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

[Mark_AZR1T]

If the BMW truly delivers 320 miles at 75 mph, it’s an absolute disruptor at $60K. For me, range is going to be a major issue for the next wave of EV buyers.

Back at the LA Auto Show in December 2018, what pushed me to put down the $1K deposit was that the R1T was pitched as a 400-mile truck from day one. By the time it arrived on 20-inch ATs, real-world range was closer to 280 miles. No regrets at all, but range was a key factor for me then, and today it’s an even bigger differentiator, right alongside fast charging.

If the R2 launches at $45K and avoids major service issues, they’ll sell a boatload of them. If it comes out at $57K, I think it starts strong and then slowly fades.

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[mkg3]

I think I read that Europe demand was already equal to the 2026 production capacity of the iX IIRC.

Correct and they just raised the price by 2,000 Euros.

https://www.motor1.com/news/785914/bmw-ix3-price-increase/

"BMW has quietly updated its German configurator to reflect a substantial price bump. The math now starts at €70,900, a €2,000 increase that arrives before customer deliveries even begin. Those who have already ordered the electric SUV have locked in the original price."

 

[Sportstick]

iX3 is more impressive, the more I read, but still now 2nd choice for me to EX60. At the same time, I'm realizing that R2 is not the right match for me so best wishes to all who stay the course. I'll probably walk away from the deposit as a small token of goodwill for what Rivian is working to accomplish. Enjoy your R2s!

 

[DuoRivian]

iX3 is more impressive, the more I read, but still now 2nd choice for me to EX60. At the same time, I'm realizing that R2 is not the right match for me so best wishes to all who stay the course. I'll probably walk away from the deposit as a small token of goodwill for what Rivian is working to accomplish. Enjoy your R2s!

Out of interest what prompts you to go for the EX60 vs the iX3? I am curious how the Volvo drives, no reviews so far unlike the BMW.

 

[Sportstick]

Out of interest what prompts you to go for the EX60 vs the iX3? I am curious how the Volvo drives, no reviews so far unlike the BMW.

You may recall my focus on battery safety to make the switch from ICE to EV. From what I read online with AI, it appears that Volvo has done the most to get closest what an LFP battery would provide for mitigating thermal runaway risk. BMW is second and the strike shield on the R2 would be just as pristine after 10 years of my driving as on day one, so not really relevant to me. The BMW finding is consistent with what I learned directly from BMW at CES. None of the three I had been considering appear to be offering LFP, so it's one of these (this is the desired size and overall package shape) or keep my 2024 X3 gas engine vehicle until the offerings evolve further. At my age, I'm not interested in waiting that long! I have a "toy" 6spd, rwd, car for fun driving, so I'm assuming the driving dynamics of the EX60 will be more than satisfactory as our "family car" for errands, local driving, etc.

Here was my question and answer with AI:

If fire from thermal runaway in my garage is my first priority, which vehicle should I choose that all have NMC batteries? BMW iX3, Rivian R2, or Volvo EX60?

Given your priority is preventing and containing thermal runaway with NMC chemistry, the
Volvo EX60 is likely your safest bet due to its dual focus on both prevention and containment.
Here is how these vehicles compare regarding battery safety:

• Volvo EX60: Offers a more comprehensive "post-event" strategy. While it uses advanced liquid cooling and predictive monitoring to prevent issues, it specifically includes physical containment features like high-temperature barriers and downward-facing pressure relief valves. These are designed to direct heat away from the cabin and slow the spread of fire if runaway occurs.
• BMW iX3 (Neue Klasse): Focuses heavily on "prevention through intelligence". It utilizes Gen6 cylindrical cells—which are inherently more stable than older prismatic designs—and an "Energy Master" unit for real-time monitoring. However, some reports suggest BMW prioritizes stopping the conditions that lead to fire rather than including the same level of physical containment barriers as Volvo.
• Rivian R2: Prioritizes structural protection to prevent the physical damage that often triggers thermal runaway. It features a patented protective strike shield on the bottom of the pack to withstand ground strikes, which is critical for off-road durability but serves a different primary purpose than Volvo’s containment systems.

