2024 BMW iX2 review

BMW IX2 Cons

The BMW iX2 is all-new vehicle for the German carmaker which forms as the electric counterpart to the new-generation X2 'coupe' SUV.

This is the first time BMW has offered an electric version of the X2, though this mirrors the related X1 and iX1 models.

Unlike the previous-generation X2, this second-generation model adopts a more conventional 'coupe' SUV silhouette like the X4 and X6.

On test here as part of the international media launch in Portugal is the dual-motor all-wheel drive 2024 BMW iX2 xDrive30 which will be the only variant available at launch. A single-motor front-wheel drive variant called the iX2 eDrive20 will follow around mid-year.

Is this an electric SUV worth considering? Read along to find out.

2024 BMW iX2 pricing:

Prices are before on-road costs

To see how the BMW iX2 compares with its rivals, check out our comparison tool.

Walking up to the BMW iX2 there's a clear presence. The illuminated double kidney grille makes a statement on this small electric coupe SUV, especially at night.

Thanks to the higher hip point, the BMW iX2 is really easy to get in and out of. It's easy to see why these kinds of vehicles are so popular.

Once you hop in you're presented with a set of seats that are finished in black Veganza faux leather upholstery. They're rather inoffensive in terms of design with perforated and stitched sections.

Despite being faux leather, the seats are really squishy and comfortable. You're hugged in just the right amount, though after a while my back hurt a little.

It felt like there was just too much lumbar support, which similar to what I experienced in the i5 eDrive40 recently.

Both front seats are heated, electrically adjustable, and have a massage function. The latter has a lot of novelty factor, but from a driver's perspective it can be a bit much.

Ahead of the driver is a leather-wrapped steering wheel with an incredibly thick rim. It's almost too thick to hold onto for longer periods of time. Like the front seats, the steering wheel is heated which is handy on cool mornings.

All the buttons and scroll wheels on the steering wheel have an incredibly clicky and satisfying action. I do wish there was a scroll wheel for volume on the steering wheel however, as spamming the same buttons doesn't feel as intuitive.

Unlike the petrol-powered X2 M35i, there's only a single, subtle-looking paddle shifter behind the steering wheel. It doesn't change gears however, and only activates 'Boost' mode.

As standard there's a 10.7-inch digital instrument cluster there's bright and clear. It can be configured to display multiple pieces of content and also has different looks depending on the drive mode.

On the dashboard there's a big head-up display that shows your current speed, satellite navigation route and adaptive cruise control settings, plus more.

The head-up display is bright enough, though with polarised sunglasses it can go a little funny. This is one downside of having it projected onto the windscreen.

Within the same wraparound housing as the digital instrument cluster is a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system that runs the Android-based iDrive 9.0.

This infotainment system can take a little bit to understand at first as there are an overwhelming about of pages, menus and apps. After a while it starts to make sense.

Unlike other BMW models there's no proper iDrive controller to interact with the infotainment system, making touch inputs the only option. This isn't the end of the world as the touchscreen is tilted towards the driver and is easy to reach.

The touchscreen can be a little laggy at first when turning on and opening new apps or pages – it's like it struggles to multitask.

Once a particular app is open however, the infotainment system becomes snappy and responsive.

As standard there's both wired and wireless forms of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. During our brief experience of the iX2 we had an iPhone 13 Pro connected with wireless CarPlay which didn't have any dropouts whatsoever.

There are a bunch of connected services available in the iX2, including a phone app that allows you to view and remotely control certain elements. You can also use your phone as a digital key for the vehicle.

Looking around the cabin there are plenty of soft-touch materials. It's actually quite hard to find harder plastics, though if you look down far enough you'll find them.

At the front of the centre console is a proud wireless phone charger that sits as the centrepiece. Although it looks large it can technically only fit a single phone at a time.

The wireless phone charger also has a bar on it to secure the phone and make sure it stays charging on the pad. This is quite cute because it's almost putting your phone in a rollercoaster seat every time it's secured into the wireless phone charger.

The centre console is interesting. There's a raised section which houses the tiny gear selector, a few buttons, and an armrest that doubles as a tiny amount of storage.

Underneath this raised section of the centre console is a larger, more open section that can be used to stow bags. The only thing to keep in mind is there's no way to cover it.

Moving to the second row there's a surprising amount of space, but this is where the 'coupe' SUV roots start to shine though. Due to the sloping roof line, second-row headroom isn't fantastic for adults, though kids will be fine.

Compared to the X2 there's a little less headroom in the second row of the iX2 as the high-voltage battery incrementally lifts up the seating position.

Leg and shoulder room are both fine. Two adults will fit in the second row of the car, though three would be a bit squishy.

Another minor gripe about the sloping roof is it really restricts rear visibility. There's also a roof-mounted centre seatbelt that further blocks the view out the rear window.

In terms of second-row amenities, there are centre console-mounted air vents, USB-C ports, and a fold-down armrest with cupholders.

Around the back of the iX2 is a power tailgate which is a handy feature because it's such a large piece.

Once the boot is open the space on offer is a surprising given this car is a coupe SUV. BMW quotes an official figure of 525 litres – there's also a large underfloor section for the charging cables.

To see how the BMW iX2 compares with its rivals, check out our comparison tool.

It's worth pointing out from the get-go that we only experienced the new BMW iX2 xDrive30 briefly as part of the international media launch in Portugal.

Our prescribed drive loop consisted of around 90km of Portuguese highways, as well as urban and rural roads. There was also a bit of dynamic driving to see what the car is capable of.

We'll have to wait until mid-year to see how the iX2 xDrive30 is actually like on Australian soil.

