The Next BMW iX1 Is Getting a Complete Platform Change, Not Just a Facelift

A prototype of the next-generation BMW iX1 has been spotted testing in Spain, and it confirms something spy shots have been hinting at for almost a year now: this isn’t a mid-cycle refresh, it’s a ground-up redesign built on the Neue Klasse platform. The car, internally codenamed NB5, has now been caught testing everywhere from the Arctic Circle to the Nürburgring to the Alps, and the picture across all of those sightings is consistent.

What The Spy Shots Actually Show

Despite the swirly camouflage, a few details keep showing up across every set of spy photos. The front end wears a vertical kidney grille that matches the layout BMW has already used on the iX3 and iX5, which suggests BMW is keeping this more upright grille style for its SUVs and crossovers while lower cars like the i3 sedan get a different, more horizontal design.

The doors use pop out electric handles, the same setup as the iX3, and the tailgate looks reworked too, with the license plate sitting lower and a light bar hinting at nearly full width taillights split by the BMW roundel.

The Bigger Change Is Underneath

The bigger change is underneath the bodywork. The current iX1 shares its platform with the combustion engine X1 and runs front wheel drive as a result. Neue Klasse doesn’t support front wheel drive at all, so every version of the next iX1, including the base model, is expected to start with rear wheel drive, with xDrive dual motor versions built on top of that. This isn’t limited to the iX1 either, because the same shift is expected to carry over to future electric MINIs built on the same architecture.

When will the next BMW iX1 launch?
Unofficial reporting points to production starting around November 2027, with a public debut roughly a year from now and first deliveries expected in 2028.

BMW also appears to be skipping the usual mid cycle facelift entirely and jumping straight to a full second generation, which isn’t particularly surprising considering the company’s current EV offensive.

Neue Klasse Brings More Than A New Platform

Inside, spy shots from earlier sightings point to BMW’s latest iDrive X system, including the pillar to pillar Panoramic Vision display and a lot fewer physical buttons than today’s car.

Under the skin, the switch to Neue Klasse brings BMW’s sixth generation cylindrical battery cells, which the company says offer around 20 percent more energy density than the current prismatic cells. The new architecture should also allow charging speeds beyond the outgoing iX1’s 130 kW limit. None of this is officially confirmed by BMW. It’s all still coming from spy shots and industry reporting, corroborated across multiple outlets including BMWBlog and AutoEvolution.

Why The Door Handles Might Not Survive Contact With China

One detail worth explaining is why those pop out door handles might not make it to every market. China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has confirmed a new rule, effective January 1, 2027, requiring every car door to have a mechanical release on both the inside and outside. The regulation is aimed at situations where electric door handles could become unusable after a crash or loss of power.

Will the next BMW iX1 be rear-wheel drive?
Yes. BMW’s Neue Klasse platform doesn’t support front-wheel drive, so every version of the next iX1, including the entry-level model, is expected to start out rear-wheel drive, with xDrive all-wheel-drive versions built on top.

New models need to comply immediately, while already approved models get until 2029. The Associated Press covered the regulation directly when it was announced, and BMW has already run into this rule once. The China specific long wheelbase iX3 was shown with pop out handles in early teasers, then quietly switched to conventional pull handles before launch once the regulation became clear. Given the iX1 is expected to get its own long wheelbase China version eventually, the same change would be a reasonable bet there too.

When Could The New iX1 Arrive?

As for timing, earlier BMWBlog spy shot coverage has pointed to production starting around November 2027, with the combustion engine X1 sticking to front wheel drive and getting a more conventional facelift on its own separate timeline starting around mid 2027.

A public debut for the electric iX1 looks to be roughly a year out from now, with first customer deliveries likely landing sometime in 2028. Again, none of this is official, so these dates should be treated as current estimates rather than confirmed launch plans.

If you want a better picture of what Neue Klasse actually changes under the skin, including the battery chemistry, electric motors, suppliers, and software, we covered it in detail in my breakdown of the BMW i3. Much of the same underlying technology is expected to carry over to the iX1 once it arrives. That makes the next iX1 much more than a styling exercise and it should effectively bring BMW’s new electric architecture into one of its most important compact SUV segments.

Featured Image Source: Auto Zeitung