If you're shopping for a battery-electric vehicle (BEV), there's a good chance you'll select an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV). This body style is especially well-suited to electrification. Manufacturers can fit a large battery pack while preserving ample room for passengers and cargo.
The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling electric SUV in the United States. Though the Model Y is considered a compact crossover SUV, it feels spacious and has an available third-row seat. The BMW iX SUV is a newcomer to the electric SUV segment. About the size of a BMW X5, this 5-passenger midsize crossover is longer, taller, and wider than the Model Y. It's closer in dimensions to the Tesla Model X.
Both of these electric crossover SUVs have enough cruising range to keep you from worrying about it on all but the longest trips. The 2022 Tesla Model Y costs a lot less, though. It also provides access to Tesla's highly rated Supercharger network of DC fast chargers (DCFC).
BMW is one of many manufacturers that has partnered with the expanding but still smaller Electrify America network. In its favor, the 2023 BMW iX has a more deluxe interior that reflects its heftier price tag.
Which one should you buy? This 2023 BMW iX vs. 2022 Tesla Model Y comparison will help you work through the details.
2023 BMW iX xDrive50 Sport Package
If you're researching 2023 BMW iX pricing, you'll find that this midsize electric crossover ranges from $84,100 to $108,900, not including the $995 destination charge. BMW sells the 2023 iX in two trim levels: regular-strength iX xDrive50 and high-performance iX M60. Five-passenger seating, dual electric-drive motors, and all-wheel drive (AWD) are standard on both versions. A third-row seat is not available.
If you bought a 2023 BMW iX before August 16, 2022, it would have qualified for a $7,500 federal tax credit under Section 30D of the IRS tax code. With the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022, however, the iX is ineligible. The new law requires final assembly in North America (BMW builds the iX in Germany) and an MSRP no higher than $80,000. The new caps on adjusted gross income likely would exclude many iX buyers as well. It's still worthwhile to investigate state and local incentives.
Connected services on the 2023 BMW iX include:
An interesting package option is Remote Theft Recorder, which can send you both exterior and interior images when something activates the SUV's alarm. Other features include a Wi-Fi hotspot, digital key access, live concierge services, and a drive recorder that can store 40 seconds of video.
BMW provides 3 years/36,000 miles of free scheduled maintenance. All 2023 BMW iX owners get two years of complimentary 30-minute Level 3 charging sessions at Electrify America stations.
Meanwhile, 2022 Tesla Model Y pricing ranges from $59,990 to $69,990, not including the $1,200 destination charge. Although no 2022 Tesla vehicle qualified for the previous federal tax credit (it phased out once a manufacturer had sold 200,000 electrified vehicles), the Model Y will qualify for the new IRA-of-2022 tax credit. But it won't kick in until January 2023, when the government lifts the 200,000-vehicle limit.
Although Tesla only allows you to build the 2022 Model Y Long Range ($67,990) and Performance ($69,990) on its website, the company quietly added the base-trim Model Y AWD ($59,990) in April 2022. As of this publication, Tesla isn't officially taking orders for the base trim, but customers with existing orders reportedly have been offered the opportunity to switch to it. Notably, Tesla builds the base model at its Texas Gigafactory. It produces other Model Ys at its original vehicle assembly plant in Fremont, California.
All 2022 Tesla Model Y crossovers have dual electric motors, AWD, and 5-passenger seating (with optional seating for 7).
Tesla's connected services include automatic collision notification, remote access features, Wi-Fi, and digital key. There's also Dog Mode, which allows you to run quick errands while your well-trained pooch waits in the 2022 Model Y. In this mode, the climate control system remains active. A message on the infotainment display advises anyone walking past your SUV that your dog is fine and you'll return soon.
Owners worried about theft can enable PIN to Drive, while Sentry Mode (part of the Premium Connectivity package) functions much like BMW's Remote Theft Recorder. You've likely heard of Smart Summon (Enhanced Autopilot package), allowing your 2022 Tesla Model Y to drive to you in parking lots.
Tesla doesn't provide complimentary scheduled maintenance and doesn't require service visits at specific intervals. But the owner's manual advises rotating the tires "every 6,250 miles, or if the tread depth difference is 2/32 inch or greater." Tesla no longer offers unlimited free access to its Supercharger DCFC network, but the company runs occasional promotions to encourage use during off-peak hours.
