BMW iX2 Review & Prices

BMW has really made a mark in the electric car market, and the iX2 is the latest addition to its EV stable. As with the petrol-powered X2, it’s based on the same mechanical package as the iX1 electric SUV, but gets sharper exterior styling that comes a little at the expense of practicality. 

It’s a bit like sports fleece jackets — the iX1 is a roomy and comfy fleece, designed for practicality, while the iX2 is more sporty and form-fitting, with a tailored look to it. 

The iX2 is entering a pretty crowded marketplace when it comes to stylish electric SUVs and crossovers — there’s already the choice of the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback, the Volvo EC40, and of course the big-selling Tesla Model Y.

On the outside, the iX2 looks very much the same as the petrol X2 — if you’re trying to tell them apart, really aside from the badges the only way to do so is to look at the grille, which is blanked-off for the iX2. If you fancy an electric car but maybe don’t fancy making too big a visual statement about it, that could be a good thing for you. 

BMW iX2: electric range, battery and charging data

Range: 266-282 miles
Efficiency: 3.6-3.8 miles per kWh
Battery size: 64.8kWh
Max charge speed: 130kW
Charge time AC: 10hrs 0mins, 0-100%, 7kW
Charge time DC: 29mins, 10-80%, 130kW
Charge port location: Right rear
Power outputs: 204hp / 313hp

That sharply-sloping rear roofline certainly marks the iX2 out as being one of the more stylish and dramatic-looking electric SUVs you can buy — it’s definitely more interesting to look at than the slightly blobby Audi or Tesla — but it won’t be to everyone’s taste. Inside, the cabin looks and feels very modern and high-tech, but some of the materials used are too cheap when you’re shopping at the more expensive end of the iX2’s price list.

The big, wide, curved-screen layout for the infotainment screen and the driver’s instruments looks great though, and it’s hugely responsive. The layout is fairly easy to find your way around, too, and the on-screen icons are large and easy to press, but there are a few too many complicated sub-menus for some functions. 

Practicality takes a hit compared to the iX1, as despite the boot being large on paper compared to most alternatives the sloping roof limits the size of loads that you can take. And while the rear seats are really roomy for two adults, the centre seat is almost useless - making the iX2 a four-seater except for very occasional use.

BMW sells two versions of the iX2. Although they use the same size of battery, the more powerful all-wheel drive version doesn’t go as far on a charge as the less powerful two-wheel drive version, which can go 282 miles.

The iX2 is as quiet and refined as you’d hope from an electric car, but while it does drive well, and can corner hard, there’s maybe not the gap between it and rivals from Volvo and Audi that there used to be. The steering is satisfying, although a little odd at times, and performance is ample. Like the iX1 it’s up there as one of the benchmarks in the sector.

If you’re interested, check out the latest BMW iX2 deals on Carwow. You can also check out used BMW iX2s for sale, or other used BMWs here. And remember that when the time comes for car-changing you can even sell your old car through Carwow’s network of trusted dealers.

The iX2 starts at more than £50,000 for the eDrive20 model in its sole M Sport trim, which is quite a sum considering the same powertrain costs around £5,000 less in the iX1. However, that’s in a lower trim level - the equivalent iX1 M Sport is only around £600 below the iX2. That said, it’s very easy to spec your iX2 up to well over £60,000, especially if you go for the all-wheel drive iX2 30e model, and add the desirable M-Sport pack.

In comparison with the likes of the Volvo EC40 or Tesla Model Y, the iX2 is quite pricey and actually ends up competing with larger, longer-range EVs such as the Kia EV6 and Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback. Good residual values make for appealing finance packages, but in cash terms, the iX2 is quite an expensive car - especially if you want the additional performance of the xDrive30 model.

Powerful and good to drive, but visibility is terrible and the steering is a little strange

In town

The iX2’s electric powertrain (and slew of useful driver aids) make it a doddle to pilot around town. Even in its most efficient setting, there’s plenty of punch to get away quickly at traffic lights - with the benefit of the gearless, seamless electric motor making for smooth progress no matter what.

Visibility out of the front is good, but the rear of the car has very poor visibility with a small rear window and thick C-pillar limiting your over-the-shoulder view. At least there’s plenty of technology to help you out - particularly BMW’s clever parking systems, which can park the car for you or even repeat your last moves in reverse if you’ve gone too far down a narrow cul-de-sac or have to back out of a tight spot in a multi-storey car park.

