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

[fresca10]

I think they actually can get up to 500 mile range, which is very impressive. The entire class of BMW EVs coming out over the next two years is very impressive. I love my R1S, but when my lease is up in two years I will certainly be looking at the BMW line.

The ix3 will be BMW's first venture away from the ICE models and is an EV specific vehicle. I currently have an iX which does have its drawbacks and why I am considering Rivian but when I saw the iX and the EV specific build, I became very interested. The starting price point though is $60k so quite a bit more than Rivian. Is range worth that much, not sure....

Sponsored

 

[DuoRivian]

The ix3 will be BMW's first venture away from the ICE models and is an EV specific vehicle. I currently have an iX which does have its drawbacks and why I am considering Rivian but when I saw the iX and the EV specific build, I became very interested. The starting price point though is $60k so quite a bit more than Rivian. Is range worth that much, not sure....

It will likely be about $5k more than the dual motor R2. You need to compare apples to apples. The R3 starts at $45k (really $47k with destination) and is single motor. There will be a single motor iX3 which is likely to be in the mid 50’s. The R2 looks great, the BMW has charging and likely range advantages.
Nice to have choices.

 

[mkhuffman]

Ive got an iX and considering the iX3. simply for the range. That was what drew me to Vivian, but now there is an option out there with equal range, but price tag will be higher

Don't you hate how our phones automatically correct our spelling "mistakes"?

 

[mkg3]

It is EPA route which is the only standardized way to do it. Of course rangers less if going highway speeds, as it is for all electric vehicles. 400 miles is impressive against the competition which is the key metric.

If you are concerned then I assume other than a Lucid Air you will buy nothing since every other EV has a shorter EPA range.

Agree. I was simply reacting to one of the post about no one needs 400 mile EV. My only point was the the energy supply can be used in different ways - not just range.

Personally, I am not at all concerned about EV range. There are many options, including ICE if the range was the primary concern.

 

[macb00kemdanno]

Volvo EX60 debuts Jan 21st with 400mi EPA range and 400kw peak charging

Volvo says that its SUV will be best-in-class for range, which means 400 miles (644 km) from a fully charged battery under the EPA test cycle (although an official EPA range number isn’t due yet). Fast charging should also live up to the name. Providing you plug into a 400 kW DC fast charger, the EX60 should add 168 miles (270 km) of range in 10 minutes, although we don’t know how long it requires to fast charge from 10–80 percent.

https://arstechnica.com/cars/2026/01/volvo-says-new-ex60-has-400-mile-range-charges-up-to-400-kw/

 

[Budman]

The Volvo EX60 seems like it will be priced above the R2 given the 400 mile range.

 

[Virtio]

Probably about the same as the iX3. https://insideevs.com/news/778303/volvo-ex60-phev-price-parity/

 

[mkhuffman]

I can't own Chinese spyware, which is what the Volvo will be.

I know, Google also spies. But Google is not our enemy. China is. So while I do like the styling, and the specs sound great, it will never be on my list.

Rivian, on the other hand, can spy on me all it wants! At least I mostly trust what they do with my data. And I believe they will honor their privacy policy.

 

[Sportstick]

I can't own Chinese spyware, which is what the Volvo will be.

I know, Google also spies. But Google is not our enemy. China is. So while I do like the styling, and the specs sound great, it will never be on my list.

Rivian, on the other hand, can spy on me all it wants! At least I mostly trust what they do with my data. And I believe they will honor their privacy policy.

Clearly a personal choice everyone can make. Offering the LFP battery choice is a deal-saving "win" in my pro/con sheet that R2 may yet still match, based on latest AI searches. I recall the days when some would never buy anything German, anything Japanese, or anything from Ford Motor Company for similar reasons. It does make one wonder what you are doing in your car, however! If anyone in China spied on my car, they would soon be comatose from sheer boredom!

