A midsize SUV, the 2022 BMW iX xDrive5 is an all-new fully electric vehicle (EV) seating five.
Including the new oversized twin-kidney grille, the exterior styling is a bit quirky. We’re not sure if it’s nanotechnology or what, but the grille is covered in some sort of self-healing material. Scratches disappear when baked by the sun.
Inside, you can pick from among three design variations. Each provides specific materials and colors. Leather, faux leather, or fabric covers the seats, dashboard, door panels, and so forth.
The center console stops short of the dashboard, adding to the feeling of spaciousness. A 12.3-inch and a 14.9-inch screen are joined together in one curved panel stretching across about 60 percent of the dashboard. The 12.3-inch screen is a digital gauge display and the 14.9-inch screen is the infotainment touchscreen.
One of our favorite cool things you don’t need in the iX is the overhead interior camera. It can take snapshots during a trip via voice command that you can share with friends through your smartphone.
That, however, is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of gee-whiz technology.
The cloud-based BMW Maps navigation system uses hive technology to gather traffic information from its 14 million vehicles worldwide. Using this gathered information, the navigation system updates your programmed route every 60 seconds or so.
Its Learning Navigation function can learn and anticipate the destinations where a driver is likely to go. This saves entering the information for repeated routes.
How about the Maneuver Assistant that records repeated parking maneuvers of up to 600 feet? This electronic wizard can memorize the action of pulling onto a winding driveway and then into a garage, for example. It stores up to 10 such maneuvers and can repeat any of them when you instruct it to do so.
Power & Mileage
BMW uses two uniquely engineered electrically excited motors to spin the wheels. Rather than using magnets, the motor rotors are motivated by the flow of electric energy. This avoids using the rare earth materials found in magnets.
Stashed under the floor, a 106-kWh lithium-ion battery pack delivers an estimated range of up to 324 miles with 20-inch wheels.
One motor per axle generates a combined total of 516 horsepower and 564 lb-ft of torque. According to BMW, it can make the 0-60-mph dash in 4.4 seconds.
The EPA rates the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 at 86 MPGe city/87 MPG highway. This electric BMW SUV has 20-inch wheels and a max range of 324 miles.
With 21-inch wheels, the xDrive50 has EPA ratings of 82 MPGe city/84 MPGe highway. Max range of this model is 305 miles.
With specially designed 22-inch wheels that minimize wind resistance, the iX xDrive50 is a bit more efficient than the model on 21-inch wheels. On 22s, the xDrive50 is rated at 86 MPGe city/85 MPGe highway, and it has a max range of 315 miles.
Arriving in June is a 610-horsepower iX M60 covered separately.
2022 BMW iX xDrive50 (starting at $83,200)
The 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 starts at $83,200.
At this writing, the iX xDrive50 qualifies for the federal government’s $7,500 tax credit.
Standard features are 20-inch aluminum wheels and LED exterior lights (auto on-off headlights, taillights, and daytime running lights).
Also included are high-beam assist, rain-sensing wipers, a power rear liftgate, a power-adjustable steering wheel, and dual-zone automatic climate control.
8-way power-adjustable front seats, memory setting (driver’s seat, mirrors, and steering wheel), and heated front seats are also standard.
Other features are keyless entry with push-button start, a leather-wrapped tilt-away steering wheel, and perforated faux-leather seating.
A Homelink transceiver, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, wireless phone charging, and a smartphone as key are standard, as well.
Remote software updates and a panoramic sunroof are also included.
Within the infotainment system are a 14.9-inch touchscreen, iDrive 8, BMW Maps navigation, and 5G capability.
Also included are an 18-speaker Harman Kardon surround-sound audio system, USB ports, Bluetooth, voice recognition, and satellite-radio capability.
Among the driver aids are forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, and blind-spot monitoring with steering assist.
Lane-departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, reverse automatic braking assist, lane-keeping assist, and driver-monitoring alert are also standard. As is front-rear park assist.
BMW offers several options and option packages. For example, the Convenience Package ($2,300) gains you a head-up display, a surround-view camera, Parking Assist Plus, and more.
You can add ventilated front seats for $500 and adaptive headlights for $1,000.
Adding the $995 destination fee to the xDrive50 base price brings the total to $84,195. Financing that amount with no money down for 60 months at 3% interest works out to about $1,513 per month. See 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 models for sale
2022 BMW iX xDrive50 includes:
- Electric powertrain – Using two unique BMW-engineered motors – one per axle – the combined system output is 516 hp and 564 lb-ft of torque. The maximum estimated range is 324 miles. Going from stop to 60 miles per hour takes 4.4 seconds.
- BMW Maps – A cloud-based navigation system, BMW Maps calculates routes quicker and more accurately predicts traffic volume and time-to-destination. Drawing on the data pool from its 14 million vehicles worldwide, it updates its information every 60 seconds.
- iDrive 8 – This component can be a proactive partner with the driver. It’s dialogue-based and works in tandem with the BMW Personal Assistant to communicate with the driver. It learns as it goes to the point of often being able to anticipate a driver’s needs.
