The sinister-looking M70 isn’t the only flavor of the new iX displayed in Munich at the BMW Welt. This xDrive60 also shows several goodies the old xDrive50 didn’t have. For example, the electric luxobarge is now offered with massive 23-inch wheels. Prepare to pony up serious money for the two-tone “1028” Individual set, which costs an extra €2,200 in Germany.
The Arctic Race Blue paint job is another novelty the Life Cycle Impulse brought. The updated iX in this metallic color will set you back another €1,070. For the first time, BMW sells the polarizing SUV with an optional M Sport Package. It resembles the M70 without the M Performance model’s distinctive kidney grille design.
Circling back to the large wheels, BMW installs meaty 275/35 R23 tires with built-in foam absorbers to improve sound insulation. The iX isn’t the company’s only model to offer 23-inch alloys since the XM and X7 are also available with such big wheels. The range is less of a problem on those fullsize gasoline-fueled SUVs, but on the iX, having such large wheels will hurt efficiency. The iX xDrive60 is rated at up to 701 kilometers (436 miles) but with the standard 20-inch wheels.
The 23-inch alloys look nice and make the iX even more imposing, although we are not sure we’d sacrifice efficiency for aesthetics. The extra cost is also an issue, although, in Germany, the new iX xDrive60 is surprisingly €8,000 cheaper than the xDrive50 it replaces. It starts at €99,900, which is still a lot of money but not as bad as before. It’s a different story in the United States, where you pay an extra $1,250 over its predecessor. Even so, at $89,675, it’s still a much better deal than its German counterpart.
The updated BMW iX, available as a 2025MY in Europe and as a 2026MY in the US, enters production next month. Deliveries to customers start in the second quarter. The electric SUV codenamed “I20” will reportedly be discontinued in mid-2028. Its place in the lineup will likely be taken by an electric iX5 based on the next-generation X5 “G65.”
Photos: Bimmer Today