BMW iX Electric SUV First Drive And Review: Weird But Wonderful

Our own Kyle Conner and his colleague Jordan Shafer took a ride around Las Vegas in the brand-new, and somewhat controversial, BMW iX electric SUV. Despite the Bimmer\’s \”interesting\” styling, it seems it\’s a truly impressive offering.

If an automaker\’s choice to include a large grille on an EV is grounds for completely dismissing it, then that\’s sort of sad, but to each their own. Hopefully, people considering a luxury electric SUV will at least give the iX a chance. However, we\’ll have to wait and see how it sells.

Like a whole host of automotive industry experts, amateurs, and the like, Kyle Conner spent some quality time at CES in Las Vegas last week. As always, it was an interesting event packed with EVs and new technology. However, these shows have definitely taken a bit of a new direction due to the global pandemic.

Nonetheless, Conner was able to check out the BMW iX xDrive50 up close, and he also had an opportunity to take it for a test drive. There was a long line of people waiting to step inside the electric crossover to take a peek, so Kyle and Jordan had to work a little magic with the BMW team. Fortunately, they were able to drive one copy of the iX and then take us on a walk-around tour of another iX in a different color. Conner writes:

\”Kyle is in Las Vegas for CES 2022 where BMW kindly snuck out a BMW iX xDrive50 for him and Jordan to take around the city for a bit. This is BMWs first fully-electric SUV and while the styling may be controversial, the overall impression of the review is as clear as can be. You\’ll have to watch to find out what the guys think of this EV rig!\”

It\’s interesting that – due to the aforementioned circumstances – Kyle says this video will be just a short, quick look. However, once he starts talking about cars and gets some time behind the wheel, there\’s no stopping him. In the end, Conner provides a whopping 30 minutes of content about the BMW iX. So, what does he think?

While he says you\’ll have to watch the video for all the details, and we agree, we\’ll provide you with a few of his key takeaways. While Kyle isn\’t a fan of the iX\’s front end or gauge display, he says the iX checks all the boxes. He also says he\’ll honestly consider it for himself as it\’s simply incredibly smooth, quiet, and comfortable. It\’s exactly what he\’s looking for in an electric SUV, aside from its quirky design cues, of course.

Conner goes on to say the iX is well-priced, it\’s the perfect size, and it has some of the best steering of any modern BMW. He\’s just afraid that although it would make a very interesting conversation piece for any owner, people may avoid it due to its awkward appearance.

What do you think of the BMW iX as a whole? Would you buy it? Do you think a vehicles\’ styling can work to make or break its sales regardless of whether it\’s the perfect choice on all other fronts? Start a conversation about the BMW iX in the comment section below.