New 2026 BMW iX Facelift Review

Can the BMW iX finally be a good electric BMW?

Exterior – Front

So, the overall shape and structure of the iX hasn’t changed to the new BMW Neue Klasse design but it does fit better in the range than before. to start with the kidney grills are the same size as before but now have a new mesh pattern design on them and now have the illuminated outline like every other BMW is getting. The lower central air vent is much bigger than before and has this split in the middle to make the car look like it has 2 sets of kidney grills. The aspect ration from central air vent to grill is much better than before and suits this car quite well. The side vents are also a lot slimmer than before, but the headlights are the same just with new graphics in them. the overall design at the front is much better proportioned than before and just fits better than before.

Exterior – Side

Moving round to the side of the iX Facelift and there isn’t anything to talk about apart from some new colour and wheel options. the lower sill has more body colour though to give it more of a premium look and we also get some black elements on this model too that give it a premium and sporty look.

Exterior – Rear

Moving round to the back and the changes are limited to a new bumper design which again has been made to look like other BMW’s so the iX doesn’t stand out as much as before. we still get these very slim taillights though and the badging which I do quite like. Really this BMW does look better than before but what do you think. Let me know in the comment section below and whilst you are at it don’t forget to like and subscribe. Right, lets have a look and see what battery and motor options you can have with the new BMW iX Facelift.

Car and engine specs and price

So, for the iX facelift the battery and motor options have been updated and there are 3 options to choose from. Lets start with the first model and this is called xDrive45 and this uses a 406 bhp dual motor setup giving it 4-wheel drive. You also get a 95-kWh battery pack giving this car a 340-mile range on average. This will also give the car a 5.1 second 0-62 time which would be enough for most people. Right, the next option is the xDrive60 model and this uses a more powerful 542 bhp dual motor setup again giving it 4-wheel drive and a 0-62 time of 4.6 seconds. The battery pack has increased in size too to 110 kWh which gives this car a better range of about 400 miles on average on a full charge. The final version is the xDriveM70 model and this uses an even more powerful 655 bhp dual motor setup giving this car a 3.8 second 0-62 time. Battery pack is the same size at 110 kWh, but the range is reduced down to about 340 miles which still isn’t too bad and is liveable. The price of the new BMW iX Facelift starts at £75,405 which isn’t too bad considering what you are getting. Right, let’s have a look and see what the interior is like.

Interior – Design

So, climbing inside the new iX and not much has changed but again it does feel more car like. So, to start with we still get this open design with this infotainment system and instrument cluster that float. We also get more dark chrome materials rather than the gold that we used to get. The iDrive system is the 8.5 software which works well and is very easy to use as it still has the iDrive controller that is crystal on this one as too is the volume knob, gear selector and seat switches. The materials are higher end that before and we also get a lot of storage too. the steering wheel now has been upgraded to the 3 spoke design on the M-Sport and M models to give it a better drivers feel. The seats are also different and have more support on the higher models too. again, this makes the car feel more like a proper BMW rather than a futuristic BMW experiment. I would have liked to of seen some better ambient lighting like what the 5 Series and X3 has but it does make the interior still look modern. Right, lets have a look and see what the rear seats are like.

Practicality

So, climbing in the back of the iX and leg room and headroom is quite good because of the open and airy feel. We get a flat floor so sitting 3 people in the back is very easy and the seat bench isn’t affected by the batteries in the floor which is good. Now talking of the seats, I would have liked some better support as the bench is just one flat bit of fabric but apart from that it is decent. You also get your own USB C ports as well as your own air vents and climate control and even an arm rest. Right, lets have a look at the boot space.

Boot Size

Opening the boot to the iX facelift and you are welcomed with a 545-litre boot. Now this is decent, but it isn’t as good as its rivals like the outgoing EQE for example. If you fold the seats down though you do get 1,750 litres and they fold down 40:20:40 split which is handy. Sadly, there isn’t any front boot which is a shame but there is some storage under the boot floor for the charging cables which is good.

Summary

So, in summary then what do I think of the new BMW iX Facelift. well, the changes that have been made have made the iX feel much more like a BMW. It looks like a proper BMW now much less than an electric futuristic BMW and I do think this will help with the sales of the car. the battery and motor options are also good with even the base model being enough for what most people will need it for. The interior is premium and practical too which is good. This may be the best option if you want a practical fun to drive electric SUV. The real question will be what the iX3 is like when that gets reviewed next year to see how the electric game has moved on.

Exterior 5/5

Interior 4.5/5

Practicality 4.5/5

Total 14/15

Model	BMW iX xDrive 60 M-Sport
Engine	110 kWh Battery Pack, Dual Motor, 542bhp, 0-62 = 4.6 Seconds, 400 Mile Range, Four Wheel Drive
Transmission	Single Speed Electric Motor
Price	£94,105
On Sale	Now