Rival: 2026 BMW iX3 reviews are impressive... R2 has its work cut out

[dleepnw]

This is definitely going to impact R2 sales if they price it as stated and it isn't too far stripped down from the top trim lines that have been reviewed. +90% of people who buy the R2 are not going to take it fording into water or any serious (even mildly serious) off-roading. Just like those who bought the R1, they are both going to be family haulers for soccer moms, daily driver for work commute, and the occasional road trip. I'd argue the BMW might be better to live with on a daily basis. And for those road trips? It's definitely going to be better with the higher range and faster charge speeds.
Software updates? Absolutely, Rivian will be faster and have more but we've learned from the R1, that doesn't always mean its better. Its great to get new features over time but the stability and responsiveness have gotten worse and we seem to get more and more bugs. That's the hidden benefit of fewer updates. And who knows, since this is a platform from the ground up, they might have more s/w enabled capabilities that can be improved OTA than previous BMWs.

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[elektrode]

I hate it

 

[DuoRivians]

Regarding MSRP v R2: The sticker price on the car won’t matter as much as the lease deals BMW offers. And BMW can be very aggressive on them.

 

[RivnSoon]

I'm in the market for my wife's X5 electric replacement and it's not going to be a R1S. We will wait for the ix5 or ix7.

 

[sparkles]

These look amazing, but that steering wheel is horrendous

 

[DuoRivian]

These look amazing, but that steering wheel is horrendous

Good job they offer two others for $100. Talk about customization! Looking forward to the red interior in addition to white and back as potentially a no cost upgrade.

 

[ozziegt]

If I get another BMW as a loaner instead of a Chevy Bolt, I'm sold

 

[TexasBob]

I think the ICE manufacturers are pretty much leading innovation and technology in the EV world now. BYD, Geely, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes... There are still some interesting EV only innovators like Rivian, Xiaomi and XPeng, but the ICE guys are now in the lead and delivering on the powertrain and tech specs. When Lucid becomes a tier 1 components supplier in 2027, it should help the laggards catch up. Even VW is moving out to a leadership role (now that Rivian is solving its software/electronics problem) with its 800V charging and the new Scout product.

Meanwhile, Tesla has become the Commodore Computer of the EV industry. It still sells a lot of Commodore 64s and it rabid fanbase is shouting from the rooftops that Amiga is better, but the market has moved on.

 

[DuoRivian]

The other thing to remember for pricing is that Rivian charge more for destination and handling, much more for paint and more for changing your interior to anything other than black.

I expect the iX3 to be $63k with destination included, so a little above the $60k estimate banded about.

 

[Throwdown]

Sp

It looks like a great car.

It will be interesting to see how it compares to R2. I hope R2 comes in significantly cheaper.

Spec for spec i seriously doubt it, the "45k" R2 will have a small battery and RWD. All the ix3s have the same battery and AWD for 60k. The R2 that matches the base ix3 will be 60k for sure

 

[emoore]

It's a bit too early to compare prices between the R2 and iX3. They are both estimates and we have zero idea what that base price includes. Should be interesting to see what happens next year.

 

[DuoRivian]

It's a bit too early to compare prices between the R2 and iX3. They are both estimates and we have zero idea what that base price includes. Should be interesting to see what happens next year.

The BMW can be configured in Europe and if you check out bmw.co.uk you will see it is around GBP59k and pricing is typically 1:1 since the UK has a 20% sales tax included. So we have a very good idea of the pricing and the specification at that price (400 mile range, 400kW charging, glass roof optional, leatherette, no heated seats).

 

[emoore]

The BMW can be configured in Europe and if you check out bmw.co.uk you will see it is around GBP59k and pricing is typically 1:1 since the UK has a 20% sales tax included. So we have a very good idea of the pricing and the specification at that price (400 mile range, 400kW charging, glass roof optional, leatherette, no heated seats).

Well is that the case with other BMWs? Is it 1:1 for an X3 or 5 series?

 

[Virtio]

It's nice to see the iX3 has Carplay.

 

[TexasBob]

iX3 and the Scout Traveler squeezing Rivian in the middle. Scout will have real off-road chops, >350 mlies range, 800V charging, and starts under $60k (and Rivian electronics / software). R2 will struggle if they have cheaped out on the range or if the charging curve is disappointing. The 400V is not a deal killer in itself. Even at 200kw, you can go from 10-80% in 20 minutes on a 100 kwh battery (with a perfectly flat charge curve). We will have to see what sort of black magic LG and Rivian have up their sleeve to get a decent ~350 miles of range and good charging. Holding out (a little) hope.

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