BMW iX - anybody able to tell me what it's like in the wild?

[DMC2]

Looking to book an extended test drive, just wondering if anybody has one and thoughts?

[TheDeuce]

They're pretty rare - if you can find one for an all day test drive you tell us what it's like

Doug's video here does a deep dive on the features: https://youtu.be/OuWmTXphMCo

It looks to be a step up in luxury/chintz from the comparable X5. Also a step up over the Audi etron in terms of luxury, performance and to go with that - more expensive too.

I haven't driven one yet but I'm sure that it will exceed the ICE X5 on every level, SUV's really benefit from electrification.

Let us know how you get on if you happen to find a dealer with a demo car. Or in BMW's case, any cars at all.

[gangzoom]

TheDeuce said:

They're pretty rare - if you can find one for an all day test drive you tell us what it's like

Rare here but in Norway absolutely loads, saw more iXs than Mach E, Kia, Hyundai combined.

[TheDeuce]

gangzoom said:

TheDeuce said:

They're pretty rare - if you can find one for an all day test drive you tell us what it's like

Rare here but in Norway absolutely loads, saw more iXs than Mach E, Kia, Hyundai combined.

There's a couple in my town, but it's a fairly affluent place and has a BMW dealership so for all I know they're the owners perks!

They look a bit odd but not 'bad' that's typical of ground up EV's I think. They're large, surprisingly so in the flesh. I think they tick all the BMW fan SUV boxes though, they look imposing and potent, and a little mean

Too big to possibly be 'sporty' and bigger than I need personally. They're clearly explosively quick in a straight line though.

[Knoxville2410]

My boss has one. Took me out in it and it's absolutely insanely fast.

Interior was actually quite comfortable and it's quite big overall. He said I could have a drive in it but not been back in the office since.

[DMC2]

TheDeuce said:

They're pretty rare - if you can find one for an all day test drive you tell us what it's like

Doug's video here does a deep dive on the features: https://youtu.be/OuWmTXphMCo

It looks to be a step up in luxury/chintz from the comparable X5. Also a step up over the Audi etron in terms of luxury, performance and to go with that - more expensive too.

I haven't driven one yet but I'm sure that it will exceed the ICE X5 on every level, SUV's really benefit from electrification.

Let us know how you get on if you happen to find a dealer with a demo car. Or in BMW's case, any cars at all.

My local dealer is giving me a loan of their demo, and I've found 3 for sale in the colour I want. See how I feel when I drive it...

[TheDeuce]

DMC2 said:

TheDeuce said:

They're pretty rare - if you can find one for an all day test drive you tell us what it's like

Doug's video here does a deep dive on the features: https://youtu.be/OuWmTXphMCo

It looks to be a step up in luxury/chintz from the comparable X5. Also a step up over the Audi etron in terms of luxury, performance and to go with that - more expensive too.

I haven't driven one yet but I'm sure that it will exceed the ICE X5 on every level, SUV's really benefit from electrification.

Let us know how you get on if you happen to find a dealer with a demo car. Or in BMW's case, any cars at all.

My local dealer is giving me a loan of their demo, and I've found 3 for sale in the colour I want. See how I feel when I drive it...

Good! Definitely report back here, it sounds like a great car

[SWoll]

Managed to have a decent look around one at the weekend with the wife, who has always been both a BMW and SUV fan, as thought it could be a future replacement for the etron.

Her conclusion? Ugly from the front, boring from everywhere else and the interior looked chintzy (the car had the 'crystal' option and two tone leather).

Maybe not then..

[Wills2]

I've seen a few out and about I like them, they look much better in the metal.

[BeeBopp]

I drove one back in March. Huge inside due to the purpose built for electric chassis. My wife memorably compared it to business class. I loved the interior, and the ride was brilliant. Ordered one a few weeks later and expecting deliver on 30 August!

[raspy]

BeeBopp said:

I drove one back in March. Huge inside due to the purpose built for electric chassis. My wife memorably compared it to business class. I loved the interior, and the ride was brilliant. Ordered one a few weeks later and expecting deliver on 30 August!

Thanks! I am test driving one this week (the 40) although I understand it doesn't have air suspension, that comes on the 50.

I'm curious, was it the 50 that you drove where you found the ride brilliant?

[McAndy]

There's a black one on my road. It doesn't look as bad as it appeared in early press releases. (I'd even go so far as to say it looks quite smart! )

However, my wife is "encouraging" me to replace my family hatch with a larger, SUV-type vehicle, and even she commented on how overly-large it seems.

[TheDeuce]

raspy said:

BeeBopp said:

I drove one back in March. Huge inside due to the purpose built for electric chassis. My wife memorably compared it to business class. I loved the interior, and the ride was brilliant. Ordered one a few weeks later and expecting deliver on 30 August!

Thanks! I am test driving one this week (the 40) although I understand it doesn't have air suspension, that comes on the 50.

I'm curious, was it the 50 that you drove where you found the ride brilliant?

I've driven quite a few of these very heavy EV SUV's and they all look much better with decent sized wheels, so they all cry out for air suspension. Be interested to hear if beebop confirms it was on air - although given they remarked on the comfort I'd gamble it was!

Is it an option on the 40? If so you should check with dealer of it has it ahead of forming any conclusions.

[modeller]

Air and 4WS only on the 50 in the UK.

[Silvanus]

Just looked them up, no wonder they are rare!

[BeeBopp]

I test drove the 40 w/out air suspension but the ride was still pretty good.

I ordered a 50 in anticipation of an ever better ride with the air suspension.

They do seem rare, I’ve only seen 2 around my neck of the woods. In sharp contrast to the Taycan which seem to be everywhere.

[TheDeuce]

BeeBopp said:

I test drove the 40 w/out air suspension but the ride was still pretty good.

I ordered a 50 in anticipation of an ever better ride with the air suspension.

They do seem rare, I’ve only seen 2 around my neck of the woods. In sharp contrast to the Taycan which seem to be everywhere.

What size wheels on the 40?

[Debaser]

Go for the 50 if you can, It is dynamically quite a bit better than the 40, the adaptive dampers and 4 wheel steering really help it.

The steering wheel is terrible though,

[TheDeuce]

Debaser said:

Go for the 50 if you can, It is dynamically quite a bit better than the 40, the adaptive dampers and 4 wheel steering really help it.

The steering wheel is terrible though,

Sounds like the i4... The i4 50 is the one the engineers wanted to make and is complete, the i4 40 is the same car with the sensible bits removed!


I think it's fair to say that if we're going to get used to giant SUV's which weigh well over 2 tonnes, it's kind of necessary to lean on technologies such as air suspension, adaptive damping and given the dimensions of the ix, 4ws too.

[cc3]

Well finished but I felt just too big for U.K. roads