Can The BMW iX3 Take Down The Tesla Model Y L And Rivian R2?

The iX3 is one of the most sophisticated electric crossovers on sale. But can it beat the latest and greatest from Tesla and Rivian?

2026 BMW iX3

Photo by: BMW

Nico DeMattia

By: Nico DeMattia

Oct 20, at 4:08pm ET

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Tesla has had a stranglehold on the electric midsize crossover segment for a while. The Model Y was really the first mainstream car in that space, and by far the most popular model within it, but it now it has some very steep competition. The two most recent newcomers to challenge Tesla are the Rivian R2 and BMW iX3, and in this new video comparison from Out of Spec Studios, you get to see which of the three is best.

The BMW is the unlikely car in the group, as it's from a mainstream luxury automaker and is the most traditional of the bunch. The Tesla has the most comprehensive assisted driving system, the Rivian has the best off-road tech, but the iX3 is framed more as a long-range all-rounder.

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It has by far the best range and charging capability of the bunch, with up to 434 miles of EPA range. Out of Spec didn't see that in their real-world testing, but they did see 340 miles of highway range, which was by far the most in this test. Th EPA's range testing cycle includes a mix of city and highway speeds, so the R2's 330-mile range goes down significantly on pure highway trips. Out of Spec did 253 miles at 70 mph, far below the others. The Model Y managed 290 miles in the same test.

According to Out of Spec's host Kyle Conner, each car gives you a big reason to want it. The Tesla's "Full Self-Driving" driver assistance system is very useful if you like that sort of thing, and far better than the other two systems. (All three systems still require driver supervision.) The Rivian has the most character by being the most fun to drive, while also being the best off-road. But the BMW iX3 crushes the other two in terms of range and charge speed. So which one is the best? According to Conner, the iX3 is the one he'd take home if he had to choose, but he fully admits that the others offer compelling packages.

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