2025 BMW X3, just a few weeks away from its debut

BMW is just weeks away from unveiling a new generation of its hot-selling X3 compact crossover.

The camouflaged prototype has been spotted for over a year, and BMW released its own photos of the prototype this week to mark the sign-off of the end of development. The new X3 is expected to go on sale in the U.S. later this year as a 2025 model

. Another electric vehicle is planned for next year to replace the current iX3 sold abroad, but this vehicle will be powered by a gas engine. It will be mounted on BMW's Neue Classe EV-specific platform and will feature different styling than the gasoline-powered X3. Prototypes of the electric crossover have also been spotted, and BMW previewed the design just last month with the Vision Neue Klasse X concept.

The gasoline-powered X3 will use an updated version of the current-generation CLAR platform. Both chassis and body rigidity will be improved. The engines will be available in 2.0-liter turbo four and 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder turbocharged versions, both with eight-speed AT and mild hybrid technology as standard equipment. A plug-in hybrid will also be offered, possibly in the upcoming X3 M.

The exterior design is a clear evolution of the current model's lines, but the front end appears to be slightly longer and the grille slightly higher. Photos of the interior show a simple dashboard with a floating screen for the instrument cluster and infotainment hub, and a small nub for the gear selector, as seen on modern BMWs. The infotainment system will be iDrive version 9.0.

BMW has confirmed that technologies such as electronic dampers, automatic parking systems, and various other electronic driver assistance systems will be included as standard or optional.

Production will take place at the BMW Group plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, where the current X3 is built. Electric vehicles on the Neue Classe platform will be produced at a new plant in Debrecen, Hungary, BMW has confirmed. The Neue Classe EV will also be produced at existing BMW plants in Germany and China from 2026 and at the San Luis Potosi plant in Mexico from 2027.