Launching a completely new product is an immensely challenging task for an automaker. It’s one thing to roll out a facelift or an evolutionary next generation, and another to essentially start from scratch. Car companies tend to overuse the term “all-new,” as it’s rarely accurate, but in the case of the iX3, it truly applies.
Having every planned feature available to order from day one is unrealistic, especially when the car is being built at an entirely new plant. BMW is actively working with suppliers to equip the Debrecen site in Hungary with the options buyers expect for the electric SUV. Complaints about the seats will be addressed, but customers will need to be patient.
One of the most common criticisms of the iX3 is the absence of front ventilated seats, a fair point given BMW’s luxury positioning. A fix is in the pipeline, though it will take time. Product manager Mark Berger confirmed the option is under development and will arrive later in the model’s life cycle. While he didn’t provide a timeline, cooled seats for the driver and front passenger are definitely coming.
On a related note, BMW is nuancing the availability plans for heated rear seats. During an exclusive Q&A session with BMWBLOG, Mark Berger confirmed that production of iX3s equipped with this option will begin in March 2026. Initially, only Japan and South Korea will receive them, as the feature will be standard in those markets. Heated rear seats will gradually expand to other regions, with timing varying by market.
Even if the iX3 lacks some features at launch, demand hasn’t suffered. In early November, BMW CEO Oliver Zipse said European order books already covered production well into next year. The first Neue Klasse model is also proving more popular in Germany than the regular X3.
Europe will be the first to receive the new iX3, with deliveries beginning in the spring. Americans will have to wait until midyear. China is getting a long-wheelbase version in 2026, built locally in Shenyang. In 2027, production of the standard-wheelbase iX3 will also start in Mexico at the San Luis Potosí plant.