Starting up this electric car is quite an emotional process. There's a pulse noise that plays when your press the start button – it sounds like the car comes to life.

Driving around at low speeds the car is largely silent. The exception to this is an audible tone plays on the outside so pedestrians and other vulnerable road users hear you coming.

Now there's one thing the iX2 xDrive30 isn't lacking – power. This small electric SUV produces 230kW and 494Nm, the latter of which is all available from standstill.

In normal mode acceleration is really progressive and linear. You'll still be keeping up or even pulling ahead of the traffic. Punch it and you'll get a solid shove in the back.

There are two different fundamental ways to drive the iX2. First is 'D' mode which offers an internal combustion engine-like driving experience where you need to use the brake pedal more to come to a complete stop.

There's also a 'B' mode that can be activated by pushing back on the gear selector one more time once 'D' is activated. This is more like a one-pedal driving mode that allows the car to come to a complete stop without touching the brake.

You do still need to use the brake pedal at points to slow down faster, but it's my preferred way of driving an EV.

As I mentioned above, the normal drive mode is already pretty quick if you want it to be, but 'Sport' mode amplifies this further. In addition to faster acceleration response, the steering and adaptive suspension stiffens up.

If you're feeling properly sporty you can activate the 'Boost' mode by pulling on the paddle behind the steering wheel. When you do you'll be presented with a 10-second countdown.

Although 'Boost' mode doesn't unlock any additional power, it puts the electric motors and accelerator in its sportiest setting.

The best place to do 'Boost' mode is when you're accelerating from low speeds as you'll blow away the majority of other cars. It's really exhilarating and somewhat addictive.

There are other drive modes including Expressive mode which is a little too intense with the pumped in-noise for me; as well as Digital Art which is really fun. Both of these have a bit of novelty factor that will more than likely wear off after a while.

Low-speed manoeuvrability in the iX2 xDrive30 is really easy as the steering is light and direct. As standard there are front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view camera, as well as a parking assistant and reversing assistant.

One of my favourite parts about the iX2 is it remembers I had the 'B' mode selected when I shift between it and reverse. This eliminates unnecessary presses of the gear selector.

Speed comes on easily in the iX2 xDrive30. If you're not paying attention the speed limit will creep up on you very quickly.

Now this car isn't a proper M Performance vehicle and that's pretty obvious, though it still feels pretty dynamic.

Compared to the X2, the iX2 does feel heavier in the corners with more body roll. This does make sense as it's around 400kg heavier than its petrol counterpart.

Despite feeling heavy in the corners it never feels unwieldy. At no point does it feel like the car will fall over itself like a number of other electric SUVs.

Unsurprisingly the iX2 is capable of being an ultra-comfortable highway tourer. This is a touch ironic however, as it's where electric cars are typically at their most inefficient.

On the safety front, the iX2 xDrive30's adaptive cruise control system works fantastically. It's one of my favourites I've experienced in the last while.

The adaptive cruise control responds so naturally to when a vehicle cuts into the lane ahead of you and doesn't slam on the brakes immediately.

The lane-keep and lane-centring functions are also some of my favourites I've used in recent history. They're best suited to well-marked highways and freeways however.

With the lane-centring function there's also an assisted lane change feature that seems handy on paper but is a little too jerky in practice – I much prefer to do the lane changes myself.

The last thing I'll mention in this section is our European-specification iX2 xDrive30 is it came fitted with a speed limit assist feature which sounded a chime when you travelled 2-3km/h over the posted speed limit.

Unlike current Hyundai and Kia models this chime wasn't as annoying, but frustratingly it's required to default to on every single time you turn on the car. For now this is only a requirement in Europe and not in Australia.

BMW Australia hasn't detailed standard specifications for the iX2 eDrive20 as yet.

iX2 xDrive30 highlights:

Enhancement Package: $3615

M Sport package Pro: $4900

There are also a range of alloy wheel, interior upholstery and interior trim options.

The new-generation BMW X2 or iX2 hasn't been crash-tested by ANCAP or Euro NCAP yet.

For reference, petrol-powered versions of the related BMW X1 are covered by a 2022-stamped five-star ANCAP and Euro NCAP rating.

This rating is based on category scores of 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 76 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 94 per cent for safety assist.

BMW Australia hasn't detailed the standard safety equipment for the iX2 eDrive20 as yet, though we know the iX2 xDrive30 comes decked out with the full suite of assists the company has to offer

iX2 xDrive30 features:

BMW Australia covers its line-up with a five-year, unlimited-kilometre new vehicle warranty.

The iX2 also has a eight-year or 160,000km warranty for its high-voltage battery.

BMW includes a 12-month complimentary Chargefox subscription with the iX2. The company also offers a six-year, unlimited-kilometre Service Inclusive package on the iX2 for $2186.

The BMW iX2 is an interesting answer to a question that I'm not certain was ever asked.

Styling is subjective, but despite the rakish coupe-like roofline, this electric SUV has more boot space than you'd think.

It also packs a heavy punch and will blow you away if given the chance – just beware as the energy consumption will skyrocket if you're overly zealous with the accelerator pedal.

If coupe SUVs appeal to you and you're seeking a lower-emissions vehicle, you'd be silly to not consider the iX2. You also get 12 months of complimentary Chargefox public charging with your purchase.

For myself however I'd opt for the related iX1 xDrive30 which gets all the same benefits but with its more typical and practical rear end. You'll also be saving money in the process.

MORE: Buy a BMW iX2 MORE: Everything BMW iX2

Content originally sourced from: CarExpert.com.au