Even with the most unusual car designs, a year or so on the road and the shock at seeing one tends to wear off.
The BMW iX is about to enter its fourth model year, and it's still an attention-getter. It looks like a BMW SUV---but not quite like any BMW SUV you've seen before.
The iX is part of the BMW i series of electric vehicles. Some of them, the i4, i5 and i7, for example, are simply electric versions of existing cars that also have gasoline-engined counterparts.
The iX, like the XM and the now-departed i3 and i8, are stand-alones. They only exist as EVs and use that as license to push styling and interior design envelopes.
The iX xDrive50 (our tester) features two electric motors that put 516 horsepower to the ground through all four wheels. Put your foot all the way to the floor on the accelerator and 60 miles per hour happens from a standing start in just 4.4 seconds.
If that's somehow not fast enough for your, there's also the iX M60, which I reviewed in January of 2023. That one has 610 horsepower, 811 lb-ft of torque and knocks back those 0-60 sprints in a mere 3.6 seconds.
The iX xDrive50's range per charge is a solid 307 miles, and DC fast charging will (with a properly operating charger) get you back 90 miles of range for every ten minutes of charging time.
Seating only five, there's a generous 36 cubic feet of cargo space behind the second row of seats.
Second-row legroom is a solid 38.4 inches.
The base price of the 2024 BMW iX xDrive50 is $88,095 including destination. Standard equipment includes wireless device charging, a high-fidelity sound system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an anthracite headliner, a one-year subscription to SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 360L, Live Cockpit Plus with navigation and voice control, a thermally-insulated windshield, panoramic roof, heated, powered front seats and steering wheel, and a comprehensive suite of active safety features.
Our test vehicle also had a healthy list of extra-cost options: $500 for the Stonegrey (they spell it as one word) microfiber/wool blend interior, $2,300 for the Driving Assistance Pro Package, $3,700 for the Premium Package (multi-functional seats, interior camera, a Harman Kardon surround sound audio system, 5G wi-fi hotspot and Live Cockpit Pro including head-up display, surround view and 3D view), $2,500 for the Sport Package (upgraded 21-inch aero dark blak wheels) and $1,000 for Icon adaptive LED lights.
The as-tested price? $98,095.
That is a chunk of change---the tax puts you over the line and into six figures. But there really isn't anything to compare the iX to. The iX fills the size gap between the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and the Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, and is priced accordingly.
There are BMW people and Mercedes-Benz people, though. They may both be luxury German vehicles, but the BMW has always attracted a slightly different buyer. For those people, the list of alternatives to an iX is likely short to non-existent.
