2025 BMW IX - DON'T JUDGE THIS BOOK BY ITS COVER

EV Channels Review

The 2025 BMW iX receives a mid-cycle refresh focusing on significant improvements to its battery, efficiency, and styling, addressing key criticisms of the outgoing model. While the polarizing exterior design remains a point of contention, the reviewer finds the updated styling more appealing, especially in new colors and with revised front and rear elements. The interior continues to impress with its futuristic and high-quality design, though a specific champagne-colored trim is disliked. Practicality remains a mixed bag, with the boot space deemed too small for the car's size, but rear-seat accommodation is praised as class-leading. The most substantial upgrade is to the battery and range; the entry-level xDrive 45 now boasts a larger 94.8 kWh battery, offering a real-world range exceeding 300 miles, a significant improvement over the previous model. Performance is also enhanced, with the xDrive 45 now matching the old xDrive 50's performance. Driving dynamics are refined, offering a comfortable, engaging, and surprisingly maneuverable experience for its size, rivaling or even surpassing competitors like the Audi Q8 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV. Despite a price increase, the reviewer suggests the improvements, particularly in range and efficiency, make the updated iX a compelling, albeit still divisive, proposition in the luxury electric SUV market.