THE BENEFITS OF TURNING SIXTY (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

BMW's improved iX large EV crossover gets its biggest battery in this pricey xDrive60 form.. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 31

Can the bigger-battery xDrive60 version of BMW's revitalised iX large EV crossover really be worth nearly six figures? If someone else is paying, there's a chance you might just think so.

Backgroundword count: 71

An early 2025 update has done the BMW iX a world of good. That's also been accompanied by a price hike, which has seen the bigger-battery xDrive60 version many customers want costing well over £90,000. Which might be a problem for the Munich maker, given that this updated iX is facing much tougher competition than the original version had to cope with. So this xDrive60 variant will need to be good.

Driving Experienceword count: 293

Is a 367 mile range enough in your BMW iX? If it is, switch your attention immediately to the base 94.8kWh xDrive45 model with 408hp, which will save you a considerable amount over this xDrive60 variant. If not, you'll need this 109.1kWh '60' model, which offers a range of up to 426 miles with 544hp. That battery (shared with the top M70 iX version) is a useful slug bigger than the 105.2kWh battery of the pre-facelift xDrive50 model that this xDrive 60 variant replaced - and takes the iX 34 miles further. 0-62mph is dispatched in 4.5s and like all iX models, this one tops out at 124mph. As before, across the range bolted to the aluminium-intensive chassis is a suspension set-up featuring double wishbone (front) and multi-link (rear) springs, but there's still no air suspension system on mainstream iX models like this one; the brand's Adaptive two-axle Air Suspension features only on the top M70. Across the range, BMW says it's worked on the dampers for extra cornering stability. The engineers have also worked on the chassis to allow for the extra power - and subtly altered the weight balance. There are 'High', 'Moderate' or 'Low' Brake Energy Regeneration settings. Plus activating driving position B with the selector lever generates so much off-throttle retardation that you'll virtually never have to use the brake pedal except when coming to a standstill. Using the alternative 'Adaptive' regen setting, the iX can also manage its own levels of brake recuperate to charge its battery on the move. When approaching a junction for example, the degree of recuperation will be increased. On the open road meanwhile, the coasting function sees the car 'freewheeling' with no drive power whenever the driver takes their foot off the accelerator.

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