The other blot on the iX2’s copybook is the suspension. The regular X2 is quite firm in terms of how it smooths out imperfections in the road surface, but the additional weight of the iX2’s battery pack makes things a little worse still. It’s far from unbearable, but you really do notice the bumps in the road. A Volvo EC40 or Audi Q4 e-tron are both much more accomplished at ironing out poor surfaces or speed bumps. The iX1 suffers from the same issue, but it can be improved by opting for a different specification with smaller alloy wheels - not possible in the single-trim iX2 range.

On the motorway

The iX2’s firm suspension is much less noticeable at speed on a smooth motorway. The car settles down quite nicely and makes for a good cruiser. There is some road noise, but mostly it’s all pretty well suppressed. 

There’s plenty of punch from the xDrive30 model we tested, even in the 50-70mph range where some electric cars can feel sluggish. Of course, with 313hp on tap, you’d rather hope that this model was powerful enough for motorway speeds to feel effortless. We’ll update this review with our impressions of the lower-powered eDrive20 when we’ve tested it, but it still has 204hp and shouldn’t feel underpowered.

The iX2’s silent electric powertrain plus its aerodynamic silhouette means that it’s a very refined car on the motorway, while standard-fit cruise control takes the sting out of long trips. You can also add one of BMW’s driver assistance packages, which bring goodies like adaptive cruise control and a head-up display, though it’s a shame these don’t come as standard given the iX2’s price.

On a twisty road

The iX2 is pretty good when you reach an exciting road - the steering is nicely weighted and accurate, so it’s easy to place the car where you’re aiming it, but it does feel a little slow to react at first, before suddenly throwing the nose at a corner. The xDrive30 model has all the power you could want on a British B-road, and if you overcook it slightly you can feel the rear motor stepping in to stop you from getting too out of line. It’ll do 0-62mph in a brisk 5.6 seconds, compared to 8.6 seconds for the eDrive20.

It’s never really ‘fun’, though - a bit like the iX1, you can really feel that the iX2 is quite a heavy car when you start to get a move on. It doesn’t feel especially nimble, like smaller BMWs typically do.

The many drive modes have some strange names, but ‘Sport’ is as you’d expect - it sharpens up the throttle response and weights up the steering some more, but doesn’t fundamentally change the car’s character. A Kia EV6 is more satisfying to drive on a good road.

A good boot and reasonable space for two in the back, just don’t try and fit a third rear passenger

Drivers and front passengers of all sizes shouldn’t have much to complain about in the BMW iX2. Unlike some EVs where you sit uncomfortably high, the iX2’s front seats go down nice and low, and there’s loads of adjustment. Especially of note for taller drivers is the extendable seat cushion, which gives drivers with long legs a bit more under-thigh support.

Storage space is good but not exceptional - there are ample door bins and a good-sized glovebox, but there’s a lack of anywhere useful to sling keys, wallets or other assorted pocket debris. The tray underneath the central armrest isn’t very easily accessible when you’re sat down either, and the side-hinged lid for the storage area under the armrest hasn’t been swapped over for right-hand drive, so it’s almost useless for the driver. 

What’s very good is the wireless smartphone charger, though, which has a spring-loaded retaining bar to keep your smartphone safe and secure, but why is it optional when you’re spending this much money? If you’re not making use of the wireless connections there are a pair of USB-C sockets, too.

Space in the back seats

There’s a surprising amount of space for rear passengers considering the iX2’s stylish silhouette. A six-foot tall adult can easily sit behind a driver of a similar height, with plenty of legroom and just about enough headroom. Anyone taller will find their hair brushing the roofline, but that’s easily remedied by slouching a little. That said, the fact that the battery is under the floor does take away space for your feet. 

Rear passengers are treated to a pair of USB-C sockets in the centre, and useful door bins that can take a bottle of water with ease. It’s also good that those shallow rear windows wind all the way down. 

The centre passenger has a rather worse time, though. Not only is the middle seat narrower and harder than the outer two, but there’s a hump in the roof lining that really restricts headroom for anyone sitting there, and makes the people in the outer seats lean outward, which means that they’ll be brushing their heads off the roof. If you need to seat three rear passengers, then you’d be much better off with a BMW iX1 or Tesla Model Y.

Loading child seats isn’t the easiest thing, as the rear doors are smaller than on the iX1 and the lower roofline restricts the opening space. ISOFIX points are present and correct in both outer rear seats, behind removable plastic covers.

