In my formative years as a kid growing up in a third-world country, I spent countless hours flipping through every car magazine that came my way. Funnily enough, I kept coming across these magazines, either at a cousin’s house, a friend’s place, or at the famous magazine stand under the pipal tree in New Road. Of the countless cars and motorcycles I fantasized about owning, a frequent feature in my dream reels was the BMW. I always wanted to have a car in my garage that brandished the coveted propellers on the bonnet.

Last week, I got a chance to rekindle those dreams when I found myself behind the wheels of the BMW iX3, the only fully electric BMW in the country. Before we go any further, I should mention that, despite our team’s relentless efforts, Laxmi Intercontinental could not provide us with a BMW for a test drive since their launch back in late 2020. So, finally getting the keys to a beamer sent me over the moon. And to add to the excitement, the iX3 came in the M Sports package.

Now, if you’re guessing that testing out the iX3 on the roads of Kathmandu for its driving and handling is the first thing I did, then you’d be wrong. The first thing I did was drive away from the showroom and wave my fingers around like a wizard to play with the gesture controls of the infotainment system. And there you were, thinking I would do some serious automotive journalism.

Well, I did eventually get to the testing bit, but you must remember, that it’s not every day that I find myself inside the lavish cabin of a BMW. So, I took my time taking it all in. After spending a comically long time playing with the gestures to adjust the volume and change tracks, I pried myself away for long enough to inspect the other elements of the cabin.

Firstly, I remembered that there is a rotary knob on the centre console which allows you to control the infotainment system as an alternative to wagging your finger around in circles. The system was very easy to use and navigation using the knob was very intuitive. I didn’t have to keep looking at where it was and how to operate it once I got a hang of it.

The 12.3” fully digital touchscreen unit is responsive and very easy to use. It connected effortlessly to my phone via Android Auto and I could very easily use the screen for navigation and telephone functions. I figure it would be equally easy to connect to Apple Carplay as well. As you would expect from a BMW, the camera display is magnificent and gives you a great estimate of your surroundings. All in all, the BMW Live Cockpit which includes things like an intelligent cluster screen, entertainment and navigation, plus the gesture control, is very easy to use and provides good functionality.

The panoramic glass roof spans across almost the entirety of the roof, flooding the cabin with natural light and creating a sense of immense space. It opens and closes completely automatically at the push of a button or with the vehicle key, and is equipped with slide and lift functions, roller sunblind and wind deflector.

In much of the same luxurious BMW fashion, the sport seats come in what BMW calls perforated fine-grain SensaTec upholstery, which is an alternative to leather; “For luxury-minded vegans who choose not to purchase leather goods” they say. But you do get M Leather steering wheels which are great to hold on to. The driver and front passenger get heated electrically adjustable seats, with the driver seat getting additional lumbar support as well as a memory function. The extendable thigh support also exudes luxury, while it isn’t something that you can’t live without, you’ll miss it once you get used to it.

All in all, the BMW iX3’s interior looks and feels every bit like a posh SUV should. There are barely any scratchy plastic bits to annoy you with, even the glovebox interiors get a soft fabric so things like your expensive Rolex watches don’t end up scratched. And for your auditory pleasures, you get a Harman Kardon surround sound system that sounds sublime. Buttons for the AC controls mean that you don’t have to fiddle about with fidgety touch elements and a wireless charging pad for your phone means that you won’t be running out of juice on your phone.

As impressive as the interiors are, the exteriors are equally stunning. Since you get the M Sport Package, the overall design is sporty. Things like a sporty front and rear bumper, vents behind the wheels, along the M high-gloss shadow line for the window trims add a sense of style. BMW’s iBlue inlets and blue accents underline the all-electric nature of the iX3.

Up front, you get the iconic kidney grille which is conjoined. I’ll be the first to admit, when the kidney grille design first changed for BMW we at Nepal Drives were amongst the many who berated them for the design. However, with the keys to the beamer in my hands, it didn’t bother me at all. The sleek headlights with trapezoidal daytime-running lights get adaptive LED units. The hood gets subtle character lines that add a sense of muscularity to the design, without making it too loud.

While the overall design does not err on the side of sharp curves and edges, these character lines along with the shoulder-line going across the profile add to the character of the BMW iX3. I also liked the pincer style 3D taillights which add a sense of aggression to the tail which is completed by the diffusers that come in blue. And running on 20-inch aerodynamic M rims, the jet black wheels with aluminium accents look stunning.

Honestly, I could go on and on about how luxurious the cabin was and how good the exterior looked. However, if you’ve come this far, you will want to know how the iX3 drives. And, let me tell you, it is quick. According to my research, the iX3 does fall short of the urgency displayed by Teslas, but since I haven’t been fortunate enough to drive a Tesla yet, the BMW iX3 blew my socks off.

Like the buffoon that I am, I floored the accelerator the minute I saw a safe patch of empty tarmac. This sent all 286 BHP and 400Nm of torque to the rear wheels and that sent the iX3 into a frenetic gallop. On paper, the iX3 goes from 0-100kmph in 6.8 secs, and while I had to keep heed of my speed, it felt like the numbers were spot on. Not once did I find myself longing to be behind the wheels of a Tesla. Every time I stamped on the pedal I noticed a smile spread across my face, and a devilish urge to keep at it till the end of time.

That urge, of course, would be hindered by two things: a lack of infinite range, and the fact that the car wasn’t mine. The BMW iX3, with its 80 kWh lithium-ion battery, claims a WLTP range of 460kms on a full charge. Not only is it plenty for city commute, but the iX3 is one of the few cars that I would be comfortable taking on a road trip in Nepal. At home, you can charge the BMW to get a range of 100kms in 8 hours and 7 minutes with a standard charging cable. 20 minutes at a 50kw fast charger will get you 100kms of range and an AC charger will take 1 hour 37 minutes to do the same.

To get the most range out of the car, you can choose from 4 levels of recuperation that convert kinetic energy from deceleration and braking into electricity and feed it to the motor. While the highest level of it does feel intrusive, you do get used to it comes in handy when driving in traffic.

Adaptive suspension allows you to adjust the damper characteristics to your liking. In comfort mode, the suspension obliterates potholes and road undulation effectively. The 179mm of ground clearance is more than enough to get you around safely, however, you will want to refrain from going on gnarly off-road patches. In sport mode the suspension stiffens up, making it so much more fun to attack corners. When taking on some twists and turns on the hills, the iX3 handled itself superbly. Even at higher speeds, it practically begs you to challenge it and take on corners more aggressively. And the handling inspires enough confidence to allow you to push the car to its limits.

So, while the BMW iX3 possesses all the characteristics of a proper, posh SUV, it has the ability to cater to the driving enthusiast in you. This is what the German car maker is known for: their focus on performance, handling, and driving dynamics. This is part of the reason why people like me dream about owning one someday. While my childhood dream did have a 3.0L straight six under the hood, I COULD settle for a quieter electric motor that dishes out the performance.

Unfortunately, the BMW iX3 comes in at a price of just Rs.2.29 Cr, which is why it will remain a dream for many.

Words: Ankit Shakya