About the BMW iX
Marek M purchased this BMW iX new with additional options for $163,896 (including all on-road costs). Marek M would buy this car again because: “The BMW iX focuses on the future side of BMW, I enjoy the electric performance,
technology, and a luxurious driving experience.
The iX offers a competitive range and charging speeds to suit people’s needs, and the xDrive40 I own has been great to live with.
Its design can be subjective but I like the unique design approach from BMW. The quality of the car is very nice and it still drives like a BMW. The iX features good connectivity and driver assistance systems, making it a modern, safe and high-tech choice.”
How reliable has your car been? Tell us about any issues.
After 10 months and 47,000km of driving the iX from new, there have almost been no issues in the ownership apart with the iDrive 8 infotainment system, sometimes the middle screen would reset randomly after driving for long periods or freeze for a few seconds… but rarely occurs.
The driver’s seat has been slightly worn but thats all covered by warranty and the seat base will be replaced.
One minor thing that is apparent with all iX is the sound when you close the door. It doesn’t feel solid and it feels hollow, that could be due to the carbon shell technology that is used in the whole car.
What do you think of the ownership experience with your car?
The experience of owning the iX has been really good, but some may start seeing the driver seat beginning to be shiny leather, or if you have kids or dogs keep in mind all the seats are perforated leather – so trying to keep anything like sand or any crumbs out at all times can be a challenge.
When booking your next service and you want a loan car, with my local dealer I have to book two months before the service which is odd considering it’s an EV, but that applies to all BMW models.
The range varies from 350km to 450km depending on how you drive and how far, I find motorway driving to be the most efficient even tho this car is like a brick on wheels compared to a Mercedes EQE SUV.
How has the purchase and aftercare experience been with your car?
I had ordered the iX in August of 2022, and around December I got a notification that the same spec car was going to arrive much earlier and would arrive in January.
Because the ships were being delayed cause of some issues with car quarantine around the start of 2023, I only got delivery at the end of March. Taking delivery, I got some nice gifts and a comfortable welcome from the dealership.
Are you happy with the price and features of your car?
The features that are already mostly optioned as standard are great, I got a three-month trial for Parking Assistant Professional to see how using the phone would make it easier to park in tighter spaces.
I was hoping to have ventilated seats considering the car comes standard with the upgraded perforated leather seats in Australia.
The driver’s seat has a massage function but not on the passenger seat due to a chip shortage of the lumber support.
Also, I wish the BMW would come with adaptive (laser) lights blanking part of the beam on the oncoming drivers and corner lights. You need to choose the laser lights to have that function, I had this on my trade in car which was the 2018 6 Series Gran Turismo.
I like the surface heating and the electrochromic moon roof with the touch of a button. Another option I wish was standard is air suspension, it’s already very comfortable but when
I drive my e-tron it makes that big difference, especially with the weight the EV is carrying. Included with my car I got the Limited time Power Pack from BMW that included a discount on your trade in, and you gained a complimentary latest-generation BMW Wallbox, on top of this you gain the five-year complimentary ChargeFox charging included – Audi offers 6 years for all e-tron models including new Q8.
The BMW doesn’t come with a front storage (which looks to be a trend with almost every German manufacturer), and no spare wheel in the boot. The e-tron (also Q8e) has a front storage space for the inflation kit and all your cables as well as a space saver spare in the boot with additional storage around the tyre.
What do you think of the performance and economy of your car?
The instant power this car provides is very responsive in almost any mode your in, if you want more power and more range there is the option of the xDrive50 and if that power is still not enough then there is always the incredible M60 variant.
Even though this car looks like a brick I usually average around 20kWh/100km which is better compared to my e-tron. Overall the xDrive40 has more than enough performance for this size of electric SUV.
Charging peaks at 150kW for xDrive40, and 200kW for xDrive50 and M60 variants.
What do you think of the technology in your car?
There are always constant software updates that help add new features to the car, recently this month I got the option of battery pre-heating and the Spotify app.
Alongside this BMW has amazing quality screens running the iDrive 8 software, and newer iX models come with
iDrive 8.5 if your car is built after March 2023.
As I mentioned earlier the screens tend to randomly reset during a long journey once or twice. You get functions such as AR navigation in the screen and HUD, gesture control, wireless CarPlay and Android Auto.
A feature I love is the keyless approach when it unlocks and you’re able to drive off with just your phone in your pocket with your key in your Apple Wallet and share it across the family, you have options to limit what they can do to the key.
I’m hoping that they add the YouTube app on iDrive 8, newer 8.5 models are starting to be enabled with games and entertainment apps.
What do you think of the ride comfort and handling of your car?
When I compare my ride comfort to my e-tron the first thing I say is that it’s missing the optional air suspension, considering your paying already a large amount for a heavy luxury vehicle it’s not as comfortable as the e-tron and I highly recommend that option.
The handling is great as you expect for any BMW to be, and the steering feels comfortable and light when parking and around town when in Personal mode (you can also option rear wheel steering, but it’s not necessary).
Do you have any additional comments about your car?
After owning the e-tron and the iX, and comparing it to the new EQE SUV that I recently test drove.
The BMW iX is a really good all-around car if you’re looking for that unique look, great cabin space and Technology that will last many years.
If you want a less aggressive ‘EV’ look, a comfortable ride and a smart cabin then the Q8 e-tron is great for that, and The EQE SUV adds to the competition in this segment of mid-sized luxury EVs for those wanting to transition from ‘ICE’ alternative vehicles such as X5, GLE, and Q8 for similar money.