Driven: 2026 BMW iX Dials It Up—and Down

A plethora of automakers have rushed to introduce high-end electric SUVs, but they’re now facing an unexpected slowdown in EV adoption, layered on top of which is the fresh chaos of on-again, off-again tariffs. BMW’s iX landed well when it arrived for 2022 as the brand’s entry into the luxury EV SUV fray and has been a Car and Driver Editors’ Choice. The 2026 model year brings some changes—most welcome given the difficult environment—to BMW’s battery-electric mid-size entry.Most significantly, the lineup grows from two models to three. BMW is adding the entry-level xDrive45; with a little bit of nameplate inflation, the two other variants become the xDrive60 and the M70 xDrive. That expansion lowers the price of entry by more than $12,000. The xDrive45 starts at $76,325, rising to $89,675 for the xDrive60, and topping out at $112,675 for the M70. Of course, those prices are before options. The xDrive45 and xDrive60 that we drove both carried roughly $20,000 worth of extras, while our sample iX M70’s bottom line was swollen by $10,000 in options. The iX is still very much a high-dollar proposition.Driving the iXWhereas previously the iX was either a 500-plus- or 600-plus-hp machine, the new base version makes 402 horsepower. Yet it hardly feels anemic. BMW posits a sub-five-second sprint to 60 for the base model, and it’s plenty brisk in suburban traffic or when merging from a short on-ramp. The two upper models both add more horses to the corral this year: The xDrive60 pumps out 536 horsepower (a 20-hp increase over the 2025 xDrive50), and the M70 kicks that up to 650 ponies (40 more than the previous M60). All of the iX’s variants offer two motors driving all four wheels. So far, at least, BMW hasn’t followed Rivian and Tesla into the absurdist realm of three- or four-motor variants.Still, the xDrive60 and the M70 both can muster the kind of eye-widening, hold-on-tight throttle response that characterizes high-zoot EVs. BMW says the xDrive60 will reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and the M70 in 3.6. But that’s sandbagging. How do we know? Because we got even-quicker times from the less powerful outgoing models: 4.0 seconds with the 516-hp xDrive50 and 3.2 with the 610-hp M60. The new versions should be at least as quick.Not every EV that’s capable of vision-blurring acceleration has the chassis to handle it, however. The iX does. Yes, there’s some squat when you mat the right pedal, but the wheel doesn’t squirm in your hands, and there are no seasick body motions. That’s all the more remarkable because the iX is not some stiff-legged boy racer—even the M70, which gets its own specific tuning for the dampers and the anti-roll bars. We’ll note that all three examples we drove were equipped with four-wheel air springs and adaptive dampers; they’re standard on the M70 and a $1600 option (bundled with rear-wheel steering) on the xDrive45 and xDrive60. The hardware is impressive. Our route through New Jersey and New York saw a full spring bloom of bad pavement, yet the iX barely acknowledged it. Despite rolling on 22-inch wheels (xDrive45, xDrive60) and 23s (M70), the chassis transmitted no harshness to the cabin. No matter the drive mode, the iX is a blissful cruiser, smooth and quiet, with a more comfortable ride than any of BMW’s conventional SUVs. Yet it’s also composed and eager through curves.Related StoriesLift-off regen is adaptive by default, although drivers who prefer consistency—count us in that camp—can choose Low (coasting), Medium, or High levels of regen. Oddly, the iX doesn’t offer paddles to adjust regen, instead requiring a multi-layer dive into the central touchscreen. One-pedal driving, however, is more easily accessed by simply shifting into “B.” The one-pedal mode is effective, but for those who don’t use it, brake-pedal action is smooth enough that your passengers won’t question whether you skipped driver’s ed. And in past testing the iX brakes have proved strong, hauling this big BMW to a stop from 70 mph in just 158 feet.For when you’d rather lets the chips do the driving, the iX offers hands-free highway driving, up to 85 mph, as part of the Driving Assistance Professional package ($2550). Like other automakers’ systems, the hands-free operation is available only on specific highways. The system’s capabilities include the ability to suggest a lane change, which it will execute if the driver gives the go-ahead either with the turn signal or by looking into the side-view mirror.Range Is Better but Not the BestFor EVs, performance is as much about range as it is any conventional measures, and preliminary figures for the 2026 model show an improvement over last year. BMW credits the increase to more efficient inverters that use silicon-carbide technology (rather than just-plain silicon), as well as revised wheel bearings and lower-rolling-resistance tires. All three iX models can now clear the 300-mile hurdle: The M70 just makes it with 303 miles, while the xDrive45 delivers 312 miles, and the middle-child xDrive60 promises 364 miles. Of course, this is with the best-case tires. If you go for stickier and larger optional rubber, the ratings do go down.Still, those best-case range numbers are as good as or better than the EPA estimates for rival SUVs from Audi, Cadillac, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and Tesla. However, they can’t match the best-performing variants of the Rivian R1S and Lucid Gravity, which exceed 400 miles. If the earlier iX is anything to go by—and it should be—then the 2026 iX’s real-world range will likely come close to its EPA estimates. In our 75-mph highway range test of an earlier iX, we got 290 miles.At 100–113 kWh, battery size varies slightly by model. BMW claims a max recharge rate of 195 kilowatts for the two upper-trim models and 175 kilowatts for the base version—neither figure is spectacular. Looking toward Stuttgart (as you know BMW does), the iX beats the Mercedes EQE SUV models’ 170-kW max but not the EQS SUV’s 200 kilowatts. For further context, the Rivian R1S recharges at 220 kilowatts and the Volvo EX90 at 250 kilowatts, while the Lucid Gravity gulps electrons at up to 400 kilowatts. For Level 2 refills, all iX trims get an 11-kW AC charger, which again is pretty standard fare.Design DirectionsWe’re mostly charmed by this EV’s avant-garde cabin, which sees only minor changes this year. The biggest is a new M Multifunctional seat, which offers additional adjustments including backrest width. Standard on the M70, it’s part of the M Sport package interior option on the two lower trims. It also includes a three-spoke circular steering wheel, in place of the standard two-spoke hexagonal unit.Faux leather and microfiber are standard, while real leather costs extra on all models. A more intriguing—and less expensive—optional choice, however, is a wool/microfiber combo.
With heated seats and even heated steering wheels now commonplace, the iX moves toward a fully heat-radiating interior with heating elements in the rear seats, door panels, center armrest, dashboard, and glove compartment. The panoramic glass roof (optional on the xDrive45, standard on the others) features electrochromic shading. BMW’s glass switches (shifter, seat adjusters, and rotary controller) remain available.The iX’s digital display merges infotainment and instrumentation into a single curved billboard-style screen that stands proud of the sloped dash. It runs BMW Operating System 8.5, which is not the brand’s very latest, but it still allows for video streaming of YouTube or local channels, as well as gaming via the AirConsole platform. Or maybe you’d rather just look at art. If that’s the case, call up either the Expressive or Digital Art modes, which splash abstract designs across the whole screen’s expanse. The best part about the iX interior, however, may be that when you’re in it, you can’t see the iX exterior. Whereas other BMW EVs (i4, i5, i7) share their platform and body with their gas-engine counterparts, the iX looks nothing like the similarly sized X5. Major bodywork changes were outside the scope of this update, but there are detail-level changes. The front fascia is reshaped, the frames of the outsized grille panels can now be illuminated, and there are angled headlight elements that reflect the grille panels’ angled graphics. (The M Sport appearance package substitutes horizontal grille elements.) The sections of black bodywork are reduced, replaced by more body color. None of that makes the iX the most handsome entry in its competitive set, but this BMW has inner beauty. And we’re not just talking about the splashy cabin design. There’s a real cohesiveness to the way this EV drives, which combined with improved range numbers and (slightly) more accessible pricing should help BMW’s top battery-electric offering as it navigates the stormy seas of the U.S. EV market.SpecificationsSpecifications
2026 BMW iX 
Vehicle Type: front- and rear-motor, all-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door wagon
PRICE

