2023 BMW iX Reviews, Pricing & Specs

The BMW iX features perhaps one of the most polarizing car designs of the 21st century. Not since the debut of the 2001 Pontiac Aztek can we recall an SUV evoking this type of love-it-or-hate-it reaction among the automotive press.

But where the Aztek was truly ugly from any angle, the BMW iX's most offensive feature by far is its nose. Or grille, to be more specific. The irony here, of course, is that because it's an electric vehicle, the iX doesn't have a grille in the literal sense (there are no openings to provide air to cool anything under the hood). Rather, BMW created what it calls an “Intelligent Kidney Grille,” behind which it places various driver-assistance and safety sensors. While this may sound clever, the automaker may not have had anywhere else to put said sensors due to the oversized kidney design.

Just as curious is the profile of the SUV's nose. Rather than a sleek, wedge-like aerodynamic shape that you'd expect of an EV, the front end of the iX is nearly vertical, giving it a strong, imposing look that's somewhat at odds with the rest of the vehicle. Indeed, from the side, the iX's styling becomes much more mainstream, though the rear end does possess some cool styling elements, namely the taillights and lower diffusers. Looking at the iX's exterior design as a whole, it would seem that BMW tried really hard to downplay the EV aspect and instead emphasized performance. Hardly surprising, considering BMW's image—and we think it's a smart approach.

While we have some reservations about the iX's exterior styling, the interior design is an entirely different story. From the premium look and feel of the dashboard and seat materials to the simple yet functional overall layout, the interior of the iX is a very luxurious, inviting place to be.

BMW did a nice job selecting a variety of high-quality materials for the interior, the various elements complementing each other rather than just being a random collection of colours and textures like you find in some luxury vehicles. In particular, the optional Amido perforated leather seats in our M60 test vehicle were not only attractive but supremely comfortable. Seat adjustment, gear shifter, and iDrive controls made of crystal were also a nice touch.

For all of the luxury in the iX, BMW is proud of the fact that it uses sustainable materials that it cultivates responsibly, along with environmentally friendly manufacturing, while still providing a premium product. It just shows you that luxury and environmental responsibility needn't be mutually exclusive.

Whereas the base iX xDrive50 launched for 2022 is a premium SUV with respectable performance, BMW intended for the M60 variant to be an uncompromising performance SUV. While the automaker largely succeeded from a driving dynamics and instrumented test numbers standpoint, the M60 falls short in one critical area: It has no soul. Before we explain ourselves, let's go over the numbers.

In Canada, there are three powertrains available in the 2023 BMW iX. The base iX xDrive40 has two electric motors—one at each axle—effectively giving the SUV an all-wheel drive (AWD) drivetrain, or xDrive, in BMW parlance. This version has power specs of 322 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque, powered by a 76.6 kWh battery. One would think this model would be designed to help the iX qualify for federal or provincial EV incentive programs, but at $79,990, it’s too expensive to do so.

On the iX xDrive50, the total power output is 516 horsepower and 564 pound-feet of torque, while a 111.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack provides the electricity. Joining the party for 2023 is the new iX M60. It has the same battery pack as the xDrive50, as well as dual electric motors, but they're more potent. The result is the aforementioned 610 hp (in Sport mode) and 811 lb-ft of torque (with launch control activated). According to BMW, in Sport mode and with launch control activated, the iX M60 can go zero to 100 km/h in approximately 3.8 seconds. BMW says the top speed is 250 km/h when properly equipped. We didn't perform instrumented tests, but the M60 sure felt quick, certainly worthy of the M badge.

Acceleration is one thing, but equally important in any performance vehicle is how it handles. To some, it's even more critical. We found the handling of the BMW iX M60 quite good, thanks in part to an M-calibrated adaptive dual-axle air suspension with electronically controlled shock absorbers. Also aiding in the handling department were xDrive, big 22-inch wheels (21-inch wheels are standard, and 20-inch wheels are offered on lower trims), and a low centre of gravity thanks to the battery located beneath the floor, all of which contributed to minimal body lean and surefooted handling.

The M60 also stops as well as it accelerates and handles. The big M Sport brakes bring it to a halt quickly with no hint of fade, all the while feeding the battery precious kilowatts through regenerative braking.

Thanks to the electric powertrain, air suspension, advanced body structure, and aerodynamic wheel design, internal noise levels were super hushed. Wind noise was not an issue. Indeed, the M60 is surprisingly slippery, as BMW claims a 0.26 drag coefficient, despite the decidedly non-aero front end.

Now that we've detailed our objective observations, let's talk about the subjective aspects of driving the iX M60. What's it like to drive? How does it sound? How does it feel?

We can sum it up in one word: sterile. There's no growl from the engine, no burble from the exhaust, and certainly no satisfaction from rowing your own gears. If your goal is to achieve the best performance numbers possible, by all means, the iX is a worthy vehicle. If, however, you want a truly engaging driving experience, you'll be happier with an internal combustion engine and a stick shift. For now, at least, BMW can still help you with that.

Owing to its midsize crossover SUV ride height, the BMW iX is easy to get into and out of. Thanks to its overall size and airy interior design, the BMW iX feels quite spacious once you're inside. Front headroom is an impressive 106 centimeters, while legroom, at 102 cm, was more than adequate, if not best in class. Front shoulder room comes in at 156.2 cm—better than competitors Audi E-tron, Jaguar I-Pace, and Tesla Model X. Forward visibility is better than on the sides or at the rear, but we had no problems seeing out of the iX. The lack of a driveline tunnel allowing for a flat floor added to the feeling of spaciousness in the iX.

