Name: BMW iX (2021 - present) | Expert Rating | The Car Expert
Item: BMW iX
Rating: 76.0

Table of contents – BMW iX

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Summary

First unveiled at the 2018 Paris motor show, the BMW iX is a high-end all-electric SUV and the flagship model in the German manufacturer’s premium ‘i’ line-up.

Unlike the BMW iX3 SUV, the iX is built from the ground up, the first purpose-built electric car that BMW has released since the i3 city car almost ten years ago.

There are two powertrain options available to iX customers, all models being all-wheel drive and automatic. Officially, the cheapest 71kWh xDrive40 model has a battery range of 257 miles, five miles more than the similarly-priced entry-level Audi e-tron.

The range-topping 105kWh xDrive50 variant can travel an estimated 380 miles on a full battery, comfortably surpassing the 333 miles that Tesla promises the Model X can muster. However, as the xDrive50 costs just north of £90,000, this impressive range is certainly reflected in the price.

“While the price of more than £90,000 may seem extreme, the xDrive50 undercuts the Tesla Model X and beats it in some key areas”, Carbuyer explains. “The iX is an impressive showcase for BMW’s electric technology and next-generation interiors.”

Reviewers from UK media outlets have given the BMW iX a very warm reception, singling out the EV’s ride comfort, plush and tech-laden interior, and driving experience for particular praise.

British journalists agree that the iX has some very bold exterior styling – a little too bold if anything. “This is a face that knows people hate it. And tells them to get used to it”, says The Sun.

“Even if the garnish is a little too strong in some places, the not-so-basic basics are spot on”, concludes Car. “The BMW iX is good to drive, good to sit in and good at making you feel like you’ve just slightly stepped into the near future. Which is surely what a modern high-end electric car should be.”

As of December 2024, the BMW iX holds a New Car Expert Rating of A, with a score of 76%. This is boosted by an excellent safety score, zero tailpipe emissions and strong media reviews, but weighed down by high running costs (particularly insurance).

More BMW Expert Ratings, new car reviews, news and features

iX highlights

Very relaxing driving experience
Impressive infotainment
Class-leading battery range
Spacious and luxurious cabin
Full of user-friendly tech

iX lowlights

xDrive50 model is particularly expensive
Polarising front-end styling
Recharging takes up to 17 hours
Its heavy weight is apparent on tough terrain
Smaller but cheaper BMW EVs coming soon

Key specifications

Body style: Large SUV/crossover
Engines: electric motors, battery-powered
Price: From £70,985 on-road

Launched: Winter 2021/22
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA

Image gallery

Media reviews

Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Remarkably capable in almost every area, the BMW iX is expensive to buy, but is a deeply impressive all-electric family SUV.”
Author: Ellis Hyde
Read review

Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“The M60 offers outstanding performance for a car of its size, but it doesn’t completely outshine the lower-priced members of the iX range.” (Alex Ingram)
Read review

Model reviewed: xDrive50
Score: 9 / 10
“The new BMW iX xDrive50 is a seriously impressive electric car. With the bigger 105kWh battery, this bells-and-whistles SUV now has a real-world range to match its exemplary motorway manners. The standard-fit air suspension transforms the way the iX drives, too, making it feel either plush or pointy, depending on your mood. It’s expensive, but it raises the bar in what is becoming an increasingly competitive area of the new-car market.”
Author: Richard Ingram
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Model reviewed: xDrive50
Score: 8 / 10
“Supreme refinement is what characterises the BMW iX. It’s quiet and comfortable, which provides a cornerstone for its other abilities, which include practicality, quality and excellent tech. Of course, this is reflected in the price, and for the money we’d like more range and faster charging. However, these points are unlikely to impact iX owners every day. This is a superb effort at a premium electric SUV.”
Author: Sean Carson
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Auto Trader+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Combining luxury and technology in one boldly styled package, the BMW iX is an electrified premium SUV with a difference.”
Read review

Car+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Above everything else, the BMW iX is incredibly intriguing. It’s such a dramatic step in its design inside and out for BMW (even by its own recent radical standards) and yet still has plenty of the brand’s DNA sewn into it. Even if the garnish is a little too strong in some places, the not-so-basic basics are spot on – the iX is good to drive, good to sit in and good at making you feel like you’ve just slightly stepped into the near future.”
Read review

