2024 BMW iX

For anyone who dreams of something like a BMW X5 midsize luxury SUV only with a powerful, all-electric drivetrain and all-wheel drive as standard — oh, and plenty of tech for infotainment and safety features — the 2024 iX is your next new vehicle purchase.

In terms of range and charging times, the iX is squarely among the best around at the moment. As a day-to-day driver with features that protect or are just great to have, the iX fits that bill. And with dynamics that leave most rivals in the dust, the iX is a convincing enthusiast machine.

The hands-free/feet-free (but still eyes-engaged) Highway Assistant partial self-driving feature is added to the optional Driving Assistance Professional package. The Parking Assistant Professional option is enhanced with Remote Control Parking and Maneuver Assistant functions able to be controlled outside the vehicle with an iPhone using the My BMW app. And upgraded predictive heat management technology means being able to pre-heat the battery before connecting to a DC fast charger, maximizing the rate of charge.

The world of luxury electric SUVs is vibrant and ever-changing, with new models appearing almost every month. Established rivals include the Audi Q8 e-tron starting in the mid-70s, the Mercedes-EQ EQE SUV from about $78K, the Tesla Model X (in the high 90s) and the Cadillac Lyriq (in the $60K region). The Rivian R1S starts in the high-0s. Also keep an eye out for the Lucid Gravity and Polestar 3.

Before buying a new iX luxury electric SUV, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should be paying.

Electric motors generate exceptional torque, and the iX tackles uphill stretches as if they didn’t exist. A pair of them provides all-wheel drive (AWD), with the rear motor handling a larger share of the work in normal conditions, creating a sporty feel and maximizing efficiency.

We’ve found that the iX feels stable regardless of speed and remains composed through corners, even though the suspension is tuned primarily for comfort. The iX M60 also has an air suspension as standard, bringing smoothness as well as the kind of precise handling that comes with an M model.

The brake pedal can feel a little too eager initially, but we think the overall action is acceptable and something the driver can get used to quite quickly.

One facet that has a small learning curve is one-pedal driving. There are three levels of brake energy regeneration, so easing off the throttle slows the vehicle down more than it would in a conventional car with a combustion engine. This can be a distinct advantage in the stop/go mayhem of city traffic. The right foot rarely has to jump over to the brake pedal and then back again.

Range, Charging and Performance

BMW says the 2024 iX will return up to 307 miles from a full charge, achieved by the xDrive50 version. The M60’s best figure is 296 miles, which is still pretty good.

For comparison, the Q8 e-tron can run for 285 miles, the EQE SUV for 279 miles, the Model X for 333 miles, and the Lyriq for 308 miles. Rivian says its R1S in standard form is capable of 260 miles, with an optional large battery pack providing 340 miles.

Most home charging setups are best used for overnight sessions. For example, a full replenishment of the iX’s battery requires about 10.25 hours. It’s the DC fast-charging metric that’s more crucial, since that’s when drivers of electric vehicles are on the move.

In this scenario, the iX only needs 35 minutes to go from 10 percent capacity to 80 percent capacity. The EQE, Q8 e-tron and Model X also take about half an hour to reach that 80 percent point.

Taking that “on the move” idea in a different direction, electric motors can be powerful and have the ability to deliver that power almost like flicking a switch. This translates to electric vehicles having brisk acceleration times, usually measured in the sprint from standstill to 60 mph. In the xDrive50, this happens in just 4.4 seconds. Naturally, the more powerful iX M60 is quicker: 3.6 seconds. The Q8 e-tron is still respectable at 5.4 seconds, the most powerful version of the EQE (the 500 4Matic) matches the xDrive50. The slowest R1S actually shaves a tenth off that time, while the slowest Model X can still run it in an impressive 3.8 seconds. The Cadillac Lyriq is closer to six seconds.

Smartphone recognition means never having to dig around in pockets or purses for the car keys to open and start the 2024 iX. It will select the preferred radio station as well. For all the technology that comes in the iX, we’ve still found it to be user-friendly.

Despite the use of recycled materials — like nylon waste and old fishing nets — we think the cabin looks and feels as premium as anyone spending a substantial amount of money on a vehicle would want.

