THE UK market is being flooded with electric SUVs and most of the arrivals have lacked the Wow factor.

BMW has changed that with the launch of the new iX3 which delivers on all fronts.

This newcomer can go up to 500 miles on a single charge and it also boasts a superb interior with lots of new tech and striking exterior looks.

Starting from under £60,000, the iX3 has a very distinctive front end with a new version of the brand's kidney grilles in the centre which are illuminated for visual drama.

The car has clean lines and does without ugly plastic cladding and there are nice LED lights front and rear.

The looks may not be appreciated by everyone but it does stand out from the crowd.

And if the exterior does not blow you away, the interior certainly will. The view from the comfortable seats is dramatic.

There is no traditional instrument panel as BMW has dropped it to launch 'Panoramic iDrive' - a full width display which runs along the total length of the windscreen and provides all the information you could ever need without having to take your eyes far off the road.

Below that you also get a very large 17.9-inch infotainment touchscreen in an unusual shape. It isfairly easy to operate but there are lots of menus and sadly you no longer get the rotary dial to operate it.

There is bags of space for four adults to travel in comfort and a 520 litre boot makes it practical for family use. Another 58 litres of space is available under the bonnet and the cabin has numerous storage areas for smaller items.

The car's real trump card is its fantastic range. BMW claims it can go 500 miles on a single charge but even if you cannot match that in real world motoring, you will still get over 400 miles without much trouble.

That is truly impressive and puts all its rivals in the shade.

An 11kW home charger will take about 11 hours to charge the car fully and if you can find a 400kW unit at a charging station the car can go from 10-80 per cent in just 20 minutes.

The iX3 is ideal for town driving and it is also a very quiet motorway cruiser.

On twisty country roads it is surprisingly agile despite its hefty 2.3 tonnes and there is very little body roll while the steering is very responsive.

It can sprint to 62mph in just 4.9 seconds and can hit a top speed of 130mph.

The steering wheel is a nice shape but the buttons on it are very small and difficult to use.

All the latest safety kit is fitted to the iX3 including adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, driver attention alert and autonomous emergency braking.

Tax-wise it will cost you just £10 in the first year but £620 for years two to six. Company car drivers will enjoy low Benefit in Kind rates as it falls into the lowest bracket of just three per cent.

This car boasts an astonishing electric range, is great to drive and striking to look at and in my opinion is the best

electric SUV on sale at the moment.