Car Keys+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“Not only is it impressively comfortable, but it’s well made both inside and out and surprisingly fun on a windy road, too. The top-spec model brings a huge amount of range, while even the lower-powered model will slot into everyday life for those making the change to an EV.”
Read review

Carbuyer+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.2 / 10
“The BMW iX SUV boasts an impressive range and cutting-edge interior but is expensive.”
Read review

Carwow+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“BMW’s new iX electric SUV promises impressive range and performance, as well as a spacious interior. The styling might not be to everybody’s tastes, however.”
Read review

Discover EV+

Model reviewed: xDrive40 M Sport
Score: 9 / 10
“The BMW iX is our pick of the bunch when it comes to a high-end, luxury electric SUV. So if you’ve got deep-enough pockets and want to shout about your move to zero emissions this is the EV to go for – that’s, of course, if you can live with the controversial styling!”
Read review

Driving Electric+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 9 / 10
“BMW’s flagship electric SUV boasts love-it-or-hate-it styling, but to drive, it’s a thoroughly impressive all-rounder that gives the Tesla Model X a run for its money.”
Read review

Electrifying.com+

Model reviewed:
Score: 9 / 10
“What ever you think of the looks, there’s no doubt that the BMW iX is an impressive engineering achievement and brilliant electric car.”
Read review

Green Car Guide+

Model reviewed: xDrive50 M Sport
Score: 9 / 10
“The BMW iX is big, boxy and heavy. However, if you need to drive long distances with lots of stuff, then there are few cars that can do this as comfortably or as effortlessly as the iX. And if you need to get past something quickly, performance is huge.” (Paul Clarke)
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Honest John+

Model reviewed: Range overview
“The BMW iX is a flagship electric SUV with an impressive 375-mile battery range, set to rival the Tesla Model X, Audi e-tron and Mercedes EQC.”
Read review

Parkers+

Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8.8 / 10
“If you want a stand-out, high-price, high-quality electric car, close to the cutting edge of the current state of battery electric vehicle technology then the BMW iX could well be for you. The look of the thing is sure to raise more than a few eyebrows, but as a statement-maker that may be exactly what you’re looking for anyway.”
Author: Tom Wiltshire
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The Sun+

Model reviewed: xDrive 50
“If you were expecting some sort of cuddly-wuddly tree-huggers’ special, just look at the photos. This is a face that knows people hate it. And tells them to get used to it.”
Read review

The Sunday Times+

Model reviewed: xDrive50
Score: 8 / 10
“Many will write off the iX because of its controversial appearance, which is a shame as underneath the divisive body is an incredible statement of intent by BMW, one that previews a range of future electric cars that are beautifully made, packed with technology, incredibly civilised and yet, somehow, still good to drive.”
Read review

The Telegraph+

Model reviewed: xDrive40 M Sport
Score: 6 / 10
“If you want a big, fancy car that can fit the family with space to spare, runs on electricity and feels like a boutique hotel inside, the BMW iX delivers. But there are alternatives that are quieter, smoother, more spacious, and still others that are sweeter to drive. And most of them don’t look quite this… well, let’s give it the benefit of the doubt and call it ‘challenging’.”
Read review

Model reviewed: xDrive50
Score: 8 / 10
“The BMW iX displays such assured body control, a decent enough ride and a very powerful and reasonably efficient battery-electric drivetrain.”
Read review

Model reviewed: xDrive50
Score: 8 / 10
“Uncannily quiet and refined, super-fast and with a great ride, the iX debuts a lot of future technologies coming out of BMW. Did they all have to be crammed into a huge and expensive SUV, though? Discuss…”
Read review

Top Gear+

Model reviewed: iX xDrive40
Score: 7 / 10
“Well, the iX 50 lists at £91,905 and the 40 at £69,850 without options, so that’s a truly hefty saving. And although the iX 50 gets 200kW charging ability, you’ll have to find a charger big enough to feed it, and they aren’t as common as you think.”
Read review

Safety rating

Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: December 2021
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 87%
Vulnerable road users: 73%
Safety assist: 81%

Eco rating

Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

As of December 2024, the BMW iX has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.

