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Pros
Cons
The BMW iX was already one of the more compelling electric vehicles (EVs) in the luxury space, but after five years on the market the German brand has made some changes to make it even better.
The refresh brings some significant changes, including more range, and all while making it more powerful and stylish, too. Combining high-tech features with an excellent powertrain and a futuristic look, the 2026 BMW iX remains a fantastic choice for drivers looking for a practical and easy-to-live-with luxury EV.
Styling 7.5 / 10
Part of the iX’s refresh includes tweaks to its style to help streamline the look and make it appear less busy. The grille seems less controversial than before, and updates to how it’s divided help it look less like buck teeth. The grille can optionally be illuminated for some extra visual punch at night. The overall design won’t be for everyone, and its proportions might be perceived as a bit awkward, especially from the rear, but at least it has a style and shape, and a passerby commented that it looked “sick.”
The interior is also lovely, with soft materials and customizable ambient lighting helping to elevate the look. The quilted leather on the new seats looks beautiful, the dashboard is covered in leather, and there’s a good mix of textures inside to keep it interesting. I despise the use of glossy black plastic in high-touch areas, however, because it cheapens the interior and attracts dust, scratches, and dirt too quickly.
Fuel Economy 10 / 10
Officially rated for 526 km of estimated range on a full charge in ideal conditions with the as-tested 22-inch wheels, the BMW iX xDrive60 offers above-average range and a very comfortable amount for someone who has a long commute, doesn’t have home charging, or is a big road-tripper. Even with such impressive range ratings, on a full charge on a warm summer day, the indicated range was 637 km — more than 100 km beyond the official rating.
It wasn’t overly optimistic, either. After driving 339 km, the 298 km of estimated range remaining meant it was off the initial estimate by just 22 km. It also overperformed its official combined consumption rating of 23.9 kWh/100 km by hitting an impressively low 18.5 kWh/100 km indicated average over the course of 450 km of testing.
In terms of charging, the iX xDrive60 can accept speeds as fast as 195 kW, while the more affordable xDrive45 trim can hit 175 kW. That means either version should get from 10 to 80 per cent in about 35 minutes in ideal conditions.
Power 10 / 10
The BMW iX xDrive60 has dual electric motors, giving it all-wheel drive (AWD) and 564 lb-ft of torque and 536 hp — a 20-hp increase over the previous version. That’s enough to propel the iX from zero to 100 km/h in a claimed 4.6 seconds, making passing other vehicles and getting up to speed effortless. Usable battery capacity is 113 kWh.
Driving Feel 9.5 / 10
When you put your foot down, the iX accelerates with confidence, delivering instant acceleration with smoothness and composure. It pairs heavy acceleration with spaceship noises, a fun gimmick that might wear out its novelty (and your range) if you do it too often, but it adds an element of engagement.
The optional Dynamic Handling package ($3,500) adds two features I consider essential: adaptive air suspension, and rear-axle steering. The air suspension makes the iX’s ride smooth and comfortable, so that even with its enormous upgraded 22-inch wheels, it floats over rough roads and remains composed in any scenario. Even when hustled through winding roads, it feels like a much smaller, lighter vehicle, with very little body roll and a nicely balanced ride.
The iX is so smooth, quiet, and exceedingly quick that high speeds can creep up on you. The four-wheel steering makes it manoeuvre like a much smaller vehicle, too, shrinking its turning radius and making it effortless to park and pilot in tight spaces, all while making it feel more agile in corners and more stable at higher speeds. Forward visibility is also clear and unobstructed.
One-pedal driving is included but it’s not on by default; drivers must engage it by manually putting the gear selector in B mode. Over 450 km of testing, the iX’s computer showed 39.8 kWh was recouped via regenerative braking.
User-Friendliness 8 / 10
Almost every passenger I drove needed an explanation on opening the doors from the inside because of the lack of traditional levers. They’re opened via electronic release buttons high on the door panels that don’t feel intuitive — especially if you don’t have enormous hands. While there are redundant levers for opening the doors in case of an electronic failure, something as simple as opening a door shouldn’t require an explanation.
Besides that odd design detail, the rest of the interior is user-friendly. The infotainment system is controlled via the large touchscreen or the rotary near the gear selector toggle, which is easier to use while driving. The system has useful shortcuts for the most important functions like media, navigation, communication, climate, and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but more physical buttons would improve the usability even more.
Practicality 8 / 10
The iX’s has 500 L of cargo space, which expands to 1,750 L with the rear seats folded flat, and there is a huge under-floor storage compartment that’s perfect for stashing the onboard charger. The seats can be folded via switches in the trunk, but they must be put back in place manually. At this price, it would have been nice to see fully motorized seats, but the middle section can fold independently to make room for long items while leaving two full seats in the back.
The cabin is also quite practical with big door pockets and a large storage compartment under the armrest, but the cup holders are in a spot that’s somewhat awkward to reach. There’s a useful vertical phone holder just ahead of the gear selector, but it would have made more sense if the wireless phone charger had been integrated into this holder, which would have made for more storage space underneath.
Comfort 9 / 10
The iX has plenty of leg- and headroom for rear passengers, even if there are tall people up front. The Premium Enhanced package ($9,200) adds soft-close doors, ventilated and massaging front seats, and heated front armrests, as well as heated rear seats. The optional electrochromatic glass roof can adjust how much light comes through, and it’s nicer than a physical sunshade because it keeps the cabin open and airy, even when you don’t want direct sunlight. Every occupant also gets a USB-C charging port.
Features 9 / 10
The iX has all the EV features included in the navigation system to help with trip planning and finding charging stations. If you input a fast charger as your destination, it will precondition the battery for more efficient charging. All iX trims come standard with a heat pump for more efficient heating and cooling, and have walk-away door locks.
Of course, the iX is available with tons of high-tech features from automated parking assistants to voice-activated virtual assistants, augmented reality navigation, and in-vehicle gaming, many of which you’ll likely never use even if you end up paying extra for them. At this price, I expected the iX to have more standard features, but BMW loves to make people pay extra for them.
Safety 9 / 10
BMW’s safety systems are top-notch, and even the ones that aren’t as high-tech are great. For example, when the trunk is open, there are still visible emergency lights — a feature few people think about, but one that makes the iX safer.
Standard safety features include forward collision warning and avoidance, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, speed limit assistant, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. The optional Highway Assistant builds on the adaptive cruise control to allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on divided highways at speeds as fast as 130 km/h. BMW says this system is capable of changing lanes without any driver intervention besides a glance at either door mirror.
Value 7.5 / 10
The 2026 BMW iX xDrive60 is the mid-range option, starting at $94,900 before the $2,555 destination fee. With a whopping $27,900 in options, many of which are easily skippable aesthetic upgrades, the as-tested price ballooned to $125,355 before taxes. While it’s a very well-rounded family EV, you have to pay a lot for options to make it feel excellent. Without any options, the base price still feels high, especially without any of the gimmicky tech included as standard. But then again, the over-performing powertrain almost makes the price of admission feel worth it.
The Verdict
The 2026 BMW iX gets a lot right, and many of the minor missteps are easily forgiven because of how excellent everything else is. It’s all too easy for a luxury EV to be so high-tech that it becomes cumbersome, but the iX remains incredibly easy to live with every day, and it provides so much convenience, practicality, and comfort that its well-roundedness (and not its tech prowess) is its major selling point.
