2022 BMW iX xDrive50 Review

With the i3 nearing the end of its life and i8 already consigned to history, BMW is further down the road to electrification than most legacy car makers. Now comes an electric onslaught on the luxury heartland with the iX SUV and i4 sedan. We recently spent a couple of weeks with the iX in the UK, where EV sales are booming, and the electric recharging infrastructure, though far from mature, is more advanced than in many parts of the US and Canada. How does it shape up as sole transport for a family of four?

BMW iX Prices & Electric Range

In Canada there are three grades of iX, from the xDrive40 (C$82,825 MSRP) through the xDrive50 (an extra C$10k) to the M60 (a jump to C$124,585). The entry-level xDrive40 is not sold in the US, where the two remaining models are priced at US$83,200 (xDrive50) and US$105,100 (M60) respectively. See below for a comparison of power, net battery capacity and driving range:

• BMW iX xDrive40 322 HP 71.6kWh 340km (211 miles)
• BMW iX xDrive50 516 HP 106.3 kWh 521km (324 miles)
• BMW iX M60 610 HP 106.3kWh 450km (285 miles)

We tested the mid-range xDrive50. In the BMW way, the base price soon escalates as you add packages and extra equipment to the car. Our iX boasted lightweight 22in wheels (C$2,000/US$1,900) and Laserlight headlights (C$1,500/US$1,000). It also had the Castanea chestnut interior design suite (C$2,250/US$2,450) and the equivalent of the Premium Enhanced Package (C$9,900; US$4,000 for Premium Package) and optional Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound audio (C$4,300/US$3,400), taking the price as tested to around C$115k/US$100k.

Exterior styling, interior & equipment

The iX is a new departure for BMW in many areas, styling included. Its huge double-kidney grille won’t be to everyone’s liking but it’s certainly distinctive. Our Black Sapphire Metallic paint (C$895/US zero cost) provided a stealthy, sinister look that quickly drew Darth Vader comments from the family, but the SUV is still handsome from certain angles, especially the rear three-quarter view.

iX dimensions

The iX is within an inch of the length of an X5 but with a longer wheelbase. The all-electric drivetrain frees up cabin space – acres of it, in fact. The BMW SUV has very generous accommodation for five, including the most headroom we’ve seen in a vehicle for some time.

At 1,005L (35 cu. ft), trunk space is slightly up on the X5 and there was room enough for two weeks’ worth of luggage for four. Note that there are some small stowage areas below the trunk floor, where the charging cables also live, but no ‘frunk’ for cargo under the hood.

Futuristic interior packed with tech & luxury

Even aside from the ample passenger space, the interior is one of the iX’s strongest suits. Stepping into such an elegant, unusual cabin feels like you’ve arrived in the future. A wide, curved LED panel incorporates two screens running the new iDrive 8 OS and arcs out from the driver’s eyeline across the top of the low dashboard; plus, Apple CarPlay for BMW. A vast electrochromic roof sweeps overhead and flips from clear to opaque at the touch of a button. Even the squared-off steering wheel has a space-age look. You quickly forget about the shape as it’s comfortable to use.

The sense of luxury is convincing, too, thanks to the soft, diamond-stitched, leather trim and chunky, crystal-glass iDrive controller, volume control and gear selector that sit on a walnut-veneered panel between the seats (C$850/part of the US$1,150 luxury package). The chestnut is complemented by satin chrome and black; the whole assembly feels classy and solidly built. Only the doors feel unworthy of a $100k vehicle, closing with a slight rattle from the frameless windows, instead of a satisfying thunk.

Controls are accessed by your preferred combination of physical switchgear, iDrive controller, steering wheel buttons, touchscreen, voice and gesture. Inevitably you occasionally wish you had another physical switch to tap, but overall BMW has done a great job to minimize driver distraction, especially through the most comprehensive head-up display we’ve encountered.

Particularly worthy of mention is the augmented-reality-enhanced navigation system, which overlays direction arrows on live video of the road as you approach an intersection. The detailed system is based on all-new mapping and data from HERE but the spoken directions at large highway intersections weren’t always foolproof, in our experience.

Powertrain: motors, battery and charging

We know that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) always deliver instant torque and smooth operation. With 510 HP, 564 lb-ft of torque, AWD and zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 4.6 seconds, you’ll never complain about the iX xDrive50’s performance.

What’s more interesting is its range. With a slightly reduced 507km/315 miles on these 22in wheels, the iX literally goes a long way to eliminating range anxiety. We found the range indicator to be accurate and quickly forgot it whenever we knew where the next charge was coming from – whether that was at the end of a long day’s highway driving, or after a week of running local errands. The car does everything possible to smooth your course, building live charging point status into route guidance to take care of any charging you’ll need to reach a destination.

On the move, you’ll want DC fast charging wherever you can; the iX uses a CCS socket and can charge at a future-proof 200kW.

The battery is so large that Level 2 AC charging is best left for overnight use at home, where it’ll fill the pack in about 11 hours. On the move, you’ll want DC fast charging wherever you can; the iX uses a CCS socket and can charge at a future-proof 200kW. For reference, charging at one of the 50kW DC, medium-speed chargers common in the UK added 50% (250km/150 miles) to the battery in about an hour. In more than 800 miles of driving, we recorded energy consumption of 22kWh/100km, which is almost spot-on the xDrive50’s official figure of 21.4kWh/100km.

Ride comfort

The vast battery means the iX xDrive50 weighs 2,566kg (5,657 lb) and as we’ve seen, it rides on huge rims. That makes its fantastic ride comfort an even greater achievement. It’s exceptionally quiet, with excellent isolation from the road and none of the misconceived firmness of a Mustang Mach-E.

The air suspension, adaptive damping and foam-lined Bridgestone tires also combine to eat up potentially noisy surface hazards like drain covers and nullify the lumpy or broken shoulders on British back roads.

Takeaway (Pros & Cons)

As a $100k luxury product, the BMW iX xDrive50 won’t hasten the mass adoption of BEVs. But premium vehicles have long blazed the trail for new automotive features and technologies that later filter down to mainstream models. The iX has ample range, an outstanding interior, drives beautifully and feels more futuristic than just about anything else on the road. It’s also built more sustainably than many conventional cars. If this is how good electric vehicles can be, and if the charging infrastructure develops to match the growth in EV sales, we’re all in.