BMW iX3 to be among the first models subjected to tougher safety testing regime

The new-generation BMW iX3 will be one of the first vehicles to face tougher crash-testing protocols introduced this year by the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP).

Speaking to CarExpert at a media event in Belgium, Euro NCAP technical director Richard Schram said the new mid-size electric SUV – scheduled to arrive in Australia in mid-2026 – will be among the first models tested under the new safety assessment regime.

Euro NCAP will share its test results with the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP), as the two safety bodies collaborate on the new 2026 protocols.

“We’re testing, I would say in the next couple of weeks, starting to do the first test series and then the publication will be in July,” Mr Schram said.

CarExpert can save you thousands on a new car. Click here to get a great deal.

“One of the cars I know at least is the BMW iX3, which I really look forward to,” he added.

“Because this is a car that I know, speaking to BMW and driving the prototypes, really has embedded this consumer acceptance element of [driver assist tech] only intervening when necessary – and let the driver go when they’re attentive.

“This should be a really good example as far as IFC [Intelligent Front Camera] now.”

The iX3 is the first of BMW’s Neue Klasse models, which the German automaker has spent €10 billion ($16.5bn) developing.

As a landmark electric vehicle (EV), it also introduces a new BMW iDrive system with artificial intelligence (AI) powered voice command, alongside new advanced driver assist systems (ADAS).

A key technology within this is ‘BMW Symbiotic Drive’, which combines AI data with ADAS functions to produce what’s claimed to be a more seamless driving experience – aligning with Euro NCAP’s direction for future testing protocols, including those planned for 2029.

The iX3 will be priced from $109,900 before on-road costs when it arrives in Australia, and offer a claimed 805km driving range on the WLTP cycle.

That means it will be both cheaper and longer-range than key rivals including the Audi Q6 e-tron, Porsche Macan 4, Genesis Electrified GV70, and the first Mercedes-Benz GLC EV due to arrive in Australia in the fourth quarter of 2026 (October to December).

The second BMW Neue Klasse model has been confirmed as the i3, a mid-size electric sedan about the same size as BMW’s iconic 3 Series and boasting a claimed 900km range.

The first local crash test under the 2026 ANCAP protocols is expected to take place around April/May, before the results are published in July.

While it’s not confirmed, the BYD Sealion 5 mid-size SUV is a strong candidate for the inaugural 2026-spec ANCAP test, after the Chinese brand prioritised a safety rating for its Sealion 8 seven-seat plug-in hybrid SUV in 2025. MORE: 2026 ANCAP safety protocols are here: What you need to know