does not have a clutch. Or a Gearbox. Or Gears. or a drive shaft. Or a non linear drive train.
I did a quick, very quick, comparison of the price of the ix3 premier pro against a similar spec ice equivalent x3. The difference? The ice equivalent is not that much cheaper cheaper, bearing in mind that this car has all of the optional, expensive, bells and whistles that come as standard. It was less than 10% cheaper, but factor in the running costs and it’s a different story. I would have much preferred the dedicated EV platform of the new ones coming later, but back in March when I ordered my replacement lease car (and I’m still waiting) that wasn’t an option. For the EV novice, though, this is a safe option. It’s a BMW, it’ll be fine, no worries.
I was also surprised how good the iX3 is. It’s not perfect, and it even doesn’t excel in any specific category. But it also has basically no flaws, at least no serious ones. And this is what makes it really one of the best EVs.
As to your comparison with Hyundai/KIA, I would put it this way: BMW took a very successful car (the X3 is actually challenging the 3 Series as their most sold car) and made it electric. This brought in their whole platform - the chassis that you liked so much, the bodywork, the infotainment system - this is a very nice heritage!
Whereas Hyundai and KIA are set to try out something new. I respect them for doing this, and we’re all lucky to have them, because they challenge the existing „leaders“. But even as a dedicated EV, the Ioniq 5 is not better than the iX3. If you want to have a very decent dedicated electric car, look at Tesla - this is how it’s done.
I’m very curious to see if the traditional vendors will be able to keep up in this race. Would be very sad if not, I’m a car guy myself.
Great review and great comments re obsession with insane 0-60 speed, normal people don’t need super fast cars, they need good cars.
Great review ..
This lukewarm effort from legacy car makers wont only kill them but also jeopardize millions of jobs/ households depends on them...when they stop thinking about next quarter and start thinking 1 year, 5 year 10 year perspective?
The sad thing is, BMW did look into the future, back in 2011 when they decided to turn the i3 into a production vehicle. But then the old boys took over and the team that designed the i3 and i8 left for China.
Jobs won't be lost if one or another company goes bust... the demand didn't change, the jobs just shift across to another company. Companies going bust is not something we need to be concerned about.
This is a hilariously bad take. This ix3 will sell more than any other premium electric car globally (and I’m not classing Tesla as premium). Do you know how many x3s sell in Asia where this car will be the perfect EV adopter?
@@robowski45 I hope & wish you are right and I m wrong...just 1 fact to ponder ..VW takes 30 hours to make ID4 and Tesla takes 10 hours..
Always enjoy Fully Charged reviews on cars, solar, etc. We need more non-car videos, please. Cars are too singular-focused. Also going to start a drinking game every time Jack says "bespoke"....
But Why? When you can buy a Model Y for the same price and get the full Tesla experience?
I have a feeling the model Y will very soon be the Mum's favorite. Expecting to see an awful lot of them in the school car parks
James not everybody wants or like teslas!
James not everybody likes or wants a tesla!
James! - not everybody likes, or wants, a T word......!
No you guys are completely right. Why would you want a car that is way easier to charge, more efficient, more spacious and more fun to drive. People knock Teslas because they are an easy target. I love mine, although there are many other EVs that I would like too.
Great review, all the info we need, with an injection of humour.
I LOVE "just a car" EVs. That's all I want. Just a car.
Me too....but at a 'just a car' price please.
@@kengreenaway1 Bingo! This BMW is a failure.
Peugeot e208 is my favourite of that type.
Great job as always!!
That fake plastic toy grill just looks hilarious. BMW really need to rethink their design.
Always reminds me of the fly in the 1980's movie of the same name...😜😅
Definitely one of the best car channels. I really enjoy watching your reviews
Glad you like them!
I like the grill. I'm not sure where BMW are going with those massive grills on some new cars.
Take a look a Jack Nicholson's sunglasses and you will see the grill ....
Run flat tyres? If rear wheel drive and no 4WD, then how would it handle in winter?
"pfff"
Also I have to concur.. with a premium car in the 60-70k EUR range, I do expect it to be fast, especially if it has a BMW badge on it. The acceleration of the iX3 is laughably bad compared to e.g. an Ioniq5/EV6 that cost 20k less and are roughly the same size and weight. BMW really needs to add an AWD version of the iX3 if they want it to succeed.
I agree thiugh this does compare directly to the acceleration of the RWD versions of those cars, The ionic 5 RWD is over 7s if memory serves. They need to make an iX2 with the same(ish) battery and motors, would/ should be around the same price as the Korean cars and most wouldn't bat an eye spending 40k on a BMW
Love your commentary Jack!
BMW was producing a fantastic electric car, the i3. But they lost the way.
Love the summary at the end of the video, spot on Jack, you've hit the nail(s) on the head
Yeah, I wonder who (if any) from traditional OEMs will survive electrification. I think Hyundai has the best chance :) As for me, waiting for Giga Berlin to go online. Looking forward when the new tech (4680s, megacast, structural pack) that Tesla will have there wipes out those lazy ba****ds :)
Volkswagen AG, Mercedes Benz AG, BMW. All 3 will survive the switch to electric.
