BMW iX3 crowned World Car of the Year 2026 as EVs lead the way
The BMW iX3 has been named World Car of the Year 2026, with the announcement made at the New York International Auto Show on 1 April.
- Industry News
- 2 April 2026
BMW recently launched its new, updated editions of its Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) and Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) for the luxury segment.
The new BMW X5 and new BMW X6 will emphasise the detailed design and equipment revisions. The refreshed drive train line-up includes new engines, a latest-generation plug-in hybrid system, and 48V mild hybrid technology for all other models.
What’s new?
In terms of the design, the new BMW X5 will house the xLine design elements as standard giving it a significantly greater presence and visual robustness.
The front end is shaped by the fresh interpretation of the BMW headlight and kidney grille design. The new headlight units now have a 35 mm slimmer outline. Arrow-shaped daytime driving lights, which also serve as indicators, are housed in the new lights. Matrix LED headlights with adaptive control and BMW Selective Beam non-dazzling high beam as well as M Shadowline lights are included on the options list.
The BMW iconic glow backdrop lights are now offered as an option for the six-cylinder variants of the new BMW X5.
The new BMW X6 also has slim headlight units with arrow-shaped daytime driving lights. The BMW X6 will now come with M Sport packaging as standard. In addition, the three-dimentional sculping of the front apron underscores the car’s width.
The BMW X5 and X6 will be integrated with the BMW Operating System 8 and the latest generation of the iDrive control/operation system. BMW’s curved display consists of a 12.3-inch information display behind the steering wheel and a control display with a 14.9-inch diagonal screen.
Engines and Performance:
The BMW X5 and BMW X6 can be specced with a new 4.4-litre V8 petrol engine, which churns out 390 kW and 750 Nm. A 3.0 litre, 6 cylinder in-line petrol engine delivers 280 kW and 520 Nm. A 3.0 litre 6 cylinder in-line diesel mill produces 219 kW and a peak torque of 670 Nm.
All engines link up with a new 8-speed Steptronic transmission, complete with gearshift paddles. All units will feature 48 V mild hybrid technology, which generates up to 9 kW and 200 Nm.
The new BMW X5 and the new BMW X6 will be available in South Africa from the third quarter of 2023.
Pricing on the new models will be released at a later stage.
The BMW iX3 has been named World Car of the Year 2026, with the announcement made at the New York International Auto Show on 1 April.
Retail new vehicle sales continue to surge in South Africa despite global and regional conflicts, local floods and droughts.
South Africa’s new vehicle market delivered a standout performance in March 2026, extending its domestic growth trajectory to the strongest level seen in nearly two decades.
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