China Is Forcing BMW to Bring Back Normal Door Handles

Do We Really Want Pop-Out Door Handles?

If there’s one design trend that nobody’s really asked for but we’re stuck with, it’s pop-out door handles. Whether it’s mechanical or electronic, it’s on a lot of cars these days, especially EVs. Automakers say it’s for aerodynamic and aesthetic reasons, but one can say that no one really goes out of their way to get a car with it.

These door handles have also sparked controversy over recent years. There have been cases of these being inoperable after accidents, further delaying first responders’ proceedings. It’s now reached a point where China has had to impose a new mandate that effectively bans these.

BMW Makes Adjustments

In case you haven’t noticed, the iX3 and i3 have pop-out door handles. The thing is, those cars are bound for China, meaning they cannot be sold there without alterations. As China is BMW‘s biggest market, it was best to comply with the new mandate.

The result? The long-wheelbase iX3 for that market gets honest-to-goodness regular door handles. It looks similar to the ones fitted to the X3, and we wouldn’t be too surprised if those came straight off the iX3’s fuel-fed counterpart. That being said, we’re curious whether the Chinese-market iX3 includes an electronic door latch release inside, or if it also has an actual, visible handle.

One thing about Chinese-market BMWs is that most are built locally. Local assembly for the iX3 will soon commence, and the i3 will likely follow soon. That means it’ll need those door handles, like in the iX3, to comply with local rules.

Not for Everyone, Though

For those hoping that the iX3 for other markets will get those door handles, we have bad news. This version is only sold in China, and the rest of the world will come with those pop-outs instead. The same could be said for the i3 once it’s made available over there.

With that in mind, wouldn’t it make more sense for BMW to simply use the standard door handles for the rest of the world? It’s presumably more cost-effective, and the actuators that power those pop-outs can’t be cheap. It’ll also be more familiar for more people, and will be a great deal of help for first responders should the worst happen.