Premium Electric Car of the Year 2026: BMW iX3
The BMW iX3 is the 2026 Auto Express Premium Electric Car of the Year, with the Mercedes CLA and Volvo XC60 commended
The BMW iX3 represents the beginning of the Bavarian powerhouse’s bold new era of design, engineering and innovation, also known as the Neue Klasse – and what a debut.
Not merely an electric version of BMW’s mid-size SUV like the last one, the new iX3 began as a clean sheet of paper. Underneath is a brand-new, bespoke electric-car architecture and the sixth evolution of the company’s EV powertrain technology that combines extra energy-dense cylindrical battery cells with more efficient e-motors to deliver a once-unfathomable 500 miles of range.
This also marks the first time BMW has used an 800-volt electrical system in one of its electric cars, with the benefits immediately obvious; the car can charge at 400kW – more power than almost any rapid charger in the UK can currently deliver.
Then there’s the Heart of Joy, a little box of electronic wizardry that masterfully co-ordinates every element of the driving experience besides the weather and traffic. Yet it doesn’t feel like some kind of racing simulator. The iX3 handles, rides and even responds like a BMW should.
Finally, the retro-futuristic styling draws inspiration from the icons of BMW's past, while inside, the new Panoramic iDrive set-up rips up the rulebook of cars’ interiors and projects all the vital information along the base of the windscreen – precisely in the driver’s line of sight.
The term ‘game changer’ is thrown around far too often in the world of cars, but in the case of the BMW iX3 it feels like an understatement.
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Our choice
- BMW iX3 50 xDrive M Sport (£63,155)
While the entry-level 40 model – priced from £53,250 and with a 395-mile range – should satisfy a lot of buyers’ needs, we would upgrade to the dual-motor 50 xDrive. This gets a bigger battery for that headline 500-mile range, and all-wheel drive, plus a healthy 463bhp. M Sport spec adds all the usual trimmings and styling tweaks.
Commended
The CLA is Mercedes’ best EV yet. The super-sleek saloon and Shooting Brake estate are extraordinarily efficient and supremely refined, resulting in outstanding range figures and long-distance cruising ability. Meanwhile, the interior features more tech than PC World yet is still tasteful and feels suitably expensive.
The Volvo EX60 oozes class, with its whisper-quiet cabin and incredibly comfortable ride providing a truly luxurious driving experience. There are some clever touches and up to 503 miles of range, which beats the BMW (just), although that’s reserved for the pricey top-flight model.
See all the winners...
Click on the gallery below to see all the winners of our 2026 New Car Awards...
You can find all the information on our New Car Awards 2026 winners and the reasons why we chose them on the pages below. Just follow the links to read more…
New Car Awards 2026: the winners
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BMW iX3
Mercedes-Benz CLA
