Volvo EX60 vs BMW iX3 – which is best?

The next generation of electric cars are here: the BMW iX3 and Volvo EX60 are leading the charge (pun intended!) on how far you can go without stopping. Leave your milk float jokes at the door, and step in to a world of efficient, quiet and refined long-distance driving.

Volvo EX60 vs BMW iX3 compared

Styling

Both of these cars are long and surprisingly sleek for an SUV – both have waged war against roof rails and protruding door handles for efficiency reasons.

The EX60 is clearly from the same brand family as the XC60, but this electric one gets a blank front end. It’s punctuated by dagger-like headlights and the classic Volvo arrow, while the surfaces are clean and restrained.

You’re more likely to have a strong opinion on the iX3’s styling. Somewhat inspired by its 1960s models, the iX3 has plenty of ‘grilles’ that do a good impression of a petrol or diesel car. The iX3’s shape is more technical than the EX60’s, although some details such as the broad wheel arches look a little over-styled.

Interior and technology

It’s a similar story inside. The EX60’s cabin is more pared back and calm than the iX3’s, complete with its deliberately unusual screen shape. Perhaps inspired by BMW’s superb Panoramic iDrive display beneath the windscreen, the EX60’s driver’s display is in a similar position. Neither need a head-up display as a result, although the iX3 still offers one as an option if you want the same info repeated in several places.

At first, the EX60’s touchscreen is more user-friendly than the iX3’s, which can feel overwhelming. But the iX3 draws level with its easier submenus and greater configurability, letting you set up its screens and profiles so that your settings and preferences are loaded in. However, if you’re always on your phone, Volvo’s built-in Google Maps might make your driving a more joined-up experience.

Dimensions and practicality

Being built on bespoke electric car platforms means that both the EX60 and iX3 can offer far more interior space than a fuel-powered XC60 or X3. Legroom in both is exceptional, and closer to what you get in an XC90 or X5. With the amount of space on offer, large windows and sumptuous materials, your passengers will feel like they’re in first class whichever you pick.

In both cars, you could feasibly expect a bit more boot space although, in reality, the 520 litres or so that you get is plenty for the majority of users. The EX60’s boot moulding shows exactly what will fit in the cargo area. Volvo gives you a larger underfloor storage compartment – including a removable crabbing bucket – and a larger frunk than you get in the BMW, plus the ability to fold the seats down from the boot. When the seats are folded, the floor is flatter in the Volvo than in the BMW. As such, the Volvo is marginally more user-friendly.

Range and performance

The iX3’s powertrains are broadly well matched to the EX60’s, although the EX60’s two all-wheel-drive options give you a choice of performance and range. We wouldn’t see much need to stretch to the range-topping EX60 P12 except to get that huge range figure – it’s more than fast enough in P10 guise, especially considering that it’s not a sporty car.

It’s worth questioning whether you actually need 500 miles of range, or whether a quoted range of 400 or so would suffice. Long journeys are painless in either car thanks to ultra-fast charging and clever navigation systems.

The iX3 uses slightly smaller battery packs than the EX60 but goes slightly further like-for-like, suggesting that the iX3 is more efficient and will be slightly cheaper to run. But you’ll be paying the luxury car tax and high insurance costs on both of these cars, so that’s largely irrelevant.

As is often the case, the BMW has a sportier setup and the Volvo is more attuned to comfort – although the iX3 settles down well and the EX60 can still hustle when you want to. Four-wheel-drive EX60 models come with adaptive suspension with a genuinely soft option that smoothes out most road surface imperfections, while the iX3’s suspension is typically a little firmer. You might feel more of the bumps in the road, but the harshness is taken out so it remains comfortable.

Value

Compare the cheapest versions of each car brand new and the EX60 is about £1,500 cheaper than the iX3. That’s not nothing, but it might not make too much difference considering both cost over £50,000.

However, we compared the PCP finance rates of the cheapest EX60 and iX3, and here the gap is wider. At the time of writing, an EX60 comes in at around £685 per month (48 months, 10,000 miles a year and a £7,000 deposit), while the iX3 is around £730 on the same terms, according to each brand’s finance calculator. That’s because the EX60 is projected to be worth more than the iX3 at the end of this hypothetical four-year contract.

Which is best?

The iX3 was the first to launch, and it’s been lauded as a gamechanger because of its long range and out-there styling. The EX60 hasn’t received quite the same fanfare, even though its stats are just as mind-blowing. Maybe it’s because Volvo already knew how to make a good-looking car…

The iX3 will suit you if you want something that feels overtly futuristic and laden with tech, while the EX60 delivers its qualities in a quieter and more restrained way. We suspect the Volvo’s cleaner styling inside and out might make the EX60 age a bit better than the iX3. The choice could come down to which you like the look of, which screen you get on with better, or possibly even which car will arrive on your driveway first.

Read more about these cars in our Volvo EX60 review and BMW iX3 review, or check out more long-range electric cars here.