Review: BMW iX xDrive50 Sport – Electrifying Bavarian Bruiser!

A Bold Bavarian Beast Indeed…

Bold is an understatement when it comes to the new BMW iX. Aside from its massive kidney grilles, this EV SUV’s overall design comes off pretty striking to most. This is especially true in this up-specced xDrive50 Sport variant featured, which came primed with a full-swing of styling bits.

Massive front grille aside, the iX is still a very stylish EV SUV

Key highlights include sharp BMW Laserlight LED headlights, Titanium Bronze M Exterior line that pairs well with our tester’s Blue Ridge Mountain Metallic colourway, sporty black-accented aerokit courtesy of the Sport package, and massive 22-inch Aerodynamic wheels. Similar to its gran coupe sibling we sampled prior, the iX also comes with frameless windows - a rarity amongst most SUVs.

Yes, we agree that the massive faux front grille takes time to get used to, but also enough elsewhere that make the iX xDrive50 Sport a pretty decent head-turner. More importantly, there’s an equally well-endowed cabin to match…

Life On The Inside? How’s That?

Despite its bold exterior design, life aboard the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport feels pretty decent, much of which is fuelled by the bevy of luxuries and cutting-edge tech. 

Seasoned BMW owners will instantly familiarise with the expansive BMW Curved Display layout. Comprised of a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a larger 14.9-inch infotainment display, the latter housing settings for the climate control, seat adjustment, and even some of the driving settings. Other tech basics like USB-C ports, wireless charging pad, full-colour head-up display, as well as an 18-speaker Harman Kardon surround sound system, are all present here too.

Safe to say, the iX xDrive50 Sport is abundance with luxury and comfort amenities...

Also laced here are comfort and luxury amenities that include multi-colour ambient lighting, Sensatec faux leather upholstery, wood veneer finish on the central console control pad, powered front seats with massage function, Sky Lounge panoramic glass roof, and more. However, the absence of seat ventilation is quite jarring, especially in this luxury segment.

Other than that, both cabin and cargo space are abundant in this mid-size EV SUV, which only lacks a front trunk (frunk). Thanks to its conventional SUV silhouette, it sees decent headroom for both the front and rear seats, thus welcoming both the tall, lanky or slightly beefy, wider types to settle in.

Truly, it is hard to deny the stellar cabin equipment list the iX xDrive50 Sport boasts, even when contrasted against both partially and fully-electrified contemporaries. More important question then is if this luxurious cabin has an equally stellar ride comfort to match?

How Does It Drive?

Should the looks or plush innards not impress you still, then perhaps the way this flavour of the iX drives might. To no one’s surprise, this behemoth boasts excellent driving performance Bimmers are renowned for, even when missing the fossil-gouging mill beneath its hood.

Substituting the iconic BMW straight-six roar is the special BMW Iconic Sound, where the Bavarian marque teamed up with Oscar-winning composer Hans Zimmer to synthesise an artificial soundtrack for the driveline. Unlike the borderline cringy fake noises we found on other EV models, this sci-fi-esque ‘engine sound’ is a pleasant one, so much so that one won’t be compelled to mute it immediately.

Adding to the sci-fi feel further is the supercar-like acceleration this iX xDrive50 Sport delivers, courtesy of a dual-motor all-wheel drive (AWD) setup with a total system output of 516 HP (385 kW) and 765 NM. This sees this sub three-tonne beast sprint from nought to 100 KM/H in just 4.6 seconds whilst enroute to its limited V-max of 200 KM/H.

Don't let its bulky facade fool you, the iX xDrive50 Sport is a fun thing to drive!

Complementing this speed is the CLAR platform the iX underpins, which not only features a high-strength steel build, but also lightweight carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP), thermoplastic, and aluminium in its total construction. This, plus double wishbone-multi link air suspension setup, and active rear-wheel steering system, all work in tandem to provide the iX with impressive traction ang agility constantly.

