• Auto123 reviews the 2023 BMW iX M60.
BMW takes straight aim at Tesla and its top-selling Model X with the iX all-electric SUV’s new M60 edition. This is the third variant of the model BMW has put out, after the xDrive40 and iX xDrive50 that debuted with the 2022 model-year.
Design of the 2023 BMW iX M60
BMW is no stranger to polarizing designs, and while it’s a stretch to say it invites controversy, it doesn’t back away from it either. BMWs almost seem to take pride in their oversized double-kidney grille, and criticism has only seemed to drive the designers to make them even bigger in recent years.
But an all-electric configuration would seem to open the door to moving to something completely. No? Well, no. This EV flaunts double kidneys (here in plastic) that headline a bold, slightly garish SUV design. A design that’s further highlighted by different shapes and colour tones around the front, sides and back, and the profile that’s vaguely like a snub-nosed tank. Sedate this is not.
It's unconventional, much like the Tesla Model X, giving the impression of something from another dimension. Moreover, at $139,802, including freight, this well-equipped iX M60 is a bargain compared to the $156,000 Tesla.
Interior of the 2023 BMW iX M60
The interior is as “distinctive” as the exterior. Drivers sit high and upright in their seat for great sightlines, and there’s generous space up front for legs and shoulders and heads.
The big attraction though is BMW’s large curved display on the dash. It’ the nerve centre for the truckload of tech found in the iX. Happily, there is a rotary dial on the lower centre console, via which you do a lot including accessing BMW’s iDrive infotainment system. And yes, BMW’s system is famously complex and deep-reaching, so there’s a learning curve. But BMW buyers know this, and probably love this.
The second row benefits from not having a third row behind it, so it’s a very spacious environment. The head- and legroom is just as impressive there as it is in the front row.
Driving the 2023 BMW iX M60
The M in the model name means superior performance, of course, not least compared to the xDrive 50 model we saw last year. This is a heavy, battery-pack-toting vehicle, so BMW has given it a suitably muscular powertrain. It wouldn’t do to market a lumbering, slow-moving BMW now would it.
Thus the M60 features two electric motors, one per axle, working with a hefty 105.2-kWh liquid-cooled battery. Combined output for the system is 610 hp and 749 lb-ft torque, not exactly chicken feed. More like Godzilla feed. In theory (and using Launch Control), you can take this heavy SUV from a stop to 100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. Why you would do that is another story, but there it is.
On a more practical level, the official range as per Natural Resources Canada is 441 km. BMW says charging on a Level 3 charger gets the vehicle form 10 percent to 80 percent charge in just under 40 minutes.
That lightning-quick acceleration aside, the iX M60 bonifies your driving experience via artificial engine sounds (composed by Hans Zimmer, no less). Which is great, but neither that nor the outrageous power available to will make this SUV any more lithe or nimble when cornering at speed. Laws of physics and all that. There are ways to adjust the parameters in that deep cavern that is the set of menus on the screen, and drive modes that allow you to switch from comfort to sportier settings, but those can’t perform miracles.
Still, it would be unfair to call this vehicle sedate on the road. I mean it can be – this is built to be a practical two-row people-mover – but it doesn’t have to be, is all. And on the highway, even at high speed, the iX is exceptionally stable and assured, and it never feels like it’s working hard to move its heavy carcass around. The ride is quiet as well, no surprise given the absence of an engine, but wind noise and noise from the tires on the road are kept to a minimum.
Pricing of the 2023 BMW iX M60
You’ll pay for the privilege of driving sedately or sportily, of course. Starting price for the 2023 BMW iX’s base xDrive50 model is just over $90,000, while for this M60 variant you’ll have to pay xxx or more. That’s a lot to pay for a model that let’s not forget is virtually brand-new to the market and so still untested as far as long-term value and durability go. But then, it’s still significantly cheaper than its big rival the Tesla Model X, which goes for xxx or more, And Tesla’s been known to move a few of those, so…
Competitors of the 2023 BMW iX M60
- Audi e-tron / e-tron S
- Cadillac Lyriq
- Jaguar I-PACE
- Tesla Model X
