Article Summary
- A closer look at to the BMW iX3 NA6, a long-wheelbase electric SUV restricted to a few markets, including China.
- It has a thoroughly upgraded interior with several features you won’t find on the global iX3 NA5.
- Although China is all about screens, the iX3 Long Wheelbase ironically has more physical buttons than the regular model.
We’re still in awe of how much nicer the new iX3 Long Wheelbase looks inside compared to the standard model. Then again, perhaps we shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, the stretched X3 “G48” is also more feature-packed in China than elsewhere in the world. New images from the 2026 Beijing Auto Show give us a better look at the upscale cabin reserved for the “NA6.”
It’s our first opportunity to see the upgraded front passenger seat with the leg rest fully deployed. Mind you, it’s not the only way BMW spoils the person riding shotgun. They also have multiple traditional controls to electrically adjust the seating position, using five old-school buttons. BMW put them on the side of the center console to move the seat and adjust its recline.
Of course, the real party is in the back. We’ve covered the upgrades when the bigger iX3 debuted earlier this week, but these are the clearest shots so far. It’s evident how the longer wheelbase has created even more legroom for rear occupants, but that’s not all. As with the combustion-engine X3, pillows are attached to the side headrests. BMW has also upgraded the ambient lighting and installed metallic speaker covers in the doors.
The elongated iX3 even has a rear-seat entertainment system with two tablets mounted to the backs of the front seats. Even more proper buttons are noticeable. Located at the end of the center console, these buttons control the heated back seats. Thankfully, it’s a feature that won’t remain exclusive much longer to the “NA6.” The Long Wheelbase model also has ventilated seats, another option coming to the global iX3. Whether the massaging function is also planned for the “NA5” remains unclear.
BMW’s Chinese arm has yet to fully detail the local iX3, but this two-tone upholstery is not available on the international version. We also don’t recall ever seeing the metallic coat hooks or the footwell lights on the standard version. Even the exterior is a bit different, and we’re not just talking about the longer rear doors that come with the extended wheelbase. There’s a rear-facing camera mounted on the roof spoiler, presumably for the China-specific driver assistance system.
What makes us envy Chinese buyers is not only that they’re getting a better-equipped iX3, but one that will likely come at a much lower price than the “NA5.” Competition is fierce there, and it looks as though BMW went the extra mile to make sure it delivers a class-leading product. Hopefully, at least some of these currently exclusive features will reach global markets one day.
As previously reported, the “NA6” won’t be a China-only product. Customers in India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, and possibly a few other regions will get the extended-wheelbase model instead of the “NA5.” The level of equipment might differ from one region to another, but overall, this is shaping up to be a more desirable product that most of us won’t be able to buy.