Review: BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport – Fun-Driving EVs Done Right!

Oh, Another Bavarian-Badged EV!

Codenamed U10, the second-gen BMW X2 brings a host of significant changes to the nameplate. Not only does the U10-gen X2 feature an all-electric variant for the first time, known as the iX2, it also features a sportier coupe SUV body style over its predecessor’s ‘lifted hatchback’ style.

As a result, the new iX2 is arguably one of the more stylish compact EV SUVs in our market, which is bolstered by the M Sport package the car comes standard with.

Draped in its signature Fire Red hue, the iX2 xDrive30 M Sport is definitely a looker, thanks to its sleek coupe SUV body style and the standard M Sport package it comes with.

Present up front is BMW’s signature kidney grille design, which is enclosed due to the car’s all-electric nature, while being surrounded by the BMW Iconic Glow LED light surround. While the iX2 borrows its headlights from its less-sporty twin, this coupe SUV gets a sleeker LED taillight design that pairs well with its rakish roof design.

Also present at the back are the tailgate-mounted ducktail spoiler and a massive faux rear diffuser, both of which are finished in gloss black alongside the side mirror caps courtesy of the M High-Gloss Shadowline package the car comes standard with.

The only notable M badges we can find at the iX2's exterior are located on its M Light alloy wheels and the front fenders.

From the side, you can immediately notice the iX2’s sporty roofline, which BMW claims has garnered the EV SUV with a low drag coefficient of 0.25. Elsewhere, the iX2 also rolls on 20-inch Style-873 M Bi-Colour alloy wheels and two M badges on both sides of its front fenders, both courtesy of the M Sport package.

Sure, you can argue all day about the fake front grille, but it is hard to deny that BMW has done a great job in dressing the iX2 xDrive30 M Sport in such a stylish manner. Surely, even non-coupe SUV fans like yours truly have gravitated toward this handsome Bavarian.

How’s Life Inside This Stylish Coupe SUV?

We’re happy to report that the iX2 xDrive30 M Sport comes with a well-equipped cabin space to match its sporty exterior.

Both the iX2's infotainment and metre cluster displays are powered by the BMW OS9, with the infotainment half supporting wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.

Typical of any BMW, the iX2 comes with the BMW iDrive dual-display setup that comprises a 10.7-inch touchscreen and a smaller 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, both of which are powered by the latest BMW OS 9.

Despite its screen-laden interior, the iX2 still gets some physical buttons for the driving-related functions.

Although the infotainment display harbours almost all the vehicle settings, including the climate control, the iX2’s cabin still comes with several physical buttons and controls located on its floating central console and its M Sport steering wheel. Also decent here is how the dual display and essential controls are arranged around the driver, allowing them to access these functions with relative ease.

Rounding off the cabin tech amenities are the wireless charger, multiple USB-C charging ports, a multi-colour ambient lighting system, and a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

For the xDrive30 M Sport trim, the iX2 is offered with tons of Veganza vegan leather upholstery options, with our tester draped in the all-black perforated ones, which feel very plush compared to other synthetic leather upholstery. While the two front seats are nicely bolstered and plushly wrapped, they’re not offered with ventilated functions, which is a bit of a bummer for a vehicle in this segment.

Predictably, space is a bit of a premium at the rear seats of the iX2, as its sporty roofline warrants a pretty limited headroom for the rear passengers, especially tall and lanky ones. But then again, we’re happy to report legroom is quite ample, and you still get dedicated A/C vents and USB-C ports here.

Surprisingly, boot space isn’t an issue for this sporty EV crossover, as its 525-litre cargo bay is larger than both its direct adversaries, albeit at the expense of not having a front trunk (frunk) due to its dual-motor setup.

The iX2 is predictably not a champ in practicality, but given its surprisingly sizable boot space and the elaborate cabin setup, we’re certain that life quality inside this sporty

How Does It Drive?

Beyond its handsome looks, the iX2 xDrive30 is a stellar driving machine, and that’s despite its rather subpar powertrain numbers.

For starters, this coupe EV SUV is powered by a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup rated at 308 HP and 494 NM, allowing a respectable 0-100 KM/H time of 5.6 seconds. Granted that some of its rivals harbour crazier performance numbers, we find the iX2’s power outputs to be more than ample to make it a fun EV to drive.

While the car is already fun to drive by itself, the addition of the Sport Boost paddle shifter (right) further elevates its driving experience into a whole new level.

This is because the iX2 makes do with its seemingly lacklustre powertrain with stellar driving dynamics, befitting the Bavarian badge it carries. Unlike other tall-riding EVs, the iX2 feels very planted in corners and cruises steadily at higher speeds. Adding an extra fun factor to this sporty EV is the Sport Boost paddle shifter, which is essentially a NOS button for EVs that grants you an extra power boost for ten seconds.

