Base price in Canada for the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 is $89,990 in Canada and $83,200 in the US.
Three versions will be offered in 2023: the xDrive40, xDrive50, and the M60.
This electric SUV is incredible.

That’s because they play the conservative card with the i4. In the future, I will catch myself speaking about the “good ol’ days” and the way things were but I will also fondly look back at the advent of the EV. And in these ramblings, I will absolutely bring up BMW and the iX.

2022 BMW iX xDrive50 | Photo: Olivier Delorme

I’ve touched on this before but, and I’m oversimplifying, I believe there are two schools of thought when it comes to designing EV: Have conventional styling evolve or remove nearly all the stops and go wild. The German automakers, specifically BMW and Mercedes-Benz, have decided not to limit themselves and reach out to as many potential customers as possible.

Modern 21^st century electric SUV

The all-new 2022 BMW iX is definitely a statement, and it will be purchased by those looking to make one. I was somewhat taken aback when I picked up the press unit. Painted Aventurine Red III metallic combined with the optional titanium trim, it left me outwardly speechless. Internally however, I was shocked and had choice words to describe the SUV’s styling. But I’ve since backed off my initial impressions, which is what BMW is counting on when it comes to its still hyper-controversial oversized kidney grille.

At the time, I was of the opinion that no one with actual money would be ostentatious enough to buy an iX but it became clear to me, as I returned the electric SUV, that its sometimes-shocking features make it attractive. With the possible exception of the rear section, when the hatch is open, when I reminded of the malaised AMC Pacer, the BMW is so bold that it works. You can make up your own mind by perusing our photo gallery – pay close attention to the front facias, the headlights, and highlighted bumper side air intakes.

Unique and ultra-posh interior

Interestingly, the BMW iX’s interior has even more happening, but in a clean absolutely German way. The dashboard itself looks recessed into its surroundings. This impression is due to the enormous windshield, thin “A” pillars, and the two-tone leather that covers it. In fact, even with the driver’s seat in its lowest position, the sense of driving a bus is unmistakable – this is not an insult.

About the German way, the HMI interface occurs via the large 14.9-inch touchscreen display, which is seamlessly matched up to a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. There are controls on the center console however, because of the optional glass controls and walnut finish, the markings (for the functions) can be very difficult to read. The sense of space is enormous onboard, and it starts up front. The airiness is impressive thanks to the floating console and noted recessed dashboard. In the rear, the console extends and also hovers in part above the flat floor. Legroom in the second row is massive as are headroom in both rows. The iX’s priority is passenger comfort as demonstrated by the small-ish trunk despite the vehicle’s size. Rated at about 500 litres, it’s smaller than most compact SUV’s luggage space.

Throughout, the BMW’s craftsmanship, fit, and finish are exquisite. The tested unit featured the optional Interior Design Suite in gorgeous Castenea for an absolutely premium feel. Speaking of premium, of the many options included with the tested iX xDrive50 were the Premium Enhanced Group (soft close doors, etc.) and a Bowers and Wilkins Diamond Surround Sound System. For a grand total of just shy of $118,000, this SUV was grand in every way.

Especially from behind the wheel

As crazy as it seems, the xDrive50 is the iX’s mid-trim. Crazy, because its dual-motor configuration produces a total of 516 horsepower and 564 lb.-ft. of torque. Unlike i4 for which we have yet to learn about an M version, we already know about the M60 and its 610 horsepower and 811 lb.-ft. of torque. Believe me, the 50 offers far more performance than the average driver can handle.

The SUV can pounce to 100 km/h from a standstill in only 4.6 seconds meaning that streetlight battles will very rarely be lost. In fact, the iX won’t lose any specification battle. Yes, it’s stupendously fast with enough power to crush one’s brain against the backside of the cranium, but that’s but one element. The others are battery size and provided range. Fully charged, the included 111.5 kWh battery will provide an estimated 521 km of range.

During my week with the iX, I charged it twice over the weekend as, by Friday, 230 kilometers in, I still had an indicated 55% state of charge and an indicated 297 km of range left. Mind you, I often dove deep into the throttle, so the figures truly impressed me. The SUV is capable of 195 kW charging speeds meaning going from 10-80% on a 150-kW charger will take about 9 minutes, and on a 50-kW charger, about 21 minutes. I did plug into the latter and was pleased by a steady chugging of between 45-49 kW up to about 70%.

As with most BMWs, there are many different drive modes but all week, I stuck with “comfort” almost exclusively. There are also a few regenerative braking modes, the main one being the “B”, for maximum regen braking, across the “D” which is accessed with the shifter.

Finally, on the road, the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 is perfect mix of comfort and impressive handling. Despite the optional huge 22-inch wheels, the 5,700-lb SUV rides with equal parts suppleness and sure-footedness. The iX’s best trick is the included integral active steering for extra responsiveness.

EVs are getting better and better

And BMW has jumped out to the front of the line, and for many reasons. Their design leaves no one out and when it comes to performance, in all its metrics, even Tesla’s not that far ahead, if at all.

Granted, priced from $90,000, the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 isn’t cheap. However, it is far FAR cheaper than the Tesla Model X (with only a theoretical 13 km range shortcoming) and is priced between the smaller Model y Long Range and Performance. Of course, you’ll have to wait a long time for an iX but I’m convinced the wait will be worth it.