BMW X6 review

Finding a truly unique car is rare, but the BMW X6 used to be just that. When the original version was launched, we'd never seen a vehicle that combined a chunky SUV body with the kind of sleek, sloping roofline you’d usually see on a sporty coupé. Thus was born the coupé SUV.

It was a concept that divided opinion and, while the X6 is now in its third generation, it continues to do so today. To some people it's a car that simply makes no sense, because it’s both more expensive and less practical than the X5 it’s based on. To others, its blend of function and form makes it one of the most desirable cars on the planet.

What’s clear, though, is that there are enough people in the latter camp for the X6 to have become a trend-setter, with a host of manufacturers now selling rivals. The Audi Q8 and Mercedes GLE Coupé, for example, both owe their existence to it, as do the Porsche Cayenne Coupé and Range Rover Velar.

Mechanically, there’s little to distinguish the X6 from its more sober-looking BMW X5 stablemate, with the latter offering the same petrol and diesel engines and a similar choice of trim levels. The xDrive40i petrol and xDrive30d and xDrive40d diesel engines can be chosen with Sport or M Sport specification while the more powerful M50i and M Competition models have their own eponymous trims.

All are well-equipped and a long options list gives you scope to further tailor your car. You can even add LED strips that outline BMW’s signature split front grille, lighting it up like a beacon.

Just how good is the latest X6, though, and how does it compare with all those rivals, in particular the Audi Q8, Porsche Cayenne Coupé and Range Rover Velar? Well, that's what we'll be examining over the next few pages of this review.

If at the end you decide you do want to buy an X6, or indeed another car of any make and model, make sure you check out the deals available through the free What Car? New Car Buying service to see how much we could help you to save.