Base: xDrive45, $76,325; xDrive60, $89,675; M70 xDrive, $112,675
POWERTRAIN

Front Motor: current-excited synchronous AC, 255 hp, 269 lb-ft
Rear Motor: current-excited synchronous AC, 268–483 hp, 295–479 lb-ft
Combined Power: 402–650 hp
Combined Torque: 516–811 lb-ft
Battery Pack: liquid-cooled lithium-ion, 100–113 kWh
Onboard Charger: 11.0 kW
Peak DC Fast-Charge Rate: 175–195 kW
Transmissions, F/R: direct-drive
DIMENSIONS

Wheelbase: 118.1 in
Length: 195.5 in
Width: 77.6 in
Height: 67.7 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 60/54 ft3
Cargo Volume, Behind F/R: 78/36 ft3
Curb Weight (C/D est): 5500–5900 lb
PERFORMANCE (C/D EST)

60 mph: 3.1–4.5 sec
100 mph: 7.5–9.7 sec
1/4-Mile: 11.3–13.4 sec
Top Speed: 124–155 mph
EPA FUEL ECONOMY (C/D EST)

Combined/City/Highway: 75–90/74–92/76–87 MPGe
Range: 279–364 miReviewed byJoe LorioDeputy Editor, Reviews and FeaturesJoe Lorio has been obsessed with cars since his Matchbox days, and he got his first subscription to Car and Driver at age 11. Joe started his career at Automobile Magazine under David E. Davis Jr., and his work has also appeared on websites including Amazon Autos, Autoblog, AutoTrader, Hagerty, Hemmings, KBB, and TrueCar.
Source: caranddriver.com