BMW iX, Track Test

To say that the iX was one of the most radical-looking cars at this year’s annual test would be quite an understatement. The slab-sided proportions, the unique detailing, particularly the lights and the wheels, and the front grille and bumper treatment make the iX look like nothing else on the road. To put it simply, the iX manages to draw your attention, irrespective of its colour. Of course, this unique design does have its side effects – as many people found the design, especially that of the front end, quite polarizing. For me, though, save the grille, the iX looks quite interesting and unique enough – it’s not a normal ICE-powered machine, after all!

It’s the interior of the car, however, that I absolutely love the most. BMW designers have done a fabulous job of making the iX look not only luxurious but also spacious and plush – that’s, perhaps, a benefit of using a clean sheet approach to designing a car – which means that it almost feels like you’re sitting in the drawing room of a rather fancy house. The spacious interior, beautiful quilted leather, big seats, and crystal instruments give the iX a sense of luxury and space. And as you can see, the iX scored highly on comfort, refinement, and practicality.

Of course, any BMW worth its salt should be fun to drive, and despite being one of their early EV efforts, the iX shines on most fronts. With its 76.6kWh battery, the iX in this xDrive40 trim produces 322bhp, but it’s the 630Nm of torque available from zero rpm that really makes the iX move. However, the iX does lose out a bit in terms of ride and handling, as its large size and heavy weight mean that there’s a decent amount of body roll – you can really feel its heft while driving it.

Despite all this, though, with a pretty quick lap time and excellent X-Factor appeal, the iX scored very highly in our test – in fact, the difference between the iX and the winner above it was just 0.1 points! And I must say that despite its quirks, the iX is quite an attractive package and has a charm of its own.

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