The BMW IX was announced as a new type of BMW. As a reinvention of the ultimate driving machine, it should be a bold explanation from BMW when it entered the EV market. But things were not perfect. In some places, the styling was brave and interesting and uncomfortable on others. There is no typical BMW values of the lateral support on the seats and the interior looked more in space age than the driver cockpit. The worst was not quite what we would expect for such a technically impressive vehicle. Fortunately, BMW heard the feedback.
See the 2025 BMW IX. It was further developed in almost every respect with more performance, better reach and more intelligent efficiency and many design improvements. The best of everything we can confirm from our early drive that BMW actually heard the feedback. In our short time with the new 2026 BMW IX, we found that it was less a radical reinvention and more about the thoughtful refinement. Through the treatment of important criticisms such as seating, improving efficiency and refining the interior and the outdoor area, BMW has transformed the IX into a more complete and more convincing product.
The list: three personalities, one purpose
The updated IX setup simply keeps things: the XDRIVE45, XDRIVE60 and TOP DOG M70 XDrive. The XDrive45 now delivers 402 hp and up to 312 miles and is the volume leader. The XDRIVE60 increases the operations with 536 hp and a range of up to 340 miles – 10% better than the model it replaces.
And then there is the M70 XDrive. With 650 hp and 811 LB-FT torque (with the start control) it is not only the fastest IX-ES one of the fastest SUVs on the street, which is at 3.6 seconds to 60 miles per hour. But what really strikes is how easily it provides this performance, coupled with all the refinement and serenity that you expect. The range hits 302 miles, but you do not buy the M70 for maximum efficiency.
Production begins with deliveries shortly afterwards in March 2025.
Design: The less IS More development
Visually, the changes to the IX are subtle, but very effective. BMW continues to bend into the minimalist aesthetics with a design that feels more deliberately than fussy. The oversized grille receives a refreshing pattern with vertical and diagonal lines (illuminated on certain equipment), while the slimmer headlights contain a new vertical element for the daytime and indicators during the day.
BMW has made the M Sport bumper model standard and painted the body color for them.
The tailgate remains clean and continuously backwards and extends over the entire width of the vehicle, while the rear apron and the diffuser see smaller updates. Body -colored surfaces are now standard in the entire line -up, whereby the M sports package adds even more sharper lines and more aggressive details. The M70 continues with darkened accents, an exclusive radiator grille design and 22-inch wheels, which makes it clear which model is king.
New colors such as the Arctic Race Blue and BMW Individual Frozen Deep Gray round off the update, but if that is too subtle, there is always the optional titanium bronze trim for a little more flash.
Interior: calm luxury, with a sporty turn
Inside, the IX continues to feel like the future, but BMW has added a few more dials to turn buyers who want something to edit. The new M sports package gives the cabin a touch of aggression with optional M multifunctional seats with deeper disorders and bold tri-color stitching. These are seats that you should keep on the spot – not only you weigh – and you are available in everything, from sustainable microfiber to rich natural leather.
Elsewhere, the M sports treatment adds subtle upgrades: an M -steering wheel, aluminum cladding, an anthracitic headliner and -because not -M -M pedals. In the M70, this is all standard tariff and strengthens its position at the top of the area.
However, practicability and comfort were not forgotten. Optional heated surfaces stretch over the seats over the door panels, the glove box and even the center armrest. The panoramic roof, standard for higher globs, uses electrochromatic shades instead of a traditional blind – another detail that reminds you quietly that this is not just a SAV.
Performance: not just about speed
Each IX model benefits from the revised power electronics and a more efficient drive train, and the result is immediately noticeable in our time behind the steering wheel. Driving the original IX could feel incoherent. The M60 delivered an immense speed, but the flat, lower-sized seats and the lack of feedback had the pilot of the car controlled more like a spaceship than to drive a high-performance BMW. BMW clearly listened to the criticism and addressed almost every pain point in the update 2026. Even the steering wheel is now optional.
The IX benefits from several suspensions upgrades. The wheel bearings have been revised, while other changes to chassis and electronics have improved the driving dynamics. A new hydraulic rear axle bearing improves driving comfort without affecting precision, which leads to a more smooth experience over rougher surfaces.
The XDRIVE45 and XDRIVE60 provide the desired torque with a seamlessness that feels almost unfair, while the M70 brings things completely to another level. The suspension and the chassis upgrades of the M-defined chassis ensure that the IX M70 remains planted and composed even with all this force, regardless of whether they carve through a curvy road or eat up motorway miles.
The chassis reinforcements are subtle, but effective, with newly calibrated dumplings and aerial clipper, which adapt to the increased performance requirements. The steering and M-sports brakes in the rear wheel are available from lower drugs and standards for the M70, which further increases its sportiness.
More intelligent efficiency, better reach
BMW’s advance on efficiency is just as important as the performance gathering. Silicon carbide inverter, which have been introduced here for the first time, enable better energy transmission and reduced losses, which contributes both electricity profits and expanded areas. The XDRIVE60 now delivers up to 340 miles, with the XDRIVE45 follows exactly at 312 miles. Even the M70 creates respectable 302 miles despite its mighty engines.
The adaptive recovery system of the IX is smarter than ever and adapts the energy recovery based on traffic, off-road and navigation data. Depending on the preferences, you can also switch manually between the roller and brake modes. And if the range of the range turns on, the Max area mode prioritizes the efficiency by restricting the speed and other functions and expresses up to 25% more reach if necessary.
The optional M Sport brake system with Red Containers and M Logos offers sharper stop performance.
The changes on the street are subtle but meaningful. BMW has increased the separation between comfort and sports modes. The IX feels plush and composed in convenience, which makes the imperfections with ease. The steering remains light but precise, and the updated seats further improve comfort.
Charge: Plug & LAD simplified
Charging the IX is as painless as always, with DC fast-pace speeds of up to 195 kW on the XDRIVE60 and M70. BMW’s plug & LAD functionality now eliminates the need for apps or cards – simply put it at compatible stations, and the car treats authentication. It may not sound like a big change, but in our experience, small details like these feel effortlessly.
Sustainability: think long -term
BMW not only updated the IX to be better for the driver, but also for the planet to do better. Secondary raw materials are used extensively in production, and BMW has teamed up with SK TES to recycle critical battery materials such as cobalt and nickel. It is not the kind of things that are shouted in headlines, but it is an important step towards the circular economy that BMW imagines for its future.
Our early judgment
The 2026 BMW IX is exactly the kind of refreshment that we had hoped for. BMW systematically addressed the criticism that we and others had with the first IX and created a really convincing product. The new IX delivered sharper performance, intelligent efficiency and a design that feels fresh but not forced. It took a few years, but BMW is slow, but steadily repeated in his view for the electrical future – and this time it is nailed much more of the details.
