New BMW iX M70 review: a great EV just got even better
The superb BMW iX gets a range of useful updates, but the pricey M70 isn’t the pick of the range
Verdict
Ever since its launch, the BMW iX has blown away its closest rivals when it comes to ride, handling and refinement, and that’s very much the case with this new version, which also benefits from a healthy dose of extra range and slightly more performance. The dynamics of the M70 are astounding – a car this big and heavy has no right to drive so well, but when the xDrive45 is £30,000 cheaper, that’s where our cash would be going.
If there’s been a breakout of itchy scalps in the R&D centres of Audi and Mercedes since 2021, we suspect the BMW iX is to blame. The Munich brand’s flagship electric SUV not only managed to beat its rivals for ride comfort and refinement, but could handle like a car that weighs half a tonne less, too.
The atmosphere must have been so awkward in Ingolstadt and Stuttgart that you’d have been able to hear a pin drop. Or at least you would have, had it not been for all that head scratching from the engineering teams…
Now nervous teeth chattering might be about to join that constant background noise, because the iX has been treated to a mid-life refresh which aims to take things a step further – quite a feat when the Mercedes EQE/EQS and Audi Q8 e-tron were already struggling to keep up.
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It’s fair to say that the alternatives from Audi and Mercedes look a touch less polarising, though, and BMW hasn’t decided to tone down the iX’s bold face in its latest iteration. The front grille has gained new detailing, but still keeps its rodent-toothed shape, which can now be highlighted further on models with an illuminated grille surround. The headlights have also gained revised graphics that look slightly sharper than before.
In the range-topping M70 iteration we’re sampling here, the iX is even more menacing than before. A new front bumper has huge vertical strakes at the extremities to further emphasise an already significant width, while the lower front bumper treatment apes the design found on the latest M5. Things are a little cleaner around the back, with the M70 gaining a mock rear diffuser. Dramatic-looking 22-inch wheels fill the chunky arches nicely. There is also a range of new exterior colours to choose from.
Inside, the iX’s concept car-like cabin was already a high point, and not much has been messed with. There are some new material options, and the M70 gets a three spoke steering wheel in place of the two-spoke item that it previously shared with the rest of the range, but otherwise it’s still the same clean look, complemented by slick infotainment tech. It’s not short on space for people in the back, who get to sink into the lounge-like rear bench, although some rivals offer greater capacity than the iX’s 500-litre boot.
But the key changes come under the skin, with a range of upgraded powertrain and battery options. A new base model, the xDrive45, replaces the previous 40, adding a significant 81bhp to now deliver 402bhp. This knocks a full second off the old car’s 0-62mph time, with the latest model achieving the benchmark in 5.1 seconds.
More important is the new battery on board, which sees the capacity of the base model climb by 30 per cent up to 94.8kWh. In addition to new inverter technology for the power electronics to improve efficiency, plus a range of other measures including lower rolling-resistance wheel bearings and tyres (all installed throughout the new iX line-up), it means that the xDrive45 is capable of up to 374 miles of range on the WLTP cycle – 40 per cent more than the outgoing car.
Above that sits a new xDrive60 model. Compared to its predecessor, it’s up a more modest 15bhp (now at 537bhp) and reaches 62mph half a second sooner than the 45. It gains an even larger battery than the xDrive45; a 109.1kWh usable capacity promises a WLTP range of 435 miles. The xDrive45 charges at up to 175kW, while the xDrive60 and the M70 hit 195kW.
That M70 gets a fairly serious powertrain, too. Its twin motor set-up offers up 650bhp and a mind-bending 1,100Nm of torque; this is the same torque figure as the outgoing M60, but there’s an extra 31bhp to play with. Engage launch control, and it’ll throw its weight – all 2,580kg of it – from 0-62mph in just 3.8 seconds.
On the road, it feels every bit as quick as those numbers suggest, and that acceleration feels all the more surreal when there’s so little drama elsewhere. This is one of the quietest, most refined cars money can buy, after all.
The iX manages to maintain its true party piece, however, which is how it can combine this performance and refinement without feeling all at sea through the corners. Yes, on the challenging, twisty roads that snake up into the hills around our Barcelona test route, that weight is ever-present, but it feels no more chunky than a decent-sized executive saloon would in most situations. Four-wheel steering, air-suspension and, in the case of the M70, M-specific tuning for the anti-roll bars, steering and brakes, make it feel incredibly agile for a car of its size.
We couldn’t give a truly definitive comment on the ride comfort in Spain, as the roads were generally much smoother than much of what we find in the UK. However, our initial impressions suggest that the M70 won’t be too different from the outgoing M60; still very comfortable in other words, but not quite as silken as the standard iX models.
Likewise, we’ll have to reserve our judgement on the supposed efficiency improvements until we get back to the UK, because our twisty test routes weren’t particularly conclusive. It’s fair to say that efficiency wasn’t a former iX strong point, however, so any improvement would be welcome.
And really, that’s where our money would still go. Prices for the xDrive45 start from £75,305; while that’s a little up on its predecessor, the significant boost in range makes it entirely justified. That price also remains much lower than the other options in the range.
You’ll really need to do lots of long trips to justify the extra range potential of the xDrive60 when it starts from £93,105, while the M70 costs from £114,205. Given the EQE ranges from £75,495 to £124,995, we think the choice between the two has become even more clear.
| Model: | BMW iX M70 |
| Price: | £114,205 |
| Powertrain: | 2x e-motors, 108.9kWh battery |
| Power/torque: | 650bhp/1,100Nm |
| Transmission: | Single-speed, four-wheel drive |
| 0-62mph: | 3.8 seconds |
| Top speed: | 155 mph |
| Range: | 373 miles |
| Charging: | 195kW (10-80% in 35 minutes) |
| Size (L/W/H): | 4,965/1,970/1,695mm |
| On sale: | Now |
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