There’s a suitably high-tech atmosphere as well. The 12.3-inch driver information display is incorporated into a larger curved unit (covered with glare-resistant glass) that accommodates a 14.9-inch infotainment touchscreen. This is complemented by a hexagonal steering wheel.

Adult passengers in the back shouldn’t find much to complain about with 38.9 inches of legroom. Behind the 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats is an expansive luggage area of 35.5 cubic feet. With those seats folded, cargo volume maxes out at 77.9 cubic feet.

Some electric cars have an extra storage space under the hood, but BMW doesn’t want customers rummaging around there. Adding windshield wiper fluid is done by flipping up the BMW badge.

Size-wise, the 2024 iX is similar to the ever-popular X5. The closer we get to the iX, though, the more the differences stand out. We might as well talk about the grille first, since it’s hard to miss.

Firstly, an electric vehicle doesn’t really need a grille. But it’s a BMW hallmark, so it’s part of the iX package, repurposed as an “Intelligence Panel” containing sensors for the driver assistance and advanced safety features. The rear BMW badge does something similar, housing the rearview camera. The door handles are flush to the body for optimum aerodynamics, and the headlights are relatively small.

In the aerodynamics department, the iX has an extremely low drag coefficient of 0.25. This also helps to keep wind noise low.

With performance in mind, the iX M60 has a roof made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) to shave off a little weight and lower the center of gravity even more. And the brake calipers are painted that special shade of M blue.

Infotainment system
Most people familiar with BMW’s infotainment system know that it’s called iDrive. Now in its eighth iteration, it has evolved to become wonderfully user-friendly and able to incorporate the specific needs of electric vehicles. In the BMW iX, it comes with a curved 14.9-inch touchscreen, over-the-air updates, advanced voice recognition, and dedicated user profiles.

Rapid charging
Being able to add 90 miles of range in 10 minutes (using a DC fast charger) is impressive. Just answer a couple of emails, and it’s time to hit the road again.

Head-up display with augmented reality
Optional in the xDrive50, standard in the M60, this head-up display uses augmented reality to superimpose things like direction arrows, making navigation information clearer.

Adaptive LED headlights with Laserlight
Adaptive headlights follow the direction of the steering. They can also change the shape of the illumination area so as not to dazzle other road users. The laser tech is more powerful than LEDs yet requires even less energy — an important consideration for an electric vehicle. These headlights are standard in the M60.

Bowers & Wilkins surround-sound system
Exclusive to the M60, this 30-speaker/1,615-watt arrangement is an absolute treat for the ears.

Sustainability
BMW’s ambition is to build electric vehicles cleaner and greener than the competition. This includes responsible sourcing of rare elements like cobalt and lithium for the batteries, fitting recycled materials into the cabins, using solar power to make aluminum components, and hydro-electric power for specialized manufacturing plants.

In the regular 2024 iX xDrive50, a total of 516 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque is developed by a pair of electric motors. They’re constructed in such a way that no rare earth metals are required for any magnetic components.

The iX M60 also has two motors. They develop 610 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque — achieving maximum output in Sport mode and with launch control engaged. Most of the time, a still-impressive 532 horsepower and 749 lb-ft of torque are simmering away under the hood.

With one motor driving each axle, the iX xDrive50 and the iX M60 each have all-wheel drive (AWD) as standard. And both vehicles have liquid-cooled lithium-ion batteries mounted under their floors.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates miles-per-gallon-equivalent figures for electric cars (MPGe). The EPA numbers for the fuel economy below are from 2023, though 2024 should be similar. The 2024 range numbers below are estimated by BMW.

iX xDrive50
Dual electric motors
516 total horsepower
564 lb-ft of total torque
Estimated range (BMW): 307 miles

iX M60
Dual electric motors
610 total horsepower
811 lb-ft of total torque
Estimated range (BMW): 296 miles

4-Year/50,000-Mile Warranty

BMW provides a new-vehicle warranty of four years or 50,000 miles, whichever happens first. The iX’s high-voltage battery and other EV components are covered for eight years or 100,000 miles. This isn’t uncommon coverage for the luxury sector.