Boot space

The iX2’s 525-litre boot is a really good size and shape. On paper, it’s even bigger than the iX1 - but that’s just the space below the parcel shelf. In reality, the iX1’s squarer tailgate means you can accommodate taller items and more overall than the more sloping iX2.

Still, it’s a very useful space - the Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback is almost identical with 520 litres, but a Tesla Model Y eclipses it with more than 800 litres of space.

The iX2 doesn’t have a front boot like some other electric cars, but there is a cubby under the boot floor that’s ideal for storing cables. The seats fold in a 40:20:40 split, which is useful when you have long, thin items and still want to carry two rear passengers. However, there’s no way of stowing the massive luggage cover, other than by laying it flat on the floor of the boot, which is not the best. 

High-quality with a great touchscreen system, but lack of buttons can frustrate

The iX2’s interior is almost identical to the regular X2, itself lifted straight from the X1/iX1 and similar to other small BMWs. That’s not a bad thing in the least - it doesn’t feel at all like an entry-level car, with very high interior quality throughout and plenty of luxurious materials. Even lower on the dash where plastics are a little cheaper, it still feels well-built. Unlike a Mercedes EQA, there are almost no creaks and rattles but some of the cheaper materials — the sun visors especially — start to feel way too cheap once you’re shopping at the higher end of the price list.

The dashboard is dominated by two large screens - a centre infotainment screen that measures 10.25 inches, and a driver display for instrumentation that measures 10.7 inches. Both sit under the same piece of glass, making for a seamless look and feel.

The screens are both bright and clear, with a responsive interface. Everything’s easy enough to hit, which is good as unlike larger BMWs there is no rotary dial to use as a backup. However, there are so many features that sometimes you do end up having to scroll through a lot of menus - not always easy to do on the move. However, BMW has retained physical controls for things like the seats and the mirrors, which is good, but less good is the fact that electric seat adjustment is optional, even on the pricier versions. 

An optional Technology Pack provides an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, adaptive LED lights, the aforementioned wireless charging pad and keyless entry. For a bit extra you can get the Technology Plus pack, which has a very useful head-up display, BMW’s augmented-reality navigation system, and the ‘Iconic Glow’ illuminated grille. A Harman Kardon audio system is also available as an option, and sounds fantastic.

The iX2 isn’t up there with the best EVs for range, but nor does it embarrass itself. With a maximum range of 282 miles from the eDrive20, it does look a little weedy next to cars like the Tesla Model Y, Volvo C40 or Kia EV6 - all of which can do more than 300 miles per charge, officially. The more powerful xDrive30 has a maximum range of 266 miles, although it’s more likely to give you around 220 miles in real-world conditions. 

However, the BMW does have a smaller battery than those cars, so it’s actually quite efficient - this will pay dividends when it comes to the overall cost of ownership, especially if you regularly use public charging. 

Speaking of public charging, find a sufficiently powerful charge station and the iX2 can top up at a maximum rate of 130kW. That’s good for a 10-80% charge in 29 minutes in a best-case scenario. Again, that’s not hugely impressive next to Volvo and Tesla’s 200kW-plus speeds, but it’s sufficient for the size of the iX2’s battery.

As an EV, the iX2 is the cheapest model in the X2 range when it comes to company car tax, with really competitive benefit-in-kind rates making it cost-effective to run. As with all pure EVs, it’s also exempt from vehicle excise duty as well as London’s congestion charge until 2025.

The iX2 hasn’t been individually tested by Euro NCAP but it’s likely it will inherit its rating from the mechanically similar iX1. That scored a full five stars when Euro NCAP tested it.

Safety equipment for the X2 is good, with the latest version of its autonomous emergency braking system even able to warn the driver of pedestrians or cyclists travelling parallel to the car that might be in the way when turning. The same system can warn you if you’re parked up and about to open your door into a passing bike.

Optionally available, the Driving Assistant Plus package includes adaptive cruise control (shame BMW charges extra for this) and advanced lane-keeping aids, plus automatic speed limit assistance.

The old BMW X2 wasn’t without its problems, just like the X1 it was based on. However, the latest X1 has proved quite dependable, with only one small recall since launch. The iX1 hasn’t had any specific recalls, and as an EV it has fewer moving parts to worry about or to service. So good signs for the reliability of the iX2.

BMW’s standard warranty is just three years but unlimited mileage, making it useful for those who do lots of long journeys. It’s about on par with the warranties from Mercedes or Audi, but some Korean and Japanese brands do offer much longer coverage. BMW also offers eight years and 100,000 miles of cover for the battery, which is about standard.