• Space for passengers is impressive
• Boot is rather shallow
• iX is a large car but tech makes it easier to drive

How much space is there?

As you’d hope for from such a big car, passenger space in the BMW iX is excellent, with lots of head and legroom in the rear and large, soft and comfortable seats all around.

There’s also a totally flat floor, which is great – it means passengers in the centre rear seat don’t have to contend with a transmission tunnel, and there’s step-through access through the centre console at the front, so if you’re parked up against a wall you can get out on either side of the car without too much scrambling.

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There’s loads of adjustment in the driving position, including in the steering column which telescopes out really far – great for drivers with long legs who sit a long way back.

Boot space and storage

The iX has 500 litres of boot space underneath the parcel shelf. That’s not a huge boot for such a large car, and it’s also quite a shallow space with a high floor. It’s no problem for shopping and two people’s luggage will fit without issue, but if you’re attempting to load up a full family’s kit and clobber you might find yourself struggling for space. Similarly, loading and unloading heavier items could prove a challenge. For reference, the Skoda Enyaq has a 585-litre boot – and it’s a much smaller car, too.

Unusually BMW hasn’t used additional space where an engine would go for a ‘frunk’ – this is a shame as it means you’ll need to store charging cables in the main load area, taking up space. The Tesla Model X offers a further 187 litres under the bonnet making it a genuinely useful space.

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Storage space for smaller items is good, though, with a big glovebox, large partitioned door bins, and a wireless charging pad plus a few other smaller storage trays for oddments or smartphones. USB-C charging ports are plentiful, too, including the back of the front seats for passengers sitting in the rear. 

Is it easy to park?

It’s a large car but the BMW iX’s tech takes the sting out of parking with a rear camera and all-round sensors as standard. Optional parking packs can give you 360-degree cameras as well as automatic parking and a clever ‘reversing assistant’ – drive into a tight spot and change your mind and the car will reverse you along the same route to take the sting out of this manoeuvre.

You can even teach it specific parking manoeuvres, which it will remember and carry out on its own in the future. So it will even get you into a difficult space, as well as out of it. 

Safety

• iX scored five stars in Euro NCAP testing
• Whole host of driver assistance aids
• Composite body structure is very stiff in a crash

The iX was the safest car Euro NCAP tested back in 2021, a high accolade indeed. With 91% and 87% scores for adult and child occupants respectively, and a huge 87% score for safety assist systems, it’s a very safe car whether you’re sitting inside it or interacting with it on the road. It’s worth mentioning these scores won’t directly compare with cars tested more recently by Euro NCAP, including the Audi Q6 e-tron from 2024. 

Safety equipment is plentiful, and all models come with advanced autonomous emergency braking as well as partially automated driving aids like adaptive cruise control. Blind spot monitoring is also standard.

One of the most impressive features of the BMW iX is its predictive cruising control, which is able to slow the car down automatically for speed limits or traffic ahead, it means you can easily drive the car with just one pedal and makes it relaxing indeed. It’s not an autonomous car, however, and you still need to pay full attention to the road. 

Watch BMW iX Euro NCAP crash test video