75 - 82
516 - 532
1 speed, Automatic
Electric
All Wheel Drive
When the BMW iX midsize electric luxury SUV arrived in 2022, it made a bold statement. Looking like no other BMW to come before it, the iX model’s towering twin-kidney grille, narrow lighting elements, smooth flanks with flush door handles, and barely discernable Hofmeister kink signaled a distinct design departure from the automaker’s past. Four years later, the aerodynamic bodywork remains polarizing.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Since BMW introduced the iX xDrive50 model in 2022, it has followed up with the iX M60 performance model in 2023. In the spring of 2023, the iX lineup added Highway Assistant, a hands-free driving technology that works at speeds up to 85 mph. In addition, new automatic parking assistance systems became available. BMW made minor changes in 2024; in 2025, navigation system enhancements and new digital key technology arrived.
The 2026 BMW iX receives a styling refresh and goes on sale in the spring of 2025. The lineup includes a new, lower-priced xDrive45e model with step-up xDrive60 and M70 xDrive variants. More power, longer driving range, and revised styling details are on the menu, as well as new features, options, and option packages.
In the meantime, the 2025 BMW iX 50 and iX M60 models remain available, priced from $87,250 to $111,500, not including the $1,175 destination charge.
For this review of the 2025 iX, BMW provided an xDrive50 test vehicle equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle’s price was $102,225, including the destination charge for shipping the EV to your local dealership from the BMW assembly plant in Dingolfing, Germany.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Because it sits higher off the road, has large doors, and provides a roomy interior, entering and exiting the BMW iX is a breeze. Slide in behind the odd-shaped steering wheel, look around the cabin, and you’ll notice the high-quality materials and artistic details that make you feel like the iX was money well spent.
The test vehicle featured the optional Stonegrey microfiber and wood-blend upholstery, a refreshing change from the standard artificial and optional real leather choices. It looked and felt great, promising quicker warmth in the winter and a cooler surface to sit on in the summer. However, since every iX includes a four-zone automatic climate control system, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel, the fabric might not matter much on chilly days.
Drivers and front passengers enjoy exceptionally comfortable front seats. Massage is an option, and with the available perforated leather upholstery, you can get ventilation. The standard Panoramic Eclipsing Sky Lounge Roof contains liquid crystals to make the glass opaque.
Between the front seats, BMW installs a floating center console with quick access to selected vehicle features, a transmission shifter, and an armrest covering a storage compartment. The cupholders and wireless smartphone charger are inconveniently located low and beneath the control pod. In my experience, the wireless charger did not work well.
Acclimating to the controls takes time. Even after living with this EV for a week, I still didn’t feel totally at ease, though the digital voice assistant proved quite helpful. The test vehicle had gesture control, which can require more effort to achieve success than simply twisting a knob would. It is of dubious value.
Rear passengers enjoy plenty of room, but the seat cushion is mounted too low with a backrest that forces a slouched seating position. However, leg support is excellent, there is plenty of room for your legs and feet, and the four-zone climate system gives riders control over their own temperature settings. Attachment mounts with USB-C charging ports reflect the reality that people prefer to use their own devices for entertainment.
Behind the 40/20/40-split back seat, the iX provides 35.5 cubic feet of cargo space, in part thanks to a sizable storage area under the cargo floor where you can stash the standard 110/220-volt charging cord. Fold the back seat down, and the iX supplies a roomy 77.9 cu-ft of cargo room.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
With no more than a glance at the iX’s interior, you can tell it’s a high-tech vehicle. One indicator is the BMW Curved Display, housing a 12.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 14.9-inch touchscreen infotainment system with BMW Operating System 8.5 software (also known as iDrive 8.5).
Standard feature highlights include:
Aside from the touchscreen, BMW offers several ways to interact with this technology, including voice controls, steering wheel controls, and physical iDrive controls on the center console. You can also use gesture controls for the stereo volume and radio tuning, though they can be inconsistent enough that you quickly learn not to bother twirling a finger or waving a hand at the screen.
Operating System 8.5 is easy to use, though the depth and breadth of features and configurability settings is breathtaking. Once you’ve gone through everything, chosen your settings, and saved them, the tech is vexing only when searching for something specific and you can’t recall which menu contains it.
The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant responded promptly and accurately to most of my voice commands during testing. However, when I said, “Hey BMW, I need to go to a hospital” in an urgent voice, the first two recommendations were both in Mexico. A mile away, my local Southern California hospital was the third choice.
Also, when I asked for directions to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C., I could see on the head-up display that the voice recognition system heard me correctly. However, the route I received was to 1600 Pigeon Hollow in Farmington, Idaho.
Those hiccups aside, the iX’s technology is impressive. For example, the cloud-based navigation system monitors your remaining range, recommends charging stations along the route, and offers an available video augmented reality overlay. The MyBMW app offers a Remote 3D view feature to monitor your iX and its surroundings while you’re away from the vehicle. An anti-theft recording system sends the footage to your phone if something triggers the alarm.