Drivers also get three selectable driving modes (Personal, Efficiency, and Sport), with each of them not only featuring different power delivery levels but also different steering feel and suspension feel—the latter courtesy of the Adaptive M suspension system.

Unfortunately, even with the adaptive suspension setup, we still find the iX2’s ride to be a bit bumpy, with the car’s sub-two-tonne heft also largely contributing to this issue. But then again, we’d reckon this is just a small price to pay for the stellar driving performance you get, and at least it is not as jarring as the pre-updated iX xDrive50 Sport we tested prior.

On the topic of comfort, noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) level is predictably good in this all-electric crossover—the fact bolstered by the Continental EcoContact 6Q tyres the iX2 rolls on, which not only deliver a quiet drive but also decent grip performance too.

All in all, the BMW iX2 xDrive30 proves that beyond its predictably powerful straight-line performances, EVs can be fun and engaging driving machines, which uncoincidentally bodes well with the BMW’s ‘Freude am Fahren’ (German for “Sheer Driving Pleasure”) brand motto.

Cool! What About its Battery Life?

Despite its relatively small battery pack, the iX2 xDrive30 M Sport also comes with a timidly subpar battery performance compared to its adversaries. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that it is so bad that you can’t even ‘live’ with one.

For starters, the iX2 is juiced by a 64.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, which is the smallest in capacity compared to other EVs in this segment. And as a result, BMW claims the iX2 to boast a maximum WLTP range of 449 KM.

Besides the smaller battery pack, the iX2 also gets the slowest DC fast charging speeds at 130 kW, which can theoretically charge the car from 10-80% in less than 30 minutes. But then again, given that the bulk of the DC chargers in Malaysia only go up to 100 kW, we’d reckon that this won’t be an absolute deal breaker.

Throughout our one-week stint with this coupe SUV, we find that the iX2’s claimed range figures to be somewhat precise. Even with our spirited driving styles with this sporty EV, we still manage to get at least 350 KM from a single charge, which we’d reckon is enough for your daily urban commute.

But with more light-footed driving, especially in the Efficiency drive mode, we are certain you can get close to the claimed WLTP figure.

Any Safety Features to Highlight?

As per any newer BMW model, the iX2 xDrive30 M Sport is brimmed with both passive and active safety features.

Tons of ADAS functions can be engaged and disengaged via the iX2's infotainment screen.

Starting with the latter, the iX2 comes standard with the BMW Driving Assistant Plus package that features key ADAS functions such as Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Stop & Go function, Steering & Lane Control Assist, Lane Departure Warning (LDW), Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), and many more.

From our driving experience, we find that these ADAS functions work pretty decently at all times, although some of them are quite difficult to access as they are buried deep in the car’s infotainment menu. Regardless, drivers can adjust the sensitivity or outright disable all these ADAS functions.

What’s also good is that some of these ADAS functions are displayed on both the instrument cluster and the HUD, which allows drivers to focus on the road and not get distracted when driving.

Also coming standard to the iX2 is the BMW Parking Assistant Plus, which adds features like Reverse Assistant, Parking Aid, a 360-degree camera view, and a built-in Digital Video Recorder (or dashcam) with Remote Theft Recorder. Granted, this EV SUV does not come with a spare wheel, but at least the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is there to warn you of any small leaks or punctures occurring on the tyres.

So, What’s The Cost for All of This?

Handsomely styled, decently equipped, and stellar driving performance, the BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport ticks all the correct boxes to make it a very promising sporty EV SUV. 

Fully-imported (CBU) from BMW’s Regensburg plant in Germany, this coupe EV SUV is also priced competitively at RM282,800 on-the-road, thus snucking it perfectly between its Swedish- and Sino-badged rivals. Opting for the BMW Service & Repair Inclusive package, which extends the standard 2-year unlimited mileage warranty to five years with free service, will increase the OTR price by RM14,200 to RM297,000.

Yes, its two aforementioned rivals boast better power outputs and straight-line performance, but the iX2 really closes the gap with its stellar driving dynamics. But then again, 300+ HP in such a small SUV proves to be more than enough, especially when paired with the Bavarian-tuned chassis and handling.

The BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport proves that sporty EVs can be more than just a straight-line rocket.

The iX2 also shed light on the not-so-bright side of ‘performance’ EVs nowadays, as automakers often brag and tell about their EVs’ acceleration performance and overblown spec numbers rather than focusing on delivering decent driving dynamics that can arguably provide a more engaging driving experience. Then again, some of the world’s greatest-driving sportscars aren’t the most powerful ones; take the Mazda MX-5 and Lotus Elise, for example.

With that being said, the BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport is living proof that beyond the gimmicky rapid acceleration, sporty EVs can and should be a fun driving machine. And this also goes to show that whether it is ICE-powered or all-electric, House Bavaria always delivers when it comes to making a driving machine that provides sheer driving pleasure.

SPECIFICATIONS

2024 BMW iX2 xDrive30 M Sport

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