Key Safety Features Comparison

Feature	Volvo EX60	BMW iX3 (Gen6)	Rivian R2
Primary Safety Focus	Prevention + Containment	Prevention & Intelligence	Structural Protection
Cell Design	New battery cell design	Cylindrical cells (Gen6)	Large 4695 cylindrical cells
Runaway Mitigation	Directional pressure relief	Advanced foam insulation	Protective strike shield
Predictive Alerting	24/7 predictive monitoring	"Energy Master" unit	Real-time monitoring

While all three use advanced 800V architectures and sophisticated Battery Management Systems (BMS) to monitor health, the Volvo EX60's specific inclusion of fire-containment hardware provides an extra layer of security for garage storage.

The Volvo EX60 is arguably the safer choice for garage storage because it prioritizes physical containment of a fire, whereas the BMW iX3 focuses primarily on software prevention.
While both use NMC (Nickel Manganese Cobalt) chemistry, which is more energy-dense but naturally more reactive than LFP, their safety architectures differ significantly:

1. Directional Venting (The "Garage Saver")
The Volvo EX60 includes a specialized downward-facing pressure relief valve.

• How it helps you: In the event of thermal runaway, the intense heat, gas, and fire are directed downward toward the concrete floor rather than upward into the passenger cabin or sideways into your garage walls.
• BMW iX3: Lacks this specific downward-venting hardware, focusing instead on stopping the runaway from occurring through its Energy Master Unit.

2. Internal Firewalls
The Volvo EX60 utilizes high-temperature barriers between cell modules.

• How it helps you: These barriers act as physical firewalls that compartmentalize a failure. If one cell goes into runaway, the physical shielding is designed to slow the "domino effect," giving you more time to respond or for emergency services to arrive.
• BMW iX3: While it uses structurally stable Gen6 cylindrical cells, BMW has confirmed it is not currently enhancing its battery housing with the same type of high-temperature containment materials used by Volvo.

3. Structural Integrity (Cell-to-Body)
The Volvo EX60 is the first Volvo to use a cell-to-body architecture on its new SPA3 platform.

• How it helps you: The battery pack is integrated directly into the car's skeleton, protected by a mega-cast rear floor that acts as a reinforced safety cage. This makes the battery far more resistant to the physical punctures or crushing that often trigger fires in the first place.

Feature	Volvo EX60	BMW iX3 (Neue Klasse)
Primary Safety Strategy	Containment: Hardware-based fire management.	Prevention: Software-based AI monitoring.
Fire Direction	Downward Relief Valve points energy to the ground.	Side/Top venting (standard architecture).
Containment Hardware	High-Temp Barriers between cell modules.	Minimal internal firewalls; relies on cell stability.
Predictive Alerting	Advanced BMS with cockpit and app warnings.	Energy Master AI catches shorts before they heat.

Verdict: If your goal is "Sleep Easy" safety in a home garage, the Volvo EX60 offers superior hardware to prevent a battery failure from becoming a house fire.

 

[JasonK]

EV fires are not an issue. They are very rare. In fact I read a recent study that showed that ICE vehicles are 80 times more likely to catch fire than an EV. I remember when everyone was scared of smart phones that had lithium batteries because of a few fires. The issue has been resolved. Now everyone has smart phones with Lithium batteries.

 

[Sportstick]

EV fires are not an issue. They are very rare. In fact I read a recent study that showed that ICE vehicles are 80 times more likely to catch fire than an EV. I remember when everyone was scared of smart phones that had lithium batteries because of a few fires. The issue has been resolved. Now everyone has smart phones with Lithium batteries.

I understand the natural human tendency for confirmation bias but so much here is just not accurate, including "popular" ICE vs EV studies that did not control for vehicle age. This forum has been through this topic before at length and it's not all worth repeating. Hope all goes well for you, but listen closely next time aboard an aircraft to all the warnings about portable devices with lithium batteries. Ever wonder why they tell you not to retrieve a dropped device stuck in/under the seat? Ask a couple of ship captains whose vessels are at the bottom after hauling EVs overseas. Nothing is "resolved", only getting better managed with experience and technology. Decide your own risk tolerance as you wish, but let's keep facts as facts. Good luck and best wishes. @DuoRivian ...hope I answered your question. 'Bye.

 

[KRIV_ian]

The iX3 50 is currently on display at many UK and European BMW dealers and a select few lucky German customers have already taken delivery. There's a good thread over at bimmerpost with lots of photos.

