BMW X6 review
Costs & verdict
In this review
Costs & verdict
Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is
The X6 is quite a bit cheaper than the equivalent Audi Q8 and offers a broader range of engine options. It also overlaps the lower end of the Porsche Cayenne Coupé range, the latter extending to offer rather much more expensive performance-focused models at its top end.
For those with one eye on running costs, it'll come as no great surprise that fuel economy is best in the xDrive30d diesel and worst in the M50i petrol. The official fuel economy figures aren’t anything special next to those of its rivals, though, with an equivalent Audi Q8 likely to cost less to fuel than the entry-level X6 diesel. However, CO2 emissions are slightly higher in the Q8, making the X6 xDrive30d more tempting for company car buyers.
While the xDrive40i and xDrive30d engines can be chosen with Sport or M Sport trim levels, the M50i and M50d effectively form a higher trim level of their own. Even entry-level Sport models are stacked with kit, though, including 19in alloy wheels, heated front seats and much, much more.
Sport ought to satisfy most requirements, but the more expensive M Sport models are still expected to account for the majority of sales, even though they only really add 21in alloys and sporty cosmetic details inside and out. There's a long list of optional comfort, convenience and technology packs, too, but – as is the case with the X6's rivals – these can add a big chunk to the bottom line.
BMW finished a fairly disappointing 21st out of 31 manufacturers in the latest What Car? Reliability Survey, although this placed the brand above Porsche and only one place behind Audi. Every X6 comes with a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty.
The X6 is so closely related to the X5 that it won’t be crash tested separately by safety experts at Euro NCAP. The X5 itself received a very impressive five-star safety rating, with very solid scores in every category. Front collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB) are fitted as standard.
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