New BMW X3 Spotted In Traffic Testing With Plug-In Powertrain

It’s been almost a year since the beginning of the road tests for the next-generation BMW X3. In June last year, we caught a prototype of the premium SUV for the first time, and today, we have a new video that shows work on the Bavarian model continues. This isn’t a standard combustion-powered test car but a crossover with a plug.

This heavily camouflaged X3 wears provisional taillights but this isn’t the most interesting thing about it. If you take a look at the stickers on the rear bumper and the front doors, you’ll see they say Electrified Vehicle. Also, there’s certainly a charging port on the front driver’s side fender, which basically confirms this is a plug-in hybrid prototype.

In fact, electrification will be very important for the new model. Depending on the region, there will be several different hybridized powertrain options, including gasoline and diesel mild-hybrids for Europe in four- and six-cylinder forms. As far as the plug-in hybrid variant is concerned, we expect it to be called X3 xDrive 30e, which would mean there is a 2.0-liter turbo engine under the hood mated to an electric motor.

In terms of design, the new X3 is expected to follow a very similar design recipe as the smaller X1, which means a more aggressive face and even sharper lines. Inside the cabin, the changes will be even bigger with the new X3 switching to BMW’s single-screen layout incorporating the digital driver display and center infotainment system under one housing (see the spy photos above). This would represent a significant departure from the current X3, but it’s something we’ve already seen on a number of other modern BMWs.

When is the new X3 going to arrive? According to initial and unconfirmed information, this should happen around the final quarter of this year. The first to arrive will be the standard X3 probably as a 2024 model, followed by the hotter M-branded derivatives.