Living with the BMW iX3: How efficient is it in the real world?

Right after taking delivery of our brand new BMW iX3 50 xDrive, we put its range claims to the test. From the dealership, we headed straight to the seaside, covering almost 249 miles in one go. After spending some time there, we started the return journey from an even more distant location, this time surpassing the 249 miles mark.

Our starting point sits at a considerably higher altitude than the coast, so we expected the outbound journey to produce better efficiency figures and the return leg to suffer slightly from the elevation gain.

As the trip computer images below show, the first journey was slightly shorter and completed at a marginally higher average speed. We had the cruise control set at 87 mph but due to traffic and a long construction drive, our average speed went down to 75 mph. Based on the recorded consumptionat the end, the iX3 50 xDrive could cover 332 miles at highway speeds with the air conditioning running and an outside temperature of 84°F. That is an excellent result and further proof of just how efficient the iX3 can be.

The return journey was longer and traffic brought the average speed down slightly. Despite that, consumption increased marginally due to the climb back inland. At an average speed of 70 mph, our figures suggest a fully charged battery would still provide 326 miles of range, which remains hugely impressive.

If you want to simulate your driving conditions, we suggest you use our specially developed widget that can emulate all kinds of different scenarios. As you can see, our data with the bigger 21” wheels shows a slightly worse result but that is just what is to be expected. This data proves the reliability of our widget and also how well the iX3 performs in all conditions.

Our choice of a white interior and Brooklyn Grey exterior also proved sensible in the summer heat. The cabin cooled down quickly, and the ability to switch the AC via the app at any time fully compensated for the lack of ventilated seats on short journeys.

We had high expectations before buying the BMW iX3, yet so far it has managed to exceed even its ambitious range and efficiency claims.

If there is anything you want to know about living with the BMW iX3 50 xDrive, send us your questions and we will gladly cover them as our ownership experience continues. See you in the next one!