BMW iX long-term test: report 2
BMW's largest electric SUV might be super luxurious, but it's also expensive to buy. Can low running costs justify the price and make it a great long distance cruiser? We're living with one to fi...
The car BMW iX xDrive60 M Sport Run by Dan Jones, Senior Reviewer
Why it’s here To see if BMW’s largest electric SUV can be used as a long distance cruiser that’s both luxurious and easy to live with.
Needs to be comfortable on a long commute; be efficient enough to keep running costs low and justify the price tag; offer practicality that deals with lots of passengers and long weekend luggage.
Miles covered 9918 List price £93,205 Best price £93,205 Price as tested £107,000 Official range 426 miles Test range 275 miles
15 February 2026 – Screen time
It’s no secret that BMW’s iDrive infotainment system has long been among the best on the market – not least because some of BMW’s models still get a physical rotary controller that makes operating the system on the move far less distracting.
In my BMW iX, the infotainment system is displayed on a huge curved 14.9in touchscreen that has super sharp graphics and lightning-fast reactions to all of your interactions. When you consider that it was the most recent and most advanced version of iDrive until the BMW iX3 arrived on the scene, it’s probably not surprising that it’s so impressive.
While the iX3, and many other BMWs have lost the physical controller, my iX is one of the models that still has it but, surprisingly, I’ve barely used it during my month or so with the car.
The reason is largely because the main app screen is so massive that it’s easier to quickly tap a few things than it is to scroll endlessly to find the one that you want – seriously, my iPhone’s home screen has fewer apps on it. The other reason is the thoughtfully placed shortcut buttons, including a driver assist button on the centre console and a seat adjustment button on the door, that significantly reduce the time needed to make changes.
That’s not to say that I want BMW to remove physical controls, though. Take adjusting the seat – while I can move the back rest and seat base using buttons on the door, lumbar adjustment is hidden within the touchscreen. That means hitting the door shortcut, heading into the seat adjustment section, tapping the small dot that corresponds to lumbar support and then holding down an arrow for up, down, in or out. It’s that rigmarole that makes me glad that my car has a seat memory function, so I can get back to my seating position at the touch of a button when other members of the road test team have driven it.
Even with that in mind, I still maintain that the iX’s iDrive system is one of the best out there and, while I may not use the rotary controller every time I get behind the wheel of the iX, it is really nice to have it for those occasions when I need to dive deeper into the infotainment system.
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