- The BMW iX3 is the first model tested under ANCAP’s 2026–28 assessment requirements.
- It earned five stars, with post-crash safety assistance rated at 95 per cent.
- Its eCall service is supplied to Australian and New Zealand owners for the vehicle’s life.
BMW’s current iX3 has become the first model assessed under ANCAP’s 2026–28 testing requirements, earning a five-star safety rating in the process.
ANCAP assessed the iX3 50 xDrive and iX3 40 variants. The model is due to go on sale in New Zealand in July 2026, making the result directly relevant to buyers considering BMW’s new iX3.
The new assessment requirements put renewed emphasis on how a vehicle responds before, during and after a crash. In the iX3’s case, ANCAP says its autonomous emergency braking performance exceeds current Australian, New Zealand and European requirements.
Strong post-crash score
Post-crash safety assistance was rated at 95 per cent. ANCAP says the iX3 has effective measures for isolating the high-voltage battery and managing fire risk after a collision.
The vehicle’s emergency-call service is also included for Australian and New Zealand iX3 owners for the life of the vehicle. That eCall provision forms part of the assessment’s focus on helping occupants and emergency services after an impact.
ANCAP also measured the iX3’s on-road speed-recognition system. It correctly recognised speed limits in 73 per cent of test events and across 92 per cent of the distance travelled in those tests.
Those figures sit alongside the five-star result rather than replacing the usual crash-protection measures. ANCAP’s 2026–28 requirements test a broader set of active and post-crash safety functions, and the iX3 is the first model to receive a rating under that programme.
For New Zealand, the timing is notable: the iX3’s local July arrival coincides with an ANCAP rating that examines the vehicle against the organisation’s latest standards.