We liked the small slot at the end of the centre console, which was great for holding a smartphone. But the low position of the cupholders was less than ideal, and they didn't hold larger bottles as well as some other vehicles in the class. The placement of the wireless phone charging pad—aft of the cupholders and tucked under the centre console—was also somewhat inconvenient. A heated steering wheel is standard in Canada.

Rear-seat space and comfort in the iX were also top-notch. The fold-down armrest can accommodate two cups, and the front seatbacks each have two integrated USB-C ports. There's no optional third row of seats in the iX like in the Tesla Model X, but we'd argue that nobody would want to sit back there even if it was possible. After all, there are precious few midsize crossover SUVs with a third row large enough to accommodate two extra passengers in comfort. You can lower the rear seatbacks by pushing a button in the cargo area, but, oddly, you have to raise them manually.

Cargo space in the iX is impressive. With the rear seats in place, there's 1,005 litres of storage space. With the seats folded, cargo space expands to a whopping 2,205 litres. We could easily fit a set of three—one small, one medium, one large—rolling suitcases in the iX's cargo bay with plenty of room to spare. One thing the iX does not have, however, is an auxiliary storage area in the front of the vehicle, under the hood. Many EVs today have a front trunk or "frunk," but the iX is not one of them. It's as if BMW doesn't even want owners messing around under the hood, as they've made access to that area challenging to achieve.

The BMW iX is a technological tour de force in almost every aspect. From its state-of-the-art vehicle architecture to its air suspension to its driver-assistance systems to its infotainment system, the iX is a rolling showcase of BMW's latest technology.

Speaking of infotainment, the centrepiece of the iX's multimedia system is a 14.9-inch curved touchscreen with extremely sharp graphics. The latest version of BMW's infotainment system, iDrive 8 allows users to perform various functions in one of four ways: via the touchscreen, rotary dial on the centre console, voice control, and gesture control. We were particularly impressed with the iX's ability to recognize and correctly execute our voice commands quickly and efficiently. However, it took several tries with slight variations on a couple of our requests. Nevertheless, the system proved quite capable, more so than many other systems we've tested. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity is included, as is BMW ConnectedDrive Services with a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2023 iX comes standard with a 12-speaker audio system. Buyers can also upgrade to one of two optional systems: a 655-watt, 18-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound system or an even more powerful Bowers & Wilkins system. The Bowers & Wilkins Diamond surround-sound system in our test vehicle delivered crisp highs from the Nautilus Diamond Dome tweeters and two ultra-linear nearfield speakers in the headrests and booming lows through two "shaker" bass speakers embedded in the lumbar region of each front seat as well as two bass speakers under the front seats. Those in the back sit atop two carbon-fibre subwoofers under the rear seats. The system's 30 speakers collectively worked in concert to deliver 1,615 watts of audio such as we've rarely experienced in a car.

Another cool feature was the panoramic eclipsing Sky Lounge roof. Not a moonroof in the traditional sense, the Sky Lounge roof doesn't actually open. There are no mechanical or moving parts. Instead, with the simple touch of a button, you can toggle between "open" or "closed" by energizing the liquid crystals in the LED panel, which then makes it go from transparent to opaque in a matter of seconds.

Every new iX includes BMW's Active Driving Assistant. Safety features include forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and traffic-sign recognition. Active park distance control is also standard, as is automatic collision notification, automatic high-beam headlights, a rearview camera, and a safe-exit system.

Our test vehicle also had the Advanced Driver Assistance package. This option includes Driving Assistant Professional and Parking Assistant Professional, the former featuring lane-keeping assistance and adaptive cruise control, among other items. We didn't experience any difficulties or annoyances with any of the iX's active or passive safety systems during our time with the vehicle.

As of this writing, neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has published crash-test ratings for the 2023 BMW iX. This is unlikely to change since those outfits rarely perform crash tests on high-dollar, low-volume cars.

While the initial outlay for an EV is typically higher than for a conventional gas-powered car, the pendulum eventually swings back in favour of the EV. The thinking goes that the longer you own your EV, the more you save on energy costs. That said, many premium SUV buyers prefer to lease a new vehicle every two to four years, negating any long-term cost savings from going electric. Besides, anyone considering a new BMW iX likely doesn't concern themselves with the price of a litre of gas or a kilowatt of electricity, or the cost of the vehicle itself.

So, how much does the BMW iX cost? The base 2023 BMW iX xDrive40 has a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $84,869, including the $2,095 destination charge and other fees. The top-dog iX M60 is $129,544 with destination and fees.

For comparison, among the iX's main electric car competitors, the 2023 Audi E-tron starts at $87,342, the Jaguar I-Pace retails for $102,800, and Tesla Model X pricing begins at $142,990. The BMW offers better performance in terms of power and driving range and higher levels of luxury. The Tesla justifies its price by outclassing the BMW in those same categories. So, consider the iX a middle ground of sorts as it offers possibly the best mix of price and performance among its peer group.

In terms of efficiency, BMW says the base iX xDrive40 can travel up to 322 km on a full charge and that it takes 31 minutes to go from 10 to 80% at a 150 kW DC fast charger. The iX xDrive50 has a range of 496 to 521 km and goes from 10 to 80% in 35 minutes at 195 kW. The more powerful iX M60 can go up to 463 km on a single charge and has the same charging times and rates as the xDrive50. Regenerative braking also aids in range recovery, albeit at a much slower rate. According to Natural Resources Canada, our M60 tester rates 26.7 kWh per 100 kilometres in combined city/highway driving.

BMW endows all iX models with a four-year/80,000-kilometre bumper-to-bumper warranty with roadside assistance and an eight-year/160,000-kilometre high-voltage battery warranty.

Note: Images show a US model.