@@JasperPauwels Perhaps they will survive, if they get their fingers out and get on with it. So far, despite years of this and that concept car, not a great deal has actually arrived. I think the point Vita was making was the current lean crop of German cars hardly stack up to a 10 year old Model S. And Tesla have moved on since then and is accelerating their development if anything.
@@ouethojlkjn I disagree. VW AG will be more than fine due to economy of scale and how invested they are in the transition to electric.
Mercedes EQ cars built on their MEA architecture show us what they are capable of and that too is more than fine.
Ironically, BMW is the one (from the big 3 Germans) lagging behind the most despite having a head start with the i3.
@@JasperPauwels It reminds me of kodak dabbling in this "digital photography" fad - "but seriously, no one will ever give up on chemical film processing in favour of this low resolution expensive digital picture thing". The problem is if you ask a German Diesel engineer what the solution is, unsurprisingly, they suggest a diesel car is the best option. It is also worth mentioning that VW certainly produce tens of thousands of EVs every year already. As do Audi, And Toyota. But you can only buy one of these EVs if you happen to be Chinese. These corporations are already quite capable of producing EVs for the rest of the world, They just don't want to. And if Tesla wasn't eating their lunch, they still wouldn't be. I do agree that BMW, like VW, sidelined their EV Evangelists and started listening to their diesel engineers again, but there wasn't the stink of "Dieselgate" hanging over BMWs heads, so only VW got their fingers out and at least made a start to try and catch the likes of Tesla.
Can the gesture option not be disabled then ?
Probably a £3k option and you don't need to specifiy it. Famously, BMWs listed AM / FM radios as an "option". Oh and a recent 5 series had folding seat as an option.
As Jack said, this should have been an estate (wagon/station wagon) - use that efficient rear wheel drive electric motor and put it in a 5 series estate with skateboard architecture... an i5 estate designed as electric from the ground up along the the lines of the i3 would be a winner!
Smushes face against keyboard *pfffffft*
Also love the channel! Keep up the good work
Thanks!
I think this car review is the one I most agree with that I can remember. Not even a single time I thought yeh but or I wish you’d said… It was very intelligent, realistic and fair.
Huge respect for being brutally honest when reviewing near the end - it's true, manufacturers are being so lazy and half-arsing when releasing lousy conversions - It was never acceptable and even more so now years later when the market has matured with skateboards etc.
Not only that but BMW manufacturing UK market cars in China means they need to remove the German luxury price-tag and give us a competitively priced Chinese manufactured car to match.
Wish you would have shown under the bonnet to embarrass them or mention how they refused to allow you to show it because it's pure shameful!
Great review as always, good job to fully charged team!
A great honest reviews. This is why I watch Fully Charged? It is just lazy design really. They really haven’t used any of the space at all that you get from building an EV
Italian speakers will have a hard time with that radio interface
Entertaining as always jack but with real facts. Keep up the great work.
I can relate to both the conclusions stated by Jack. I really do like this car, among the other converted ones, but I really LOVE the i3, I love the efficiency of the whole project, the eco-friendly materials, the importance given to weight and powertrain efficiency and even the upgrades it got through the years (higher capacity battery but with the same size and weight). I want an i3, I will get one (a used one) one day. But I don't feel comfortable with getting a converted ICE vehicle, it seems like a joke to me that I'm obsessed with EVs. I'm currently studying Energy Engineering because of this obsession I have, I could never trade-in efficiency for looks nor premiumness. With that said: great video, as always, long but not boring at all, fun and with every necessary information. Thank you, Jack.
Jack is one of my favourite presenters, presenting one of my favourite subjects EV cars. Keep it up Jack
Well done for making an honest review...!
Thumbs up for the physical buttons but not for controlling the radio with hand gestures.
I think Jack makes a great point about the difference between a bespoke EV platform and an adapted ICE platform, but it's worth remembering that luxury buyers are frequently more conservative, and may be more attracted to an EV that provides an ICE-like experience. For BMW that may be more important that it is for Kia and Hyundai.
"Don't worry sir, we have pre-slowed your car prior to delivery, you will never notice you are not in the 20th century any more!"
Jack, I really like and enjoy the way you review EVs.
Love Jacks presenting. Ix3 is a token gesture from bmw to get a product out there.
Here’s my comment, great review still thinking of getting a Tesla model 3 thou 😅
Great to see BMW eventually going electric. We love our 2021 BMW i3S
looked at other BEVs i3S still amazing engineering to this day
No Frounk rwd
Great review, Jack. Love your T Shirt!
Cheers for the video mate 😎 👌
My LCI version comes next week 👍🏻 Way cheaper with a good deal on finance than a Tesla, Kia (which my brain can’t look at) too
Always love the honest reviews you guys provide!
Great review! Looking for a pre-owned one now.
We have an i3 and a year old X3 PHEV in the US, now we wish we could get the iX3 and ditch ICE altogether, but it’s not available here and not in AWD sadly. I think it’s a great car with real buttons!