BMW X6 review

Finding a car that is truly 'unique' is rare, but for quite some time, the BMW X6 was just that. When it was launched in 2008, we had never before seen a car that combined chunky SUV proportions with the kind of sleek, sloping roofline you’d usually expect on a sporty coupé. And thus, born was the coupé-SUV.

While cynical petrolheads proved hard to win over with what was essentially a restyled X5 that’s less practical, more divisively designed and more expensive, BMW certainly had no problem selling the first generation of X6. Two generations later, this latest model is charged with continuing the same success story.

That’s no easy feat, because, while its Bavarian maker was initially unchallenged in the coupé-SUV market, it wasn’t long before rival brands responded and the competitive bar is now set very high. The Range Rover Velar, Audi Q8, Mercedes GLE Coupé and Porsche Cayenne Coupé all count among rivals to the X6.  

Mechanically, there’s little to split the X6 from its more sober-looking BMW X5 stablemate, the latter offering the same petrol and diesel engines as well as a similar choice of trim levels. The xDrive40i petrol and xDrive30d diesel engines can be chosen with Sport or M Sport specification, while the more powerful M50i and M50d have their own eponymous trims.

All are well equipped, yet a long options list provides scope to further tailor your X6. And, if you’re not convinced that its swooping lines are individual enough, you can add LED strips that outline BMW’s signature kidney grille, lighting it up like a beacon. 

Has the X6 evolved far enough to regain dominance of the coupé-SUV class? Read on for our detailed review. And, whatever shape of SUV takes your fancy, visit our New Car Buying pages for a hassle-free purchase experience.