Description
THE BMW iX M60: ELECTRIC DRIVING DYNAMICS AT A SUPREME LEVEL.
THE PERFORMANCE OF THE BMW iX M60.
Full-electric power train, range, suspension and performance of the BMW iX M60.
2023 BMW iX M60
Good
- Massive power
- High quality interior design
- Good electric range
Bad
- Controversial exterior design
- Expensive
- Not a true M-lite car
BMW iX M60 is a deeply impressive car, one that should keep rival brands’ engineers up at night but so is the cheaper iX xDrive
The Interior Gets a Pass
It’s no different inside, either. The BMW iX M60 looks almost identical to a similarly equipped iX xDrive50. My test car had some bronze accents inside too and it was better equipped than my iX xDrive50 test car, so it did feel nicer but the latter can be optioned to match the former. That said, the interior gets a pass for its familiarity. The BMW iX in general has probably the best cabin of any modern BMW. It’s stylish, luxurious, and immensely comfortable.
The seats aren’t typical BMW seats, in that they aren’t heavily bolstered, because the iX M60 isn’t a true sports car, despite the “M” badges throughout. However, the seats are fabulous to sit in, the design is bright and rich, and it’s full of color and natural light. It reminds me a lot of the BMW i3 cabin, just one that got itself a much better wardrobe.
Being an EV, there’s a ton of interior space, both front and back, which made longer trips a breeze. You never feel claustrophobic in the iX, regardless of how much time you spend in it. OK, so it actually lacks some of the cargo space you’ll get in an X5, which is odd because the iX is built on a bespoke, one-off electric architecture that was built just for the iX, so you’d think it’d be more spacious but it isn’t. However, it will suit most people just fine. Larger families might struggle but that’s what an X7 is for.
My only beef with the iX’s cabin is iDrive 8. While it’s more advanced than iDrive 7, the new iDrive 8 system is starting to become frustrating. Its lack of physical climate controls is infuriating and its digital gauges are still pretty weak compared to other brands’. There’s a lot to like about iDrive 8, such as its menus and useful app screen, but the all-digital climate controls are maddening. If you’re sitting still, they’re fine. But on the move, they’re confusing and require taking your eyes off the road to operate.
More Power is Always Welcome
While it’s hard to tell the difference between the BMW iX M60 and the iX xDrive50, in terms of straight-line acceleration, I’ll never say no to more power. Under the skin, the iX M60 uses two electric motors to make 610 horsepower and and 811 lb-ft of torque. OK, so the full 610 horsepower is only available in short bursts but, when it’s fully deployed, hang on. It might not have a ludicrous mode, cheetah mode, goblin mode, or whatever other cutesy name makes Elon Musk feel trendy, but it’s still plenty fast.
Stomp the go-pedal in the iX M60 and you’ll almost lose your lunch. It’s a violent, effortlessly smooth gut punch of electric torque and it’s very fun the first few times you use it. After that, the novelty of stomach-churning acceleration wears off and it just becomes a really good tool for zipping in and out of traffic.
However, because electric cars all accelerate so similarly, the xDriv50 feels much the same. I never once thought the iX xDrive50 felt slow and no customer will, either.
Same Great Ride and Handling
The BMW iX M60 is actually a shockingly comfortable car. Despite its large wheels, the iX M60 rides beautifully and very few road imperfections make it into the cabin. It’s genuinely Rolls-Royce-like. Surely, then, if it’s big and comfy, it can’t be fun, right?
