BMW iX xDrive50 test drive report by an X3 M40i owner

This EV is enjoyable but isn’t as thrilling as I had expected it to be. It is more about luxury, comfort and creature comforts.

BHPian mobike008 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

BMW iX xDrive 50: Brief Test Drive Report

August 18th, 2023, I was at the BMW of Bellevue showroom to get my X3 M40i’s service.

I had a couple of hours to wait and I was speaking to a sales advisor on any car available for test drive as I wanted to pass my time at the dealership constructively.

He said, “We have plenty of IX xDrive 50 available for immediate test drive. There are a few M cars also available but, I will have to wait a couple of hours for it”.

Since I was expecting my car to be delivered in 1-1.5 hours, I decided to check out BMW’s first grounds-up EV- BMW iX.

I know India has both variants- xDrive 40 and xDrive 50 and I was surprised to know that xDrive 40 which is a lower-powered variant (325 Horsepower) costs as much as INR 1.5 Crore OTR.

I was given a choice of both xDrive 50 and xDrive M60 to drive but, I chose the IX xDrive 50 to do the test drive first and if I had time would drive the more powerful version. Sales advisor took my license and insurance information and handed the car over to me after sticking a number plate at the back.

I told him, I would come back in about an hour.

Here is my brief take on the BMW IX xDrive 50 after spending an hour and driving ~ 40 miles in and around the backroads and freeways.

Performance

It’s powered by a 112 KWH electric motor and has a power output of 525 horsepower.

While the horsepower numbers look good on paper, due to the massive weight the power while is more than sufficient but, does not feel thrilling like you would expect from a 500+ horsepower machine. This feeling is perhaps due to the weight of the vehicle which tips the scale at 5300 lbs (2400 kgs).

There was something weird I experienced. Not sure if it was an illusion but, when I press the A pedal, it hesitates for a moment like you expect from an ICE car and, then takes off like a rocket. I missed playing around with the different options so not sure if this experience was due to me being in eco mode or something.

Also, while accelerating there is a sound coming from the speakers.

Why BMW? Why do you need that sound? It sounds fake and quite irritating.

Regen braking is pretty good.

Performance wise it’s quite sufficient for most folks who are not used to fast cars. But, honestly speaking it doesn’t feel exhilaratingly fast.

Comfort and Convenience

Well, I focused purely on the drive and acceleration so didn’t pay too much attention to the features. There are a lot of reviews of it on the internet for the same.

Highlighting a few things that stood out:

Extremely Spacious Cabin- Both in front and more so in the back.
Luxury is next level (compared to luxury in my X3) as all materials feel high quality.
Harman Kardon sound system is excellent. I’m usually skeptical with most sound systems but, this one is really top rated as the vocals, mids and bass were delivered clean and powerfully at all volume levels.
Curved screen looks very nice and is quite snappy with an iDRIVE 8.5 version.
I loved the knobs on the side of the door to recline seats or move forward or backwards.
Loved the wooden center console trim. Looks awesome. There is a 2-step action to engage in D to get the “HOLD” regen experience.
Steering wheel is a masterpiece. Feels great to hold and I love all wheels that have a flat bottom. It also looks pretty new-age.
HUD is next level- Amazing clarity and the display has bold colors and big-sized fonts.
Due to the shape of the vehicle, the boot space doesn’t look cavernous as it should have been.
Surprisingly, the door feels flimsy and does not close with a “THUD”. My X3 doors feel a lot heavier. I was told- being an EV, weight reduction.
Range is 320 miles as per BMW. But, I feel it would be hard pressed to get more than 250 miles out of it in the real world.
BMW claims it can charge from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes which is impressive.

Ride & Handling

It’s a BMW. What do you expect? Its handling is pretty good even for this size of vehicle. But, enthusiasts will see the difference.

But, I’m confident it would be a better handler compared to similar-sized SUVs from the competition.

Ride is excellent and feels perfectly tuned with a lovely balance of comfort and performance.

Exterior

It’s a big vehicle. I was told its size is between an X3 and X5 but, it looks similar to an X5 size.

Like everyone, I hate the new front grille of BMWs. It looks downright ugly on SUVs but, after seeing them for a while on roads, I kind of like the new grille on a few M sedans (especially in dark colors). The new grille on BMW SUVs including IX looks terrible.

I also dislike the wheels. It’s too gaudy for my taste. Wish they kept it simple with clean spokes.

Side Profile and Rear angle is pretty nice and look good from these viewpoints. I liked this new color too. Makes it stand out from the crowd.

Mobike008’s Dilemma

Post that leisurely one-hour drive of the BMW IX xDrive 50i which was enjoyable but, not as thrilling as I had expected it to be. BMW IX is more about luxury, comfort and creature comforts but, if someone is considering this vehicle to get the proper BMW drive experience that we are used to, then it will be a tad bit disappointing.

It’s a nice balance between Performance and Luxury with the focus predominantly on luxury.

Post the drive, I got into my car. It felt so different. Everything about the car feels tight, handles way better and that B58 engine note- No words or comparison to this EV.

When I returned from my drive, the SA threw a curveball at me. A pretty attractive one that looks hard to ignore.

He said, we have a “Special” going on and he said, he could take my BMW back and give me this brand new 2024 BMW IX xDrive 50 for the same monthly car payments.

Imagine a $70K car payment being similar to a $110K car.

What’s the catch? My immediate feeling is they are not very popular and not selling much as I get a lot of emails from BMW on some offer or other for BMW IX or I4. Also, they had plenty of IX xDrive 50 on their lot (I saw 8 of them in the parking lot). It’s a super tough call to exchange an absolutely thrilling machine for a larger luxurious one.

Would love to hear what fellow BHPians have to say. Is it worth doing this trade-in?