BMW iX3 vs Mercedes GLC vs Volvo EX60: UK prices and range
The entry BMW iX3 40, Mercedes GLC 250 and Volvo EX60 P6 sit within £3,610 of each other, from £53,250 to £56,860. Here is how prices, range, charging and four-wheel-drive versions compare.
Quick answers
- The entry BMW iX3 40 costs from £53,250, the Mercedes GLC 250 from £55,495 and the Volvo EX60 P6 from £56,860, a spread of £3,610.
- Among the four-wheel-drive versions, the BMW iX3 50 xDrive is cheapest at £58,755 and claims up to 500 miles, against the EX60 P10 AWD at £59,860 (up to 410 miles) and the GLC 400 4Matic at £60,350 (up to 406 miles).
- The Volvo EX60 P12 claims up to 503 miles for £64,860, but UK deliveries of that version do not start until January 2027.
- The iX3 50 xDrive charges at up to 400kW and the GLC 400 at up to 330kW; Volvo quotes 10 to 80% in around 16 minutes for the EX60 P10.
- All three start well above the £37,000 ceiling for the Electric Car Grant, so every price here is before any grant.
The BMW iX3 40, Mercedes GLC 250 and Volvo EX60 P6 are now all on the UK price lists within £3,610 of each other, from £53,250 to £56,860. The numbers that separate them are range, charging speed and the price of the four-wheel-drive versions, which is where an X3, GLC or XC60 owner is most likely to look. All prices below are before the Electric Car Grant, which none of these cars qualifies for.
How do the entry prices compare?
BMW is cheapest, Volvo dearest, and the Mercedes sits between them. The iX3 40 is priced from £53,250 on the road (BMW UK PressClub), the GLC 250 in Sport trim from £55,495 (The EV Report) and the EX60 P6 in Plus trim from £56,860 (RAC). If you prefer a sloping roofline, the BMW iX4 coupe-style Neue Klasse SUV is due on sale in 2026.
| Entry model | UK price | Drive | Range (WLTP) | Battery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BMW iX3 40 | £53,250 | Rear-wheel drive | Up to 395 miles | 82.6kWh usable |
| Mercedes GLC 250 | £55,495 | Rear-wheel drive | Up to 389 miles | 85kWh usable |
| Volvo EX60 P6 Plus | £56,860 | Rear-wheel drive | Up to 385 miles | 83kWh |
Sources: BMW UK PressClub, EV Database for the iX3 battery, The EV Report, Go Electra.
The entry cars are closer on range than on price. The iX3 40 claims 395 miles, 10 more than the EX60 P6, and costs £3,610 less. None of the three entry cars reaches 400 miles on the official test, so the “400-mile premium SUV” label applies to the dearer versions.
Which four-wheel-drive version costs least?
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive, by £1,105 over the Volvo. It costs £58,755 on the road according to Fleet News, although Top Gear quotes £58,775, so confirm with BMW. The EX60 P10 AWD costs £59,860 and the GLC 400 4Matic £60,350 (Motoring Research).
| Four-wheel-drive model | UK price | Range (WLTP) | Peak charging |
|---|---|---|---|
| BMW iX3 50 xDrive | £58,755 | Up to 500 miles | 400kW |
| Volvo EX60 P10 AWD Plus | £59,860 | Up to 410 miles | Not confirmed |
| Mercedes GLC 400 4Matic | £60,350 | Up to 406 miles | 330kW |
Sources: BMW UK PressClub, Fleet News, RAC, Go Electra, Motoring Research.
This is where the BMW pulls clear. The iX3 50 xDrive claims 90 miles more than the P10 and 94 more than the GLC 400 while costing less than both. The GLC 400’s 94kWh battery buys a range figure close to the Volvo’s 95kWh pack, at £490 more.
What about the Volvo EX60 P12?
The P12 claims up to 503 miles, the longest of any car here, from a 117kWh battery (EV Database). It costs £64,860 in Plus trim, £6,105 more than the iX3 50 xDrive, and UK deliveries of the P12 are due in January 2027 (Volvo UK price list). Volvo UK’s schedule has the P6 and P10 from September 2026; our Volvo sales report covers the company’s broader position. Buyers wanting the longest range this year are therefore choosing the BMW, which claims 500 miles, only 3 fewer.
How fast do they charge?
