BMW’s flagship electric SUV, the iX, presents a convincing new flavour of luxury electric motoring with plenty of tech, and class-leading efficiency in Singapore

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Eight years ago BMW launched the i3 – it was Singapore’s first EV sold to the public, the first EV we really trusted not to strand us with range perfidy. It was ahead of its time, but also the sort of technological eye-opener that made a perfect convincer for the EV skeptic. 

Eight years on and BMW got lost by not making another EV until last year’s iX3, followed by this – the iX flagship EV. In many ways, it’s the true successor to the i3, and finally takes the BMW i experience and magnifies it in an era it fits into perfectly.

The iX debuted late last year at our very own EV Weekend – Singapore’s first and largest EV showcase – and if you read our launch story you can see the model variants and price breakdown (before the ARF increase). 

We got a brief hands-on with the Sport model in our first impressions story, so we’ll not rehash what we’ve said there too much, and instead focus on how the iX performed in real Singaporean life, over a longer distance during our multi-day test drive. 

Appearance and Design: Joy Division?

We think the most potentially divisive aspect of the iX is its design. It does have a few awkward angles, since to our eyes it’s what would happen if you crossed an i3 with an X5. The grille isn’t a problem, we’re thoroughly used to the new kidney grille by now.

But we suspect also, given the size, that a lighter colour might look better – and we’re also partial to the non-Sport model which has less gloss black that’s so hard to photograph here.

At the same time we understand why BMW’s done it this way: This is a new flagship, so there’s no mistaking the iX for anything else. Trend-breaking, eyebrow-raising design is something of a BMW signature by now, anyway. 

Personally, we quite like the iX’s quirky appearance. We can also say it looks better in person than in photos, and also very much appreciate that this isn’t a coupe-SUV (though the inevitable iX Coupe may not be far off).

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Interior and features : The crystal method

The reason for that is the inside of the iX is, from the first time you open the handle-less door, both spacious and inviting – there’s also the visible carbonfibre in the doorframes, another link to the i3.

The amount of wide open space is refreshing, especially the vertical space, thanks to the flat floor, open-concept dash/screen layout, and the floating centre console. BMW’s ‘widescreen’ looks great in person, it’s one of the more elegant ways of cramming screen-estate without making the rest of the interior look like a giant tablet-holder. 

BMW’s new OS 8 infotainment approach debuts in the iX, and it looks very sleek and modern, especially with its fancy new animations. However, it also represents a rather large evolution from the previous iteration, certainly far more than a smartphone OS update. 

From the homepage, things are slick and presented with appropriate scale. So things aren’t usually where we expect, and getting to grips with it took longer than usual, and it was the same with the digital instrument panel. Another gripe – BMW’s gone with an icon based menu layout, but the icons are all smartphone-sized rather than car-infotainment sized, and the lovely-feeling crystal iDrive knob doesn’t work as well with such a layout. .

Then there’s the furniture: Crystal, rich quilted leather, wood – that all adds to the luxe-lounge ambience of the car. The i3 had a little of this feeling, but it was less posh and less spacious. BMW took seven years to double down on its approach, but the iX vindicates it thoroughly – the iX feels like a properly novel experience. 

Space and practicality: Stretching it

With the lack of a transmission tunnel and a flat floor, the iX can fit five adults with comfort. The rear gets AC vents, and four USB-C ports, and also extra airiness from the frosted-at-a-button-push glass sunroof.

The boot is a decent 500-litres, though it isn’t the best for a large SUV, but there is a sub-compartment, as well as remote rear seat release buttons – engaging those brings the space up to a big 1,750-litres. 

Again, it’s like the i3 – an obviously new way forward, but one that is rooted in usability than just flights of fancy. In practicality terms, you no longer have to sprain your arm reaching for your bag in the backseat – you can put a decent-sized backpack on the floor next to your left foot. 

Page 2: It looks weird, but the iX drives like a BMW

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