2024 BMW IX M60 First Drive Review: Most Powerful and New Version Of The iX – This new BMW iX M60 costs $106,096 (plus $996 for delivery), which is $21,9001 more than the iX xDrive50 base model. With that extra money, you can upgrade to a vehicle with more power, a stronger suspension, and more standard features. It makes sense in theory. Is it worthwhile, though? A sad no.
2024 BMW IX M60 First Drive Review
Exterior Design
The reduced range is the price to pay for that added power. According to the EPA, a 2024 iX M60 on its standard 21″ wheels can go 288 miles on a single battery charge, although a 2022 iX xDrive50 21s can go 305. You can also purchase the xDrive50 for even shorter 20″ wheels, which will give you a 325-mile range, according to the EPA. Of course, the differences between these numbers probably won’t matter all that much in practice, especially if your home is equipped with a Level 2 charger. Don’t forget that the iX has a 196-kW DC rapid charging capability, allowing you to utilize the strongest Level 3 stations.
BMW claims that the iX M60 does have a stronger suspension tuning than the xDrive50, although I can’t say that I can see the difference unless riding the electric powered SUVs side by side. Similar in every way towards its iX xDrive50 I drove in Germany last year is the iX M60. A huge electric SUV is not particularly suited for severe driving, even if you may be able to recognize the improvements. 2024 BMW IX M60 First Drive Review
That is not, however, a criticism of the iX M60. The basic dual-axle air suspension on the M60 does an admirable job of absorbing road imperfections while providing a stable, balanced ride on both German motorways and cobblestone city streets. The iX is incredibly comfy even with its largest 22″ wheels, with hefty steering and very little body roll during turns. Like the xDrive50, the M60 is enjoyable to drive. 2024 BMW IX M60 First Drive Review
Interior Design
The M60 includes all of the iX’s best features as standard equipment because it is the top version. The M60’s feature list includes heated seats, a power liftgate, cruise control, parking distance control, a Bowers & Wilkins system, rear-axle steering, and more. Additionally, you get all of the innovative features that first appeared on the iX xDrive50, such as dynamic regenerative braking that adapts based on GPS and traffic information as well as those futuristic riding noises created by Hans Zimmer.
Speaking of GPS information, the newest version of BMW’s iDrive 8 infotainment system includes standard onboard navigation. Everything is placed on a curved screen with a 12.4″ touchscreen in the center and a 15″ digital gauge cluster. iDrive 8 appears a little challenging at first because its home/menu display has so many tiny tiles, but with some practice, it becomes simple to use. The standard “Hey, BMW” wake-up word allows access to natural spoken voice commands, while the firm’s gesture controls remain as unpleasant and ineffective as ever.
However, even with all of its features, the iX M60 does have an obvious absence. All M60s comes in leather or leatherette, you cannot purchase one with the superb microfiber as well as wool upholstery that is offered on the iX xDrive50. You might not think this is a big issue, but I can’t fathom purchasing an iX without such a really comfy green-like/blue-like/gray-like fabric. This distinctive approach really unifies the space in a cockpit that is so bright, airy, incredibly design-forward, featuring cool elements such backlit open-pore woods as well as glass controls.
2024 BMW IX M60 Engine
The iX xDrive50 and the M60 have a similar fundamental architecture and drivetrain. A 111.6 kwh of lithium-ion pack, of which 106.4 kilowatt-hours are really useable, is hidden beneath the spacecraft’s lightweight composite space frame. The iX M60 has two electric motors that transfer power to every axle, and their combined output is 533 hp as well as 750 lb-ft of torque, with a further 812 lb-ft available for short bursts for hard jumps. Given that the iX M60 weighs 5,770 pounds and is the size of an X5, BMW forecasts that it will reach miles per hour in 3.6 seconds.
For comparison, the iX xDrive50 has 517 horsepower, 565 lb-ft of torque, and can reach 60 mph within 4.4 seconds. The difference among these 2 0 to 60 times is 0.8 seconds, but consider this: Every EV feels swift. Regardless matter how much energy is available, the excitement of quick electric torque makes launching an electric automobile exciting. Although faster than the xDrive50, the iX M60 doesn’t significantly alter the overall experience. And both acceleration off-the-line and acceleration at speed are consistent with that.
2024 BMW IX M60 Price and Release Date
Putting aside petty interior design preferences, upgrading to an iX M60 is not advantageous enough. However, there is precedent for this kind of thing with respect to upscale SUVs: Guess which vehicle is a better overall buy? It costs $23,301 more to buy the BMW X5 M than the X5 M50i, which would be powered by a V8. 2024 BMW IX M60 First Drive Review
Want more evidence? With the sport external style, 21″ wheels, microfiber/wool upholstery, and essentially all the options, an iX xDrive50 is loaded up and costs $101,621, including destination. At that point, the only benefit of the additional $4,476 is increased power at the expense of decreased range. What do you think?