 

[macb00kemdanno]

Clearly a personal choice everyone can make. Offering the LFP battery choice is a deal-saving "win" in my pro/con sheet that R2 may yet still match, based on latest AI searches. I recall the days when some would never buy anything German, anything Japanese, or anything from Ford Motor Company for similar reasons. It does make one wonder what you are doing in your car, however! If anyone in China spied on my car, they would soon be comatose from sheer boredom!

I bet his phone, computer, TV, appliances, furniture, electronic gadgets, tools, and a host of other things are made in China, too

You can't escape this global economy.

 

[mkhuffman]

I bet his phone, computer, TV, appliances, furniture, electronic gadgets, tools, and a host of other things are made in China, too

You can't escape this global economy.

I try very hard to avoid electronics made in China, but you are correct. It is practically impossible. However, I don't have to guess what the Volvo is. I know. And that one is easy. Just don't buy it. Buy a Rivian instead.

It is worrisome that so many people do not care about CCP spying. They really are the enemy, and you really should do everything possible to avoid them getting your personal information.

If anyone in China spied on my car, they would soon be comatose from sheer boredom!

That or they would be able to figure out all the passwords to all your accounts.

 

[Sportstick]

That or they would be able to figure out all the passwords to all your accounts.

I'm not an expert in how that would work. My phone has no connection to my car other than for speakers for phone calls. Is that enough to make illicit contact? I treat my car as a car for driving and not as a roving internet site. Navigation is onboard, I don't use CarPlay or any music apps as Sirius comes via satellite, and my 3rd party password manager company that generates lengthy and random characters has an app on my phone and has never been breached so far. How do you see this risk being manifested? Interested to learn more...

BTW, if R2 offers the LFP battery and EX60 does not, Rivian wins by default.

 

[Dave Cundiff]

Americans, both Servicemembers and visitors, drive cars onto military bases.

In a non-camera-equipped car, the security threat comes from the people IN the cars. The military has long had procedures to handle that.

In a camera-equipped car, the security threat also comes from the car itself. If the car is instructed to upload to the Chinese mothership everything it's seen in an area of interest to Chinese intelligence, it creates a whole new level of security headaches for our country.

I think my information and I are boring. Others may not. I'll stick with our Rivians, thanks.

Best wishes!

 

[M3_R2]

Again, my writing may not be as clear as I hoped. Fires are rare, and the battery is not always punctured in every accident, but if the NMC battery is actually punctured, the results are dramatic, producing tremendous heat far beyond a comparable LFP. I was shown comparison videos from lab tests and they are striking. This link is not the test I originally saw, but the results are similar.

What was the exact NMC chemistry? What evidence is there that it included ANY thermal-runaway mitigation features? NONE

A mere lab trick. No relationship to modern pack cells and BMS whatsoever.

It also matters tremendously where, exactly the penetration occurs. Nail tests are highly unrepeatable. A small difference in nail position, speed and SOC can change the outcome quite a lot.

BMW Gen6 cells could probably get put into a runaway state but due to their ability to vent gas and electrolyte under pressure, absorb energy and localize the event to prevent pack-level catastrophe, there is really no comparison to the aged blade pack used in this demonstration by a company to put all the odds in favor of their own product through guerrilla marketing.

 

[mkhuffman]

I'm not an expert in how that would work. My phone has no connection to my car other than for speakers for phone calls. Is that enough to make illicit contact? I treat my car as a car for driving and not as a roving internet site. Navigation is onboard, I don't use CarPlay or any music apps as Sirius comes via satellite, and my 3rd party password manager company that generates lengthy and random characters has an app on my phone and has never been breached so far. How do you see this risk being manifested? Interested to learn more...

BTW, if R2 offers the LFP battery and EX60 does not, Rivian wins by default.

Maybe you don't connect your phone to your car, but many people do. But it is beyond that.

It will have the capability to listen to you and your passengers. It will have cameras to capture images of you and your family.

It will know everywhere you drive, and exactly where you live and work. It isn't hard to connect all those data points with AI and start guessing what your passwords are. Most people use passwords with names of familiar items or pets or people.

Anyway, they will be gathering a ton of data on who you are and none of it will be used to benefit you. If they ever use it, it will be to hurt you.

Sponsored