2021 BMW X3 Facelift, iX3, Specs, Price
The current generation of this compact crossover has been around for about two years. However, the Bavarian carmaker is already considering a mid-cycle update, which should happen already in the next year. This model would arrive as the 2021 BMW X3 and it is about to bring a nice amount of changes. At this point, we still don’t know details and we are still waiting to hear something from the officials.
Still, we can presume some of the changes. Besides typical cosmetical changes, the 2021 BMW X3 is about to come with one huge novelty. Yes, we are talking about the all-electric version, which is about to come as the iX3. The new version will come with a completely new, electric powertrain, which will feature not just plenty of power, but also with a pretty long range. The new version is expected to arrive sometime in the second half of the next year.
2021 BMW iX3 Specs
Despite that complete lineup is about to receive novelties for the next year, the 2021 BMW iX3 is definitely the biggest novelty. The compact crossover is about to get its all-electric version. Unlike some other carmakers, BMW focuses on making electric versions of its existing models, rather than making completely new models. Therefore, this version will share most of its parts with the standard, internal-combustion model. This includes both aesthetics and mechanics, though there is enough room for exclusive details as well.
The new version will come with a couple of modifications at the front, which seems logical, considering that it won’t need fresh air, so the grille will be closed. A couple of more distinctive details will come as well. On the inside, we don’t expect bigger changes. The iX3 should come with the same cabin layout, though we could see a little bit less space in the second row, due to a battery pack.
Exterior and Interior
As we already mentioned, the BMW X3 Facelift 2021 will also bring changes to standard, internal-combustion models. Of course, those should be typical mid-cycle changes, which would be mostly about aesthetics. We count on a couple of revisions in terms of the styling, particularly at the front end, which could come with revisions in areas like the front bumper, fascia etc. We also count on those typical updates, such as new color options, new sets of wheels etc.
Bigger interior changes are not expected. The 2021 BMW X3 is about to continue with the same layout, which looks quite attractive. Still, we have to say that many rivals look more upscale, including the significantly more affordable Acura RDX. Also, rivals like Q5 are more spacious on the inside, as well as with more comfort. Still, the Bavarian carmaker could make things a little bit better with a couple of new, more attractive color schemes.
Features
This is the aspect where we expect to see some improvements. The current model offers a decent list of standard equipment, but rivals offer more. This particularly refers to tech features. The current model comes standard with things like 6.5-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, a USB port, a 12-speaker audio system etc. The list should be notably expanded and some of the potential candidates are tech goodies like panoramic moonroof, a 16-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, satellite radio, navigation, wireless device charging, Wi-Fi hotspot etc.
When it comes to safety, things are much better, as the current model already comes standard with a rearview camera, front and rear parking sensors, driver drowsiness monitoring, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, and traffic sign recognition. More advanced safety systems like head-up display, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, front and rear cross-traffic alert, blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, parallel park assist are also available.
2021 BMW X3 Engines
Other than a new all-electric version, we expect that this update won’t bring bigger changes in terms of powertrain. North American models will continue with two familiar gasoline options. Base models will feature a 2.0-liter turbo-four, which is good for about 250 horsepower. An optional 2021 BMW X3 M40i will come with a well-known 3.0-liter inline-six, which delivers pretty impressive 355 horsepower, which is enough power to run this crossover from zero to sixty in less than five seconds. Also, this the fuel economy is great. The base engine returns around 23 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway, which are some of the highest ratings in the class.
Also, keep in mind that a hybrid version is coming for the 2020-year model. It is based on a turbo-four engine and features combined output of 293 horsepower.
2021 BMW X3 Release Date and Price
Considering the changes, the 2021 BMW X3 release date could be scheduled a little bit earlier than usual, probably in the third quarter of the next year. When it comes to the price, base models currently go around 41.000 dollars and we don’t expect bigger deviations in the future.