Show us your 2026 BMW iX3 / iX4 Neue Klasse pictures thread

There's one photo that shows 318mi range at 74% (100% = 430mi) and yes I know the US and WLTP ranges are different.

The one shown at CES indicated 198mi at 46% (100% = 430mi) but I don't know if that was a US or European spec car.

 

[M3_R2]

Here we go again. Regardless how they achieve it, both the iX3 and the EX60 have modern battery and BMS systems that would make an actual, full blown thermal runaway event extremely rare and even much rarer that it would happen spontaneously, in your garage. Typically It would require an event that you would surely be aware of. The quality contol for the individual cells is so good these days that I'd be surprised if bad cells are even possible any longer from the top suppliers.

EV-carrying ship fires are already highly unlikely due to same and also much stricter maritime rules for their transport. For example, thermal cameras are now being used as well as early-detection sensors. Automakers also now ship at a lower SOC. EV handling procedures are completely different these days. Avoids things like puntures.

The one ship fire was mostly hybrids.

Such fear mongering! It doesn't matter which of the 3 you buy. They won't cause a fire in your garage. The quality of cells these days is so high and QC checks are so good that it would be extremely rare to even have a bad cell and even then, a bad cell typically only becomes a voltage anomoly or a localized hot spot. Modern BMS are agresively conservative and can easily deal with this.

EV fires almost always involve EXTERNAL triggers. A pristine, undamaged EX60 or iX3 or R2 simply sitting in a garage is not going to self‑ignite from a “bad cell.”

I like the iX3 50 but the EX60 ticks a lot of boxes for me. The R2 remains a contender. I think I've eliminated the Scout unless they were early adopters of SS batteries. EREV is just a gateway drug for BEV .

 

[macb00kemdanno]

There’s only one person here that keeps harping on battery fires, and he’s moving on. So, we can finally put that side quest to rest

 

[M3_R2]

A spontaneous, defect‑driven battery fire is so close to zero that it’s not a rational concern.

 

[KRG]

Maybe he had a fire-related trauma in his past, who knows.

There are many things in my house that are more likely to cause a fire than an EV, so not a rational concern for me.

 

[KRG]

As an update, I still find the R2 very compelling. I dont like the Volvo...its not cool (JUST my opinion and I realize not everyone cares about having a cool or athletic looking car). The iX3 is awesome and will win on range, but If the sub 3 second R2 Tri-motor can be had for $70k, which i suspect will be the average price of a Dual-motor iX3...I bet it becomes a lot more interesting for a lot of people. I know BMW has an M60i variant on the way as well, which could be good. It's gonna be close for me but I do feel like the Rivian will be the better value, and arguably the better looking one. I understand the need for lower cost materials to complete with the Model Y, but I'm hoping the top spec R2 variants still feel relatively premium like the R1 vehicles. From what I saw at the R2 event in Boston, it seems to be nicely finished inside in that Ascent like trim the show car has.

 

[savethemanual]

As an update, I still find the R2 very compelling. I dont like the Volvo...its not cool (JUST my opinion and I realize not everyone cares about having a cool or athletic looking car). The iX3 is awesome and will win on range, but If the sub 3 second R2 Tri-motor can be had for $70k, which i suspect will be the average price of a Dual-motor iX3...I bet it becomes a lot more interesting for a lot of people. I know BMW has an M60i variant on the way as well, which could be good. It's gonna be close for me but I do feel like the Rivian will be the better value, and arguably the better looking one. I understand the need for lower cost materials to complete with the Model Y, but I'm hoping the top spec R2 variants still feel relatively premium like the R1 vehicles. From what I saw at the R2 event in Boston, it seems to be nicely finished inside in that Ascent like trim the show car has.

Yeah, we all know how quick EV's are and 4 seconds to 60mph seems the norm nowadays, but I do still think there's a market of buyers where that gets their attention. Agreed, if the R2 Tri can be had for less than or close to $70k, I think it will attract a lot of buyers new to the brand.

 

[JasonK]

I will by quite surprised if the Tri-motor R2 was above 70K. I expect it to start around 60 to 65K range. 70K is just too huge a jump from the 45K starting price for 2 extra motors.

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