BMW claims 400kW for the iX3 50 xDrive, adding up to 231 miles in 10 minutes, and 300kW for the iX3 40, adding up to 186 miles in 10 minutes. Mercedes quotes up to 330kW for the GLC 400, and 320kW for the GLC 250, which takes 10 to 80% in 22 minutes (The EV Report). Volvo’s figure for the EX60 is 10 to 80% in around 16 minutes for the P6 and P10 and 19 minutes for the P12, according to EV Database and Go Electra. These are peak figures, so the real gap on a given charger depends on its output. Our guide to how much range you really get explains why.
What this means for you
If price and range per pound matter most, the BMW wins on both counts: the iX3 40 is the cheapest car here and the iX3 50 xDrive is the cheapest four-wheel-drive car with the longest range you can order today. If you want the Mercedes, the GLC 250 at £55,495 is £1,365 cheaper than the EX60 P6 but 6 miles short of the iX3 40’s range.
The Volvo makes its case at the top of its range, where the P12’s 503 miles are unmatched but not available until January. Compare them against other long range electric SUVs, check the Electric Car Grant rules and, if you are a company car driver, run each through our benefit in kind calculator guide. The new BMW range is also covered in our BMW i3 price report.
How we test and where our numbers come from
Range figures are official WLTP combined values taken from manufacturer UK specification pages, with real-world estimates drawn from independent comparative testing. Prices are UK list prices at the time of the latest update. Tax, grant and charging-scheme figures come from GOV.UK and HMRC publications. We re-check every guide when pricing, specification or policy changes. Last checked 6 October 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheapest: BMW iX3, Mercedes GLC Electric or Volvo EX60?
The BMW iX3 40 is cheapest at £53,250 on the road. The Mercedes GLC 250 starts at £55,495 and the Volvo EX60 P6 Plus at £56,860. The gap between cheapest and dearest is £3,610.
Which has the longest range?
The Volvo EX60 P12 claims up to 503 miles WLTP, but it costs from £64,860 and UK deliveries start in January 2027. The BMW iX3 50 xDrive, from £58,755, claims up to 500 miles and can be ordered now.
Which is the cheapest four-wheel-drive version?
The BMW iX3 50 xDrive at £58,755, then the Volvo EX60 P10 AWD at £59,860 and the Mercedes GLC 400 4Matic at £60,350. The BMW also claims the longest range of the three at up to 500 miles.
Do any of them qualify for the Electric Car Grant?
No. The grant applies to cars with a list price of up to £37,000, and all three start well above that. The prices in this comparison are before any grant.
When can I get a Volvo EX60 in the UK?
Volvo UK's published schedule has P6 and P10 deliveries from September 2026 and the P12 from January 2027. We could not find confirmation of the first UK handovers, so check the date with your dealer.
Sources and further reading
- press.bmwgroup.comBMW Group UK PressClubPrimary source referenced in this article.
- fleetnews.co.ukBMW iX3 50 xDrive price and specificationsThe £58,755 on-the-road price of the iX3 50 xDrive.
- press.bmwgroup.comThe start of a new era: the new BMW iX3Up to 500 miles WLTP and 400kW charging adding up to 231 miles in 10 minutes for the iX3 50 xDrive.
- motoringresearch.comPrices announced for new 2026 Mercedes-Benz GLC electric SUVGLC prices, with the GLC 400 4Matic's 94kWh battery, 406 miles and 330kW charging.
- theevreport.comElectric Mercedes-Benz GLC 250 Priced From £55,495The rear-wheel-drive GLC 250's price, 85kWh battery, 389 miles and 22-minute 10 to 80% charge.
- rac.co.ukNew 2026 Volvo EX60: Prices, specs and details of UK's longest-range EVUK EX60 prices from £56,860 and the P6, P10 and P12 line-up.
- ev-database.orgVolvo EX60 P12 AWD (MY27) price and specificationsThe P12's 117kWh battery, range of up to 503 miles and charging time.
- go-electra.comVolvo EX60: price, range, and specs of the premium electric SUVP6, P10 and P12 range and charging figures.
EV Compared
The EV Compared editorial team tracks the UK electric vehicle market full time: new model launches, list prices, WLTP and real-world range, public charging tariffs and the tax rules that decide what an EV actually costs to run. Every guide is checked against manufacturer specifications and official GOV.UK figures, and updated whenever the numbers move.
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