Used BMW iX (Mk1, 2021-date) buyer’s guide: talented EV is packed with tech

Verdict

Look beyond the divisive exterior design and you’ll quickly warm to the BMW iX. Our 2023 Large Company Car of the Year, the BMW was praised for its levels of comfort and refinement, engaging handling and long range. When we ran an iX xDrive50 for six months and more than 9,000 miles, our verdict was that “it’s a talented EV that blends usable tech, decent efficiency and impressive quality with the sort of drive you’d expect of a BMW”. Packed with tech to make your life easier, the iX may be one of BMW’s first electric cars, but it’s also one of those cars that slots seamlessly into your life.

BMW has long produced some of the very best cars around when it comes to usability, driving enjoyment, efficiency and build quality. 

In the brave new electric world, things are no different, with the iX just as accomplished as you’d expect a modern BMW to be. About the same size as an X5 (but capable of seating only five, rather than seven), the iX was BMW’s second fully electric car after the deeply impressive i3, which (incredibly) arrived over 12 years ago.

Expensive and imposing, the iX makes quite a statement, but we reckon it has what it takes to justify the high purchase and running costs.

History

The  iX arrived in UK showrooms in November 2021. There was a choice of 321bhp xDrive40 and 516bhp xDrive50 editions. Whereas the former had a 76.6kWh battery to give a claimed range of 249 miles, and could be charged at up to 150kW, the latter featured a 111.5kWh battery to give up to 373 (later 382) miles, and could be charged at 200kW.

For those who wanted more, from summer 2022 there was the 610bhp iX M60, which could do 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, thanks to 1,100Nm of torque. The M60’s range was claimed to be up to 357 miles.

On the road

The good news continues when you get behind the wheel, because the iX is superb to drive. As well as being genuinely agile, there’s plenty of grip and steering feel, while at motorway speeds you’ll struggle to find a car that’s as hushed as this one.

Throw in levels of ride comfort that you’d expect in a luxury limousine and the iX is a highly impressive package all round in terms of dynamic abilities.

Which one should I buy?

It would be easy to assume that the xDrive50 is the one to go for, with its more generous range, but the xDrive40 is probably all you need. It’s efficient (owners tell us they regularly achieve around 3.8 miles per kWh), and you can recharge it quickly, so you can make swift progress on long-distance journeys. The entry-level iX will also do 0-62mph in 6.1 seconds, so it’s no slouch. Buy a model from further up the range and you get more of everything, but only you can decide if the extra cost is worth it.

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BMW offered two trim levels: Sport and M Sport, but the former is unusual, with the latter more widely available on the used market. The iX features more driver-assistance systems than any previous BMW, along with Harman Kardon audio, four-zone climate control and heated front seats. M Sport models have a bodykit and upgraded brakes, while there was a long options list for all versions of the iX, so if you’re looking at a used car, it’s worth establishing what extras were chosen by the first owner.

Alternatives to the BMW iX

The Tesla Model X is one of the most obvious rivals, but it can’t match the BMW’s build quality or dynamic abilities. More impressive on both counts is the Mercedes EQC, but this is still beaten by the BMW; even the bigger and more expensive EQE lost to the iX in a twin test in early 2024.

We love the Jaguar I-Pace, but ownership can be frustrating. Proceed with caution if you are considering one, because some owners have had lots of problems, while others have had none at all. We’d also check out the Audi e-tron (renamed Q8 e-tron in 2023), which is refined and luxurious, but costly to buy and run, and not especially efficient.

What to look for

Reliability

Despite the number of recalls, owners seem happy with their cars. Long delays for spare parts is one of the biggest gripes.

Money talk

Not only is a revised iX due to arrive soon, but lots of three-year-old cars will hit the market before long, leading to lower values. Great news if you’re buying.

Peace of mind

The iX’s warranty runs for three years with no mileage limit; the battery has its own eight-year/100,000-mile guarantee. Batteries are lasting well, say owners.

On the pull

A lot of EVs aren’t able to tow or have a low limit. Not the iX though, which can haul up to 2,500kg, even in entry-level form. But if you do tow, expect the range to drop to just 120 miles or so, in xDrive40 form.

Interior

The iX’s interior is modern and hi-tech, but not intimidating. The lack of a transmission tunnel opens things up, and although there’s a minimal amount of switchgear, the iDrive controller is easy to use, thanks to software specifically created for this car. Most controls operate through the screen, but the climate control is always visible and readily accessible. There’s also voice control, which works well.

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The cabin is filled with premium materials, and it’s not short of headroom and legroom for those in the back. If there’s a gripe (albeit a minor one), it’s that the boot should be bigger, to compete with key rivals. It’s not small though, at 500 litres, or 1,750 litres with the back seats folded completely flat.

Running costs

As with all BMWs, the iX has condition-based servicing, so the interval isn’t fixed. The maximum gap between services is two years, and you can expect to pay £325 each time, which covers the cost of replacing the brake fluid and cabin filter, along with the key battery.

Subsequent services cover the same areas, plus extra checks to ensure items such as the brakes and suspension aren’t worn. Fuel bills should be very palatable if you can charge at home, but expect to pay plenty for insurance, with entry-level models in group 47 and everything else in group 50. Depreciation remains unknown quantity; there’s still plenty of scope for iX values to fall, even though early cars have already lost a fair chunk of value.

Recalls

Nine recalls is a disappointing figure, and the first two were issued as the iX was being launched in late 2021. One was for software glitches, the next because of the A-pillar trim coming adrift. There were three recalls in 2022, with the first two (in May and October) due to airbag problems, and the third because of battery faults.

In 2023 there were four more recalls, the first in May, once again because some batteries had not been manufactured correctly. There were two campaigns in August, one for faulty charging units, the other because of battery glitches. The most recent was in November 2023, because, in rare cases, the front driveshafts could work loose.

Driver Power owner satisfaction

The iX is yet to appear in our Driver Power surveys. Several BMWs usually feature, but top-10 places are rare. In 2024, there were four BMWs (1, 3 and 5 Series and X3), between 18th and 36th out of 50. In 2023 there were also four (1, 3 and 5 Series and i3), in 13th to 72nd out of 75.

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