2026 BMW iX xDrive60 works magic

Published 10:00 pm Friday, May 1, 2026

BMW’s iX midsize electric SUV has gained approval of driving enthusiasts ever since it hit the market in 2022.

For 2026, BMW keeps the iX on its competitive track with front-end styling revisions, driver assistance upgrades, improved battery technology, a boost in range capacity, and a new trim lineup.

The trim levels now look like this:

iX xDrive45: 402 hp, 290-312 mile range, $75,150

iX xDrive60: 536 hp, 318-364 mile range, $88,500

iX M70: 650 hp, 283-303 mile range, $111,500

The xDrive45’s pricing is considerably more affordable than the previous entry-level iX models, putting ownership within reach of more drivers, if not the general population.

I drove the xDrive60, whose 536 horsepower is 20-hp higher than the outgoing model. As if 516 horses just weren’t enough. However, there’s no shame in piling on the horsepower when there’s no fossil fuel burning involved.

That’s not to say I didn’t love the xDrive60’s insane acceleration. But it was overshadowed by the xDrive60’s exquisite ride. I can’t describe it without sounding crazy, which has never stopped me.

The cabin isn’t quiet, it’s soundless. The ride is so smooth, it feels like the tires aren’t even touching the road. Those increasingly battered patches of Highway 2 between Monroe and Sultan had no impact, yet the xDrive60 somehow delivered a sense of very sporty road feel. Magic, I tell you.

The roomy xDrive60 interior is handsome and modern, broadcasting high-quality construction and materials. A floating bridge center console creates open space that a more conventional console would hog.

There’s a quirkiness to getting out of the xDrive60: a somewhat distant push button located above the large handle that looks like it would be the way out. Once you know about the push button, things are fine, but it’s a non-intuitive situation.

A curved display with formidable visual appeal stretches horizontally over much of the dashboard, housing the instrument cluster and infotainment system.

With its millions of settings, mastering the infotainment system is the stuff of nightmares. But getting it going and figuring out the basics is fairly easy, and that’s all I ask.

2026 BMW iX xDrive60

Base Price: $88,500

Price as Driven: $110,975