Unfortunately, the impressive speed comes at a cost, as the iX xDrive50 Sport is somewhat lacklustre in the ride comfort department. Both front and rear passengers will experience bumpy rides, even at highway cruising speeds, despite the respectable cabin wind and tyre noise suppression. Other than that, the iX’s infotainment menu layout is also pretty cluttered, with drivers needing to go through several layers of menu to access some essential drive settings.

To sum up, the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport is an EV SUV that is built for drivers in mind, thanks largely to its powertrain and mechanical setup. As to whether its stellar driving performance is enough to make up for its lacklustre ride comfort, some might find the latter just a bit concerning...

What About Range & Charging?

Granted, our three-day stint with this Bavarian beast was too brief to gauge real-world charging and driving distance. Nonetheless, the iX xDrive50 Sport does sport decent range and charging figures.

Juicing its peppy dual-motor setup is a massive 111.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack mounted in the chassis floor, and it grants a claimed WLTP range of 630 KM with each full charge. Realistically, at least 500 KM is possible with a ‘normal’ driving style, though that can be extended further should you apply some light-footed driving. Then again, the latter is easier said than done, especially when tempted by this much power, torque, and rapid on-demand acceleration.

On the charging front, the iX’s 400-volt EV architecture allows a pretty decent charging rate. While 11 kW AC charging takes a lengthy 10 hours and 45 minutes for a full charge, the faster195 kW DC charging sees  0% to 80% juiced in just 35 minutes.

Overall, both the iX’s decent battery size and charging capacity are good enough to alleviate range anxieties. Fortunately, this EV SUV also boasts decent overall safety and practicality…

How Safe And Practical?

Typical of most modern EVs, the iX xDrive50 Sport aces both fronts as it is primed with the latest BMW ConnectedDrive Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system, plus a bevy of standard safety tech complementing which.

ADAS features like Active Cruise Control (ACC), Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB) Blind-Spot Monitor (BSM), Lane Keeping Assist (LKA), auto parking assist, Rear Cross-Traffic Alert (RCTA) with Rear Collision Prevention are all present. Meanwhile, passive safety equipment like six airbags, traction (TCS) and stability (ESC) and more, are all primed too.

Thanks to the absence of spare wheels, the iX boasts an extra storage space at the rear boot

As for practicality, the cabin’s two-row of seats instead of three grants a decent 500-litre boot space, thus making the absence of the frunk mentioned less of a worry. And before you ask, yes, the rear seats are 60:40 split-folding to allow up to a whopping 1,750-litre of cargo hauling space. There’s even a secret lower compartment, which unlike in the i4, boasts enough space to store both the AC Type 2 and three-pin charging cables we were provided, along with the emergency tyre repair kit this model is primed with.

Overall, it’s easy to see how the iX easily comes off as a true all-rounder EV SUV that just about anyone can have, should you be able to afford it that is…

What’s The Cost Of This Electrified ‘Boldness’?

Stellar driving performance, decent charging rate and range, luxurious and spacious cabin space, the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport ticks all the boxes with a slight performance edge added, and that’s despite a few of its shortcomings.

Tagged at RM528,430 on-the-road sans insurance, the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport is almost RM100,000 more than than the less peppy iX xDrive40 Sport. Even with BMW Malaysia’s 5-year, unlimited mileage warranty plus free scheduled service coverage and separate 8-year or 160,000 KM EV battery warranty included, there’s no denying the fact that this Bimmer is far from a ‘bargain’.

However, in a seemingly  sparsely populated space, the BMW iX sticks out as the most viable option, with its closest rival being the new Audi Q8 e-tron in its top-specced 55 Quattro form. While we’ve not tested the four-ringed EV SUV, the on-paper figures suggest that the iX is still able to top it, especially on the performance front.

Despite the few but expected shortcomings, the BMW iX xDrive50 Sport still sports enough chops that House Bavaria is renowned for to make it a very convincing proposition. In other words, those seeking a practical and luxury SUV that does not compromise on driving pleasures need not look elsewhere…

SPECIFICATIONS

BMW iX xDRIVE50 SPORT EV SUV