The Green NCAP programme measures exhaust pollution (which is zero for an electric car) and energy efficiency. Electric cars are much more energy-efficient than combustion cars, so the iX is likely to score very highly in Green NCAP testing whenever it ever takes place. Check back again soon.

Running cost rating

Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data

Battery range	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	303 miles	A	249 – 383 miles	A – B

Electrical efficiency	Average	Score	Variation	Score
EV models	3.4 m/KWh	E	3 – 3.4 m/KWh	E – E

Insurance group	Average	Score	Variation	Score
All models	48	D	47 – 50	D – F

Service and maintenance	Cost	Score
Year 1	£446	D
Year 2	£824	C
Year 3	£1,221	C
Year 4	£1,534	C
Year 5	£1,934	C
Overall	£5,959	C

As well as being an expensive vehicle to buy, the BMW iX is quite an expensive EV to run. In particular, its electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for a petrol or diesel car) is relatively poor, so it uses more electricity than most EVs.

It’s also an expensive car to insure and to service. While it might cost less to run than a large fossil-fuel SUV, it will still require a fair amount of money to run.

The good news is that, despite the poor electrical efficiency, the iX still has a large enough battery to delivery a decent driving range. The model average is 318 miles, ranging from 249 miles to an impressive 381 miles depending on which model you choose.

Recalls

Official DVSA safety recalls that have been issued for the BMW iX

Aug 2023

May 2023

Oct 2022

May 2022

Oct 2021

Date: August 2023
Recall number: R/2023/235
Model types: All
Build dates: 06/2022 to 09/2022
Number of vehicles affected: 27
Defect: On affected vehicles, due to a supplier component production process error, a damaged Combined Charging Unit may have been installed.
Remedy: Replace the Combined Charging Unit.

Date: May 2023
Recall number: R/2023/133
Model types: All
Build dates: 11/2021 to 01/2023
Number of vehicles affected: 28
Defect: A cable bridge connection connecting two circuit boards within the cell supervision circuit (CSC) might not have been installed properly.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the cell supervision circuit (CSC) inside the high-voltage battery will be replaced.

Date: October 2022
Recall number: R/2022/330
Model types: All
Build dates: 07/2021 to 08/2022
Number of vehicles affected: 211
Defect: During assembly of the high-voltage battery cell, the cathode plate may have been damaged and a broken piece may have entered the interior of the cell. BMW strongly recommends refraining from charging the high-voltage battery and to not use the vehicles until the repair is performed. BMW also recommends parking the vehicle outdoors and not in the immediate vicinity of buildings.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the defective cell modules of the high-voltage battery will be replaced.

Date: October 2022
Recall number: R/2022/282
Model types: All
Build dates: 02/2021 to 06/2022
Number of vehicles affected: 4,313
Defect: In the event of a restraint system fault, the airbag warning light or warning message is not displayed to the driver due to a software error.
Remedy: On the affected vehicles the airbag control unit (ACSM6) will be reprogrammed with new software.

Date: May 2022
Recall number: R/2022/282
Model types: All
Build dates: 02/2021 to 05/2022
Number of vehicles affected: 3,023
Defect: If a failure is detected by the control unit, the airbag warning light and check control message would not be illuminated and activated.
Remedy: The airbag control unit (ACSM6) will be reprogrammed with new software.

Date: October 2021
Recall number: R/2021/362
Model types: All
Build dates: 02/2021 to 09/2021
Number of vehicles affected: 7
Defect: The A-pillar cover holder may not have been correctly fastened.
Remedy: The screw connection of the A-pillar cover holder will be checked and reworked.

As of December 2024, there have been six DVSA vehicle safety recalls on the BMW iX. These cover battery, airbag and interior trim issues.

Not all vehicles are affected by recalls. You can check to see if your car is included in any of the above recalls by visiting the DVLA website or contacting your local BMW dealer.

If your car is affected by a recall, the vehicle must be repaired and you should not be charged for any work required. If you are buying a used iX, you should insist that any outstanding recall work is completed before you take delivery of the vehicle.