You can expect strong resale value if you buy a 2022 Tesla Model Y. It ranks highest in the Premium Electric category of the JD Power 2022 U.S. ALG Residual Value Awards. Additionally, the Model Y ranks second among Premium BEVs in the JD Power 2022 U.S. Electric Vehicle Experience (EVX) Ownership Study.
Advantage: Tesla Model Y
2022 Tesla Model Y
BMW iX sales began in early 2022, so the automaker's midsize electric crossover was not assessed in either the JD Power 2022 Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) or the JD Power 2022 U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). The 2023 BMW iX comes with the following warranty coverage:
The Tesla Model Y is too new for inclusion in the 2022 VDS, but owners did provide feedback for the 2022 IQS. However, Tesla is ineligible for awards in the study because the automaker does not allow JD Power access to owner information in 15 states. The 2022 Tesla Model Y comes with the following warranty coverage:
Advantage: Tesla Model Y
2023 BMW iX M60
Consumers will find that the 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 comes with a front electric-drive motor rated at 268 horsepower (or 200 kilowatts in typical BEV terminology). The iX XDrive50's rear electric motor rates 335 hp (250 kW). Total system power is 516 hp and 564 pound-feet of torque. A 105-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack is standard.
One-pedal driving capability is standard, making BMW's electric midsize SUV more engaging to drive. The automaker claims the 2023 BMW iX xDrive50 will reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
If you're aiming to break the 4-second barrier, you'll need the 2023 BMW iX M60. It uses the same battery pack but upgrades the motors. Up front, the M60 has a 255-hp (190-kW) electric motor, while the rear motor rates 483 hp (360 kW). The total output is 532 hp and 749 pound-feet of torque. In the iX M60's Sport mode, you can access 610 hp, and with launch control enabled, you'll have temporary access to 810 pound-feet of torque. This is good enough to accelerate the 2023 BMW iX M60 to 60 mph in a claimed 3.6 seconds.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has published 2023 range and energy consumption ratings only for the iX M60, though the 2022 iX xDrive50 ratings should carry over to 2023. With 20-inch wheels, the 2022 iX xDrive50 can travel an EPA-estimated 324 miles on a charge and consumes 39 kWh/100 miles. With 21- and 22-inch wheels, the iX xDrive50 rates 305 miles and 315 miles, respectively, with similar energy consumption.
The EPA rates the 2023 BMW iX M60 for 288 miles of range and 44 kWh/100 miles for energy consumption. Sizing up to 22-inch wheels reduces the EPA-rated range to 274 miles.
Currently, BMW does not offer a factory tow hitch for the U.S.-specification iX, nor is it rated for towing.
BMW iX owners should plan for 10-11 hours to recharge the battery pack using a Level 2 charger. You'll most likely want access at home, whether it's a deluxe wall unit or a simple 240-volt outlet. Level 3 chargers (or DCFC) provide quicker charging on the go, but it isn't practical or desirable to use them exclusively.
Consumers will find three available powertrains on the 2022 Tesla Model Y. The Texas-built base Model Y AWD trim level features a 91-kW front electric-drive motor, a 200-kW rear motor, and standard one-pedal driving capability.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y Long Range is also AWD and has similarly rated electric motors. True to its name, though, it comes with a higher-capacity battery pack. Tesla says it will reach 60 mph in 4.8 seconds.
The Model Y Performance offers performance on par with the BMW iX M60. This Model Y uses 133-kW front and 179-kW rear electric-drive motors. Various automotive media outlets have instrument-tested the Model Y Performance and reported sub-4-second zero-to-60-mph times.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y is EPA-rated for 279 miles of range and consumes 28 kWh/100 miles. The 2022 Tesla Model Y Long Range also rates 28 kWh/100 and has a 330-mile range rating. The EPA rates the Model Y Performance for 303 miles and 30 kWh/100 miles. The Model Y has a 3,500-pound tow rating with the available factory tow package.
Advantage: Tesla Model Y
2022 Tesla Model Y
Consumers will find that the 2023 BMW iX comes standard with BMW Active Driving Assistant. This is a package of advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) that includes forward-collision warning (FCW) with automatic emergency braking (AEB), lane-departure warning (LDW), and blind-spot warning (BSW) with rear cross-traffic warning.
