BMW iX long-term test

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...

Updated29 May 2026

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.

Mileage 13,765 List price £93,205 Best price £93,205 Price as tested £107,000 Test range 320 miles Official range 426 miles Private price now £61,630 Dealer price now £56,288 Running costs (excl. depreciation) £924.58 (charging)

29 May 2026 – Keep on Truckin’

On average, lorry drivers in the UK can cover up to 450 miles a day. That’s quite a lot. Even so, over the months that I’ve had with my BMW iX, there have been multiple days a week where I’ve been within 100 miles of that figure.

While the iX might be heavy, it isn’t a big diesel wagon like the BMW X7 I ran previously, so I actually find it quite impressive how well it has been eating up the miles without any need to charge. Even in the winter, with the air conditioning set to warm and the heated seats on, it managed the return trip to Manchester and back – some 248 miles – with 15% of its battery remaining.

The iX isn’t hugely efficient, though, regularly averaging only 2.8mi/kWh. It seems that, rather than make it efficient, BMW has instead decided just to throw a massive 109.7kWh (usable capacity) battery at the problem. We can argue the battery size vs efficiency matter another time, but it certainly gets the desired result.

Of course, a massive battery means a higher cost charging the thing up. I’ve kept a detailed log of the charging costs throughout my time with the car and am surprised that it has only cost £924.58 for more than 8000 miles driven and more than 3400kWh of charge.

The only reason the cost isn’t higher is because I have been charging at home, largely overnight on a cheap tariff. In fact, it has cost £155.34 to charge 66 times overnight at home and £504.82 for just 13 stops at public chargers. The other £266.42 comes from home charging during the day when prices are higher.

Anyway, enough of the numbers. When it comes to actually covering the many, many miles I've done, the iX has been a very enjoyable thing. For starters, it has that lovely interior. My particular car has the upgraded M Sport interior, adding lots of suede and a generally darker aesthetic, which is particularly nice.

That said, I still don’t think you can beat the Loft interior that can be added as an option to the entry-level Sport trim. That 'interior world' as BMW calls it, adds loads of blue suede and copper elements around the interior, making it feel really special.

It's a shame that you can't add it to any trim other than Sport these days, because I'd definitely add it if you could and I was to have the iX again. At the moment, that would mean having to go for the xDrive45 and losing some of the range, which is more important for me.

The awesome seats, which come as part of the optional M Sport Pro package (£1350), also deserve a special mention. They’re extremely supportive and come with lots of electric adjustment to help you find your driving position. I’ve especially appreciated their memory function, allowing me to quickly get back to my driving position after my colleagues have borrowed the car and moved the seat.

While you could live without those seats – the standard ones are also comfortable, after all – one thing I’d absolutely recommend adding is the adaptive air suspension. Sure, it’s a £2050 option, but the super comfortable and cosseting ride that it affords you, especially on the motorway, makes it well worth the extra money in my book. Considering the iX is carting around that huge battery, it’s impressive how well it rides on even the worst roads.

Conversely, if I was to spec my iX again, I probably wouldn’t bother adding either the Sky Lounge Panoramic Glass sunroof (£3200). You see, while it’s nice to have (and the electrochromic technology which allows it to darken at the touch of a button is still incredible to me), that’s a pretty massive price tag for something that I never really paid attention to.

I also wouldn’t go for the Integral Active Steering (£1400) if I had my time with the car again. That adds the rear-wheel steering, but it isn’t really all that effective and doesn’t noticeably change the turning circle. Indeed, even with it, the iX needs a decent space to manoeuvre.

Despite those changes, there’s nothing else that I’d have done differently and I’ll really miss the iX once it’s gone. Regardless of its method for gaining its stellar real-world range, the iX is a fantastic long-distance cruiser that’s extremely comfortable and has a great interior.

Of course, there is an argument that you should actually just save money and go for our current Car of the Year, the BMW iX3. After all, that has an even longer range, will cost you a fair bit less and is a fantastic premium electric SUV. I’d argue, though, that the two appeal to different people.

Sure, the BMW iX3 fits the bill as a great car to drive every day, but the iX aims to be more than that, adding a luxury element into proceedings.That’s something that it does very well, justifying that bigger price tag with even better materials, a more supple ride and a little extra space. If you want the finest things in life, it's the one to go for.

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