The BMW iX has been a controversial car since it first went on sale for the 2022 model year. A lot of that had to do with its love-it-or-hate-it styling, and that's too bad. Regardless of what you think of the iX's appearance, it's hard to argue that BMW's EV flagship isn't a really lovely luxury car.
For 2026, BMW decided the iX needed a little nip/tuck job and a new base model to entice buyers in an ever-expanding luxury EV crossover market. While styling has not drastically changed from what it used to be, I think the changes BMW has made for the new model year helped to turn an already excellent electric luxury SUV into an even more serious competitor by giving it more power and range while not increasing prices too much.
Full Disclosure: BMW invited me out to their North American headquarters in New Jersey to try out the 2026 iX range. They also paid for my food and lunch along the way.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
From a styling perspective, you won't really notice too much of a difference between the 2025 iX and the 2026 car that replaces it. On the outside, you're going find a slightly reworked front fascia with body-colored inlays (rather than black), redesigned headlights, different wheel designs that go up to 23 inches, and an all-important light-up kidney grille that also gets different inlay patterns depending on your trim level. If you want something a bit hard-edged, there's an M-Sport exterior option ($4,500) that makes the car look more aggressive with added vents and different body-side molding. BMW is also adding a trio of new paint colors; two of them are different shades of blue.
If you weren't a fan of how the iX used to look, you're still not going to be a fan of how it looks. Personally, I think folks are far too mean about the iX's styling. Sure, it's a daring bit of design from BMW, but there's no argument that it doesn't have a real presence to it — especially when it's behind you on the highway.
You'll be hard-pressed to find many differences on the inside either. That's a good thing. Regardless of how you feel about the exterior, you cannot deny the iX has one of the best interiors in the industry. Few cars use more interesting shapes, colors, materials and overall designs than the iX. Depending on how you spec your iX, you can get everything from vegan materials or real leather to suede everywhere and crystal accents on the switchgear. It's pretty lovely. In a lot of way, it feels like the interior from a concept car. When you add in the fact it is hugely spacious for five adult-sized passengers inside, you know you're off to a good start.
My only real gripe with the iX's interior is the sound of the doors when you close them and the door opening mechanism. It sounds desperately tinny and cheap. I'm not sure exactly this is the case, but if I had to guess it's a combination of the carbon-fiber body construction and frameless windows. It's a small price to pay, I suppose.
The tech inside is also mostly carried over from the old car. It uses BMW's driver-centric iDrive system with a curved display combining a 12.9-inch gauge cluster and a 14.9-inch center touchscreen. Like in all BMWs, iDrive 8.5 takes a little bit of getting used to, but once you've got the hang of it, it's super easy to use, thanks in part to the crystal command knob. If you don't want to mess around with the screen at all, the car's voice recognition system is extremely comprehensive and works well, and if you don't want to bother with BMW's interface at all, you can hook up wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto that'll project a map right into your gauge cluster. The head-up display (optional on the xDrive45 and xDrive60) is also just about the best in the industry.
When it comes to driver aids, the iX picks up something a lot of other BMWs have: Driving Assistant Plus. It's BMW's hands-free driving system that can operate at up to 85 mph on highways, and it's quite good for a Level 2 system, lagging just behind GM's industry-leading Super Cruise.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
Since it first launched, the iX was available in two trim levels: xDrive50 and M60. For 2026, the xDrive50 becomes the xDrive60 and the M60 becomes the M70. Slotting in below both of them is that brand new base model: the xDrive45. Despite the fact it's the cheapest iX you can buy, starting at $76,325 including destination, you still get a hell of a lot for your money. The xDrive45 comes standard with all-wheel drive thanks to a front- and rear-mounted motor. Altogether, the system puts out 402 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, and its juice is provided by a 100-kWh battery that can charge at up to 175 kW on a DC fast charger. That's enough to get it from 10% to 80% in about 34 minutes. Despite its weight, which BMW puts at right around 5,600 pounds, it can sprint from 0 to 60 mph in an incredibly acceptable 4.9 seconds, and if you take it easy, you can get up to 312 miles of range. With numbers like these, it's not surprising to find out that BMW expects this to be its best-selling iX. The car I tested stickered for $96,275.
