Name: 2022 BMW iX
Brand: BMW

BMW iX

EPA Range: 324 miles

RECALL ALERT: There are 9 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.

There are 9 recalls on this vehicle. Learn More.

BMW iX First Drive

Summary

Introduction

2022 BMW iX Is the Newest Option Among Luxury All-Electric SUVs

This new high-tech showpiece impresses with comfort and power, but BMW’s new control layout is frustrating

Overview

The 2022 BMW iX is the automaker’s first mainstream, long-range electric vehicle. Unlike BMW’s early experiments in electrification, such as the quirky i3 and i8, the iX and upcoming i4 are fully electric, easy-to-live-with models that use large lithium-ion batteries to power front and rear motors.

Sized like an X5 SUV, the 2022 BMW iX is also a five-seat SUV. Still, we found that there’s abundant room in the BMW for adults in the rear seat, and there’s a relatively-roomy cargo area for luggage. The iX competes with the Audi E-Tron, Jaguar I-Pace, Tesla Model X, and the upcoming Cadillac Lyriq.

Pricing starts at $83,200 before tax credits, which includes the dual-motor powertrain and EPA range estimates between 305 and 324 miles, depending on the wheel size (20, 21, or 22 inches). For now, the xDrive50 is the only version that will be sold in the U.S., although Canadian buyers will be able to purchase the iX xDrive40, which has a lower range estimate of 340 km, or 211 miles.

Of course, BMW would be remiss in not offering an even pricier version sporting the M badge, which signifies that it’s part of the BMW Motorsport line of high-performance vehicles. The iX M60 will arrive later in 2022 with two electric motors putting out a combined 610 hp and up to 811 pound-feet of torque, compared with the xDrive50’s 516 hp and 564 lb.-ft. of torque. BMW claims it can run from 0 to 60 mph in as little as 3.6 seconds, and it has an estimated driving range of 280 miles.

The cabin is a modern looking space that is airy and uncluttered. Like some other new EVs, the iX doesn’t leave the driver feeling as if they’re sitting in a cockpit. Rather, the interior design leaves plenty of head, knee, leg, and foot room up front, with generous headroom and legroom in the rear seat. This is helped by the standard panoramic glass roof, which brightens up the already-light cabin. The materials throughout are first-rate, with soft-touch surfaces everywhere your hands, arms, and elbows may fall. The model we sampled cost $96,000, so, yeah, the cabin should be this nice.

The iX comes standard with forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind spot warning, and lane departure warning with lane keeping assist. Adaptive cruise control and lane centering assistance is part of the optional Active Driving Assistant Pro package, and the surround view system with 3D view is included in the optional Premium Package. And even though the iX we rented has an almost-dizzying array of active safety and driver assistance systems (ADAS), we were pleased to see that the infotainment system contains detailed explanations for each one. There are many ways to customize the behavior of the ADAS features, and BMW does a good job using graphics and text to explain them all.

The iX has Level 2 automation, meaning it has automated speed and lane control systems. As part of this, there are three infrared cameras in the instrument cluster that are supposed to monitor the driver to make sure they are paying attention. However, they only work in low-speed situations, and even then they don’t work particularly well. Even worse is that there’s actually a camera inside the iX…but it’s a selfie camera that, according to BMW, “can be used by the occupants to take snapshots during the journey, allowing them to capture special moments and share them with friends and family.” It isn’t used at all for driver monitoring. This camera will also be used when BMW introduces the Remote Theft Recorder system.

Impressions

We were immediately impressed with the iX’s supreme quietness. Certainly, all EVs have a similar level of interior silence. After all, taking away the internal combustion engine eliminates a lot of noise. But this often results in highlighting wind, tire, and road noises. That isn’t the case here. Our rented iX could rival CR’s anechoic chamber in terms of quietness. Okay, it’s not THAT quiet inside, but it’s still very impressive, all the more so because the iX has frameless door glass, which often can let air leak in. Even at highway speeds the cabin remains free of external noise.

The ride has a touring-quality to it. The iX isn’t the typical sport-tuned BMW that places handling agility ahead of comfort. That doesn’t mean that it’s a floaty luxo-barge. In fact, the iX is on a par with its most direct competitor, the Audi E-Tron, which we found very plush-riding. It’s far more comfortable than the stiff, jarring rides we encountered from the Ford Mustang Mach-E and Tesla Model Y.

Buyers can also count on a strong powertrain. No matter which driving mode you choose—Efficient, Sport, or Personal—the iX can hustle, whether it’s pulling out into traffic or passing on the highway. Staying in Efficient mode is probably fine for almost every driver, because its focus on maximizing range doesn’t come at the expense of quick, linear acceleration when needed. Toggle into Sport mode and power is delivered with almost unnecessary quickness. No matter the mode you’re in, the available power seems endless—and well beyond legal speeds in every state.

And when it comes to stopping, we really appreciated how normal it felt to slow the iX. The pedal feels firm and direct, with the brakes responding appropriately as you push down harder. There’s none of the numbness or delayed braking that affects some EVs.

BMW gives the driver the ability to toggle how aggressively the regenerative braking system engages to recapture energy that would’ve been otherwise lost as the vehicle slows. The driver has a small button on the left of the steering wheel that lets them quickly increase or decrease the strength of the system.

On the road, we discovered that the iX isn’t meant to be a replacement for BMW’s crisp-handling SUVs, even though it still can be hustled along curvy roads. But the steering can be very darty at times, with the iX reacting to small inputs with bigger-than-expected movements. This is particularly evident in Eco mode, where the steering gets very light. It’s a bit disconcerting for an SUV that weighs more than 5,600 pounds.

A few testers noted how the iX’s four-wheel steering really helped out in some low-speed situations, specifically navigating through small parking lots and through a roundabout. It almost made the iX feel as if it was rotating on a trackball, rather than four wheels. While BMW says the Integral Active Steering system helps with lane changes “at moderate to high speeds,” we didn’t really notice its impact in those situations.

Some drivers found the combination of the high seating position relative to the low controls awkward to get used to. In addition, the high floor contributed to the challenge to get comfortably situated. Also, the steering wheel is shaped like an oddly-proportioned hexagon, with four flat sides and a curved top and bottom. It didn’t feel comfortable or natural for some drivers.

Visibility all around is mostly good, particularly to the sides and back. But the lower parts of the windshield pillars, where they meet the bodywork, are quite large. We’ll have more drivers of more shapes and sizes spend time in our iX to “see” how they impact visibility at intersections and going around bends.