If you select the Ultimate package for the 2023 iX xDrive50 or the Executive package for the 2023 iX M60, you'll get additional ADAS. The list includes lane-keeping assistance (LKA), automatic emergency steering (ESA), and lane-change assistance. With the adaptive cruise control (ACC) activated, you'll enjoy Level 2 semi-autonomous driving assistance in the form of a traffic-jam assistance (TJA) system with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance. A driver monitoring system gauges your attention level and allows hands-free driving on certain limited-access highways. With the Executive package, the iX M60 also provides active parking assistance.
Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has published crash-test ratings for the BMW iX.
Standard ADAS on the 2022 Tesla Model Y includes FCW with AEB, BSW, LDW, LKA, and ACC with stop-and-go capability and lane-centering assistance. If you opt for the Enhanced Autopilot package, you'll also get lane-change assistance and Autopark active parking assistance.
Priced at $12,000 ($15,000 starting September 5, 2022), the Full Self Driving (FSD) does not allow the Model Y to drive itself. Instead, FSD can slow your SUV automatically for stop signs and red lights on surface streets. Not everyone will get to use FSD, as Tesla requires you to maintain a specific Safety Score.
Of course, this has caused controversy, as has NHTSA's ongoing investigation of Tesla's ADAS following several serious collisions involving drivers who were apparently using Autopilot.
Nevertheless, Tesla Motors scores highest in the JD Power 2022 U.S. Tech Experience (TXI) Study, which surveyed owners of new 2022 model-year vehicles. It's an unofficial ranking since Tesla only permits access to owner data in 35 states. But it's clear that owners hold Tesla's ADAS in high regard, and the automaker's frequent over-the-air (OTA) software updates likely bolster their enthusiasm.
The 2022 Tesla Model Y has a 5-star NHTSA safety rating. It's also an IIHS Top Safety Pick+.
Advantage: Tesla Model Y
2023 BMW iX M60
All 2023 BMW iX SUVs use the latest iDrive 8 infotainment platform, and a curved, 14.9-inch touchscreen display shows it off to splendid effect. The interface integrates the climate controls, but BMW provides a separate 12.3-inch digital instrument panel in the usual location behind the steering wheel. With iDrive 8, you'll enjoy factory navigation, OTA updates, natural-language voice recognition, and quick access to your personal settings by logging in with BMW ID.
With your permission, the navigation system can learn your habits and suggest departure times to frequently visited addresses (as well as charging locations). If you have an xDrive50 with the Ultimate package or a BMW iX M60, the nav system also has an augmented-reality mode that provides more intensive 3-D guidance. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring is standard, but it isn't wireless.
Every 2022 Tesla Model Y comes with a 15-inch touchscreen interface. You'll want to get comfortable using it as soon as you can. In addition to providing infotainment functions, this interface takes the place of a traditional instrument panel and integrates all climate functions and many secondary controls.
You get factory navigation, OTA updates, natural-language voice recognition, and a wireless charging pad as standard. But this platform doesn't support Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.
Advantage: BMW iX
2022 Tesla Model Y
Although the 2023 BMW iX reportedly uses more sustainable interior materials than other BMWs, it's still elegant. Its more conventional interior design will appeal to consumers who find the 2022 Tesla Model Y's minimalist approach off-putting. Nevertheless, the Model Y offers outstanding value if you can deal with Tesla's eccentricities and limited color palette.
Adults will find plenty of room in the first two rows of both BEVS. Both have fixed front head restraints. Average-size adults likely won't mind, but if you're taller or have a large head, you might find one or both uncomfortable.
Cargo capacity won't be a concern in either vehicle. The 2023 BMW iX provides 35.5 cubic feet of space behind its second row and 77.9 cubic feet with the seats folded. The 2022 Tesla Model Y has a smaller 30.2-cubic-foot cargo bay (26.6 in 7-seaters) but offers a 4.1-cubic-foot front trunk or "frunk." With the seats folded, it offers 72.1 cubic feet (67.9 in 7-seaters).
Advantage: BMW iX
If you'd like to learn more about these electric vehicles, be sure to read our preview of the 2022 BMW iX and research the 2022 Tesla Model Y. To find out how people like you rate models in this segment, check out our ratings from verified vehicle owners.
Also, please keep in mind that while the information in this article was accurate and valid on August 26, 2022, it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker's website or your local dealership.
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