As standard on the xDrive45, you get all sorts of luxury niceties like 20-inch wheels, a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, all sorts of active-safety features and BMW's gimmicky (but fun) Iconic Sounds system. You also get a Harman/Kardon sound system and a wireless phone charger.
If you find yourself wanting more juice and a longer range, then you can bump up to the middle child xDrive60 for an $89,675 starting price. With a handful of options, the car I drove came in at $110,975. Here you get 536 horsepower (a 20-hp bump) and 564 lb-ft of torque, but because it has a bigger 113-kWh battery, you actually get more range. BMW says the xDrive60 can go up to 364 miles on a single charge. Obviously, if you use the full effect of its 4.4-second 0-to-60 time, you're going to lose some range, but don't worry. BMW says it can DC fast charge at up to 195 kW, going from 10% to 80% in 35 minutes. Jumping to the xDrive60 gets you everything from the 45 plus a panoramic roof, four-zone climate control and LED cornering lights to go along with all of your extra power and range.
I hear you, though. You're all about speed. Hot, nasty, badass speed. Well, BMW made an iX just for you, and it's called the M70, and let me just say: it's a beast. Power from the two motors is boosted to 650 horsepower and 811 lb-ft of torque, and I wouldn't be surprised for a second if it was making even more power than that. It has brutal EV acceleration rivaling the best of them, moving this 5,850-pound monster from 0 to 60 in a blistering 3.6 seconds. Even when you get past 60 it keeps pulling, and if you keep your foot in it you'll hit a 155-mph top speed. Not too shabby. Of course, with this added power and an identical battery to the xDrive60, range does take a bit of a hit, dropping to just 303 miles, which is the lower limit of where you'd really like to see an EV that starts at $112,675. Like the battery, charging speeds are the same between the M70 and xDrive60.
In the M70, which came in at $122,675 as tested, you're given access to everything from the cars below it, plus even bigger wheels, air suspension, rear steering, M-Sport brakes, clear taillights, ventilated seats, a three-spoke steering wheel, full LED lights, Parking Assistant Plus and a Bowers & Wilkens Diamond stereo system. You also get a bunch of more sporty design cues outside to let everyone know you paid up for the big daddy iX. Keep in mind, even if you get a lower-trim iX, you can still specify it with just about any feature you want from the trim levels above it.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
Regardless of trim level, BMW iX is a perfect example of what a luxury driving experience is meant to be like. Even with the 23-inch wheels of the M70, it was a wonderfully pleasant experience behind the wheel. It's athletic enough for something this huge — it can get around a corner with not too much body roll, and once you're out, just mash the accelerator while listening to Hans Zimmer's sounds waft you along. From xDrive45 to M70, the iX never felt unwieldy on the narrow roads of the Hudson Valley. It's a super well-balanced car with a nearly 50/50 weight distribution regardless of trim level. It's not perfect, though. Steering feel, as you might have expected, is nearly non-existent. To be fair, though, you probably weren't buying an iX for the steering feel. This one deficiency is made up by the fact it's quite maneuverable thanks to the standard rear-wheel steering system.
A real highlight for me — again, regardless of trim — is how well-tuned the suspension is. Even over extremely rough Northeastern pavement, the iX did a great job of making me think I was on a slick piece of newly laid blacktop. BMW isn't alone in this, but it has a real habit of making its M-adjacent cars bone-crushing over rough pavement. I'm glad they spared the iX from this fate, even if it cost designers a bit of driving prowess.
The iX is a seriously wonderful little cocoon when you're going down the highway. With Driving Assistant Plus active (and watching you like a hawk), it's easy to chew up a hell of a lot of miles in the car's exceedingly comfortable seats. BMW's engineers did a really wonderful job of keeping the outside, well, out.
Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
If you weren't a BMW iX fan before, its slightly tweaked looks aren't really going to move the needle for you. However, even if you don't dig the way it looks, you cannot deny that as a car it's extremely good at what it does, and it needs to be. Competition in the $80,000-to-$100,000 luxury EV SUV segment is fierce.
If you're a fan of cutting-edge technology, high efficiency and a lovely driving experience, then you should be able to look past the iX's exterior. If you're not able to do that then I'm sorry, but you're missing out on one seriously good car. The iX has mastered what a luxury EV should be, and while it might not be everyone's cup of tea, those who know how good it is will appreciate it even more with these subtle updates.
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