• iX interior feels large and modern
• A great mix of digital displays and high-quality materials 
• Entry-level models can look a bit cheap, though

How is the quality and layout? 

BMW’s first electric car, the BMW i3, had a gorgeous and avant-garde cabin filled with unconventional materials. The iX takes this theme and runs with it, creating an interior that feels unlike almost anything else – though it’s a cliché to say it’s lounge-like, the similarities are there. 

It’s wide-open and very airy, with the dashboard set low and covered in fabric or leather. The seats are wide and quilted, while the vast swathe of screens across the middle look the part.

New leather and Alcantara-effect sports seats are also fitted to M Sport and M70 models as part of the 2025 facelift, bringing extra support and they look fantastic. Even more dramatic is the optional glass roof, which doesn’t have a blind – instead, it’s an electrochromic panel that becomes opaque at the touch of a button. It’s very clever but so it should be at £3,200. 

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You can even option a pack that replaces certain controls, including the gear selector, seat controls and infotainment dial, with faceted crystal. This borders on the gauche – some will love it, others will think it’s too much. We’re somewhere in the middle as it does make the interior feel particularly special – but on sunny days, they can throw crazy prism effects across the cabin.

Build quality is excellent, and the BMW iX feels like a genuinely luxurious product. The quality of rivals like the Mercedes EQE SUV or Audi Q6 e-tron can’t compare. It is quite spec-dependent, however. Entry-level Sport models get basic-feeling artificial leather seats, whereas the M Sport trim gets far nicer Alcantara and leather upholstery. 

Infotainment and tech

The iX runs BMW’s latest operating system, colloquially known as iDrive but now officially called Operating System 8.5, which is less catchy. It’s controlled in a few ways – you can use the touchscreen or the rotary controller on the centre console, which would be our preferred choice. But there’s also voice or gesture control if you’re feeling adventurous.

The interface is easy to use and well-optimised for touch or rotary control, and the twin screens (12.3 and 14.5 inches for dials and infotainment respectively) are pin-sharp and look fantastic. Better yet is the integration of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, which doesn’t run in a little window like on some rivals but instead integrates fully with the instrument panel. You’ll also find a head-up display and loads of USB-C connectivity, making the iX well up-to-date.

The iX also remains a tech showcase for the BMW brand, including features that enable you to unlock and start the car using a smartphone, as well as its glass roof that can turn opaque at the press of a button without the need for a sunblind. 

Comfort

• Seats are supportive and comfortable
• iX is extremely refined at speed
• All passengers well looked after

All passengers are very well catered for in the BMW iX. The front seats offer plenty of support while the driver’s seat has adjustable bolsters and lumbar support as well as a massage function. The standard seats in the Sport trim are quite flat with little support, however, so we can see why you’d make the step up to the M Sport and its more sculpted front seats .

All four seats are heated and the front pair are ventilated, too, while multi-zone climate control can keep everybody at the right temperature. All passengers get a good view out, too, with large rear windows and that optional glass roof.

Refinement is excellent even by electric car standards – the iX is superbly insulated, with wind and road noise very well suppressed. It’s one of the quietest cars we’ve ever travelled in.