Other features include an interior camera, a surround-view camera, parking assistance systems, and digital key technology. An 18-speaker Harman Kardon premium sound system is available, and the test vehicle’s 30-speaker Bowers & Wilkins Diamond Surround System proved nothing short of spectacular.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
BMW equips the iX xDrive50 with a dual-motor electric drive system and a 109.5-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery. The two motors produce a combined 516 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque, and BMW claims the iX xDrive50 accelerates to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
Indeed, the power is impressive, and the iX reaches extra-legal speeds in a hurry. When you step on the accelerator pedal, a satisfying, futuristic electronic sound accompanies your increase in speed, adding volume the harder you press down. This audible feature effectively correlates the actions of your right foot with motor response, mimicking similar communication from an internal combustion engine.
Standard equipment for the iX xDrive50 includes 20-inch wheels with all-season tires, but my test model’s optional Sport package bolted on 21-inch wheels wrapped in performance rubber. So equipped, the official driving range estimate was a commendable 303 miles, and the efficiency rating was 41 kWh per 100 miles of driving (2.4 miles per kWh). On the evaluation loop, the iX proved more efficient than that at 2.7 mi/kWh (37 kWh/100 mi).
BMW equips the iX with performance brakes featuring real-time adaptive regeneration or a one-pedal driving mode. While I usually prefer one-pedal driving, I liked using the adaptive regen in the iX. For the most part, it works transparently, and you can turn it off if you dislike it. Using the system meant I still had to brake manually, and the pedal sometimes required more muscle than expected. Also, it was occasionally hard to execute a smooth, clean stop.
A Dynamic Handling package is available as an option on the iX xDrive50. It installs a four-wheel steering system and a two-axle air suspension. My test vehicle did not have this upgrade, and it showed.
On the road, despite BMW’s efforts to manage the iX’s battery weight, the ride is stiff and sometimes choppy in urban and suburban settings. It can also feel bouncy at higher speeds when traveling over uneven pavement. Hit a whoop or a dip in the middle of a curve on a mountain road, and the iX struggles to quell the unwanted body motions. However, the SUV always feels as structurally robust as Fort Knox.
Don’t expect the iX xDrive50 to drive like a BMW when enthusiastically taking back roads, even if you switch it into Sport mode. In Sport mode, it feels more responsive and sounds more aggressive, but the steering still feels disconnected from the proceedings, like you’re holding a video game controller. Also, there is too much unwanted body motion and unexpected weight transfer to instill trust, and if you haven’t disengaged it, the adaptive braking system is too intrusive.
With that said, I still like the BMW iX. However, the xDrive50 model doesn’t engage and reward its driver like a BMW should.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The 2025 iX has several standard advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) and safety features. They include:
You can buy the Driving Assistance Professional option package for additional safety features. It installs:
In the ADAS settings menu, you can also turn an Emergency Stop Assistant feature on or off, suggesting the iX also has emergency stop assistance.
My test vehicle had all of these technologies, and they worked exceptionally well on the Pacific Coast Highway, the 101 freeway in Ventura County, and the expressways of Los Angeles. If there is anything to note, when the lane-assist attempted mid-corner corrections on PCH, the steering felt lighter and less connected than usual. It was a little unnerving.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The BMW iX offers a commendable amount of cargo space. Behind the back seat, the volume measures 35.5 cubic feet. With the rear seats folded down, it expands to 77.9 cu-ft. A storage well under the load floor is large enough to accommodate the EV’s portable charging cord and plenty of groceries.
The 2025 BMW iX can travel 284 to 309 miles on a full battery, depending on the model and wheel size. Those are competitive numbers. I did not perform a range test, but since the iX xDrive50 proved more efficient than expected on the evaluation loop, those official ratings might be conservative.
To recharge the iX, you can use a 240-volt, 11-kilowatt (kW) home charging station and take the battery from empty to full in under 11 hours. If you decide public charging is preferable, you can find an estimated 130,000 charging stations through your MyBMW smartphone app. Plug & Charge automatic authentication works at Electrify America and Shell Recharge stations.
When using a DC fast charger, BMW says 10 minutes of charging at maximum flow provides 80 miles of range. The automaker also estimates it will take 35 minutes to bring the battery from a 10% to an 80% charge.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not performed crash tests on the BMW iX. That’s not uncommon for expensive, low-volume models like this one.
Since crash-test ratings are unavailable, I can’t answer this question. However, when equipped with the optional Driving Assistance Professional Package, the iX is loaded with impressive ADAS that can help prevent a collision from happening in the first place.
The BMW iX ranges in price from $87,250 (xDrive50) to $111,500 (M60), plus the destination charge of $1,175.
In the JD Power 2024 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Cadillac XT6 ranks highest in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV segment. The Porsche Cayenne and the Genesis GV80 are the next highest-ranked models.
In the JD Power 2024 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the BMW iX ranks highest in the Upper Midsize Premium SUV segment. The BMW X6 and the Land Rover Range Rover Sport are the next highest-ranked models (in a tie).
Limiting the discussion to purely electric models, iX competitors include the Audi Q8 E-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, and Rivian R1S.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The BMW iX is a likable electric luxury SUV. While the design represents an acquired taste, it is technologically advanced, equipped with quality materials, and loaded with thoughtful details. The electric drivetrain is competitive in range, efficiency, and power, and the iX is roomy enough for five people and their luggage. As long as you don’t expect a traditional BMW thrill when driving in anything other than a straight line, it is a satisfying EV.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with 30 years of experience in the field and has held automotive editorial leadership positions at Edmunds, JD Power, and The New York Daily News. Today, Chris owns a content agency called Speedy Daddy Media, and in addition to JDPower.com, his work appears on Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, and Edmunds.
