Still the ultimate EV? I lived with a £134k, 650bhp BMW iX
And my phone goes in its natural place. But then, when I want to get the keys, it’s practically impossible without having to move the bottle, because the control panel juts out (well placed for its purpose, to be fair). It’s a small thing but it has become a daily annoyance.
The lack of fitted rear sunshades seems an oversight for this level of car and is something I’ve noticed with my little boy present. However, one piece of simple, analogue and neat design in the back is the rotating suit hook.
My biggest problem caused by living with the iX is one that won’t concern most owners: a lack of a driveway with an EV charger. I’ve been driving to my closest fast charger at a Shell garage, which isn’t awfully fast. It has faulted as many times as it has worked; typically it seems to stop charging randomly, which if you leave the car charging – as I have on occasion – is highly problematic. (I should add that our iX hasn’t experienced similar charging issues elsewhere.)
This stuff just needs to work without fail to get everyone on board with EVs. And even if the vast majority of owners have home chargers, this could still happen on a long journey.
In part, I’ll be glad to return the iX to Attwood, because I feel conspicuous having a £135k matt black car on my humble suburban street. But on the other hand, this ticks so many boxes; it feels like the ultimate driving companion (touché), marrying enjoyable driving, performance and handling with great ride quality, practicality, space, interior luxury and more. Enjoy it while you can, Attwood.
By Rachel Burgess
Mileage: 3020
Final report: Divisive styling outweighed by grace, pace and comfort
Particularly with electric vehicles, automotive technology is advancing at a rapid pace. What was cutting-edge five years ago can easily seem very pedestrian.
So even with the benefit of a chunky mid-life update, you might think that the BMW iX, launched back in 2021, would be showing its age. It has new direct rivals such as the Porsche Cayenne Electric, Polestar 3, Lotus Eletre, Volvo EX90 and more, while BMW itself has launched its true next generation of EVs with the Neue Klasse iX3.
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