Tesla really needs to step up their SUV game (BMW iX impressions)

My situation is I'm getting divorced, and I either need to refinance my current car or get a new one. Today I test drove a 2024 BMW iX and I left blown away.

Yes, it's a little smaller (5 seats vs. 6, but considerably more useable cargo area). It lacks air suspension (they stopped that after 2023 apparently). It's not quite as fast to 60mph (I tested).

That said, the interior comfort is on a completely different level. Real leather seats with a decent massage function, the ability to change bolster shaping, outstanding sound system (I tested the Bowers & Wilkins upgrade w/ the bass shakers in the seats), the list really goes quite a bit on.

The HUD was excellent, as was the parking camera and a few other little features the X lacks. Car Play on a big, wide screen is just great. There isn't a back screen but after having that for a year in the X I'm convinced it's not a value add in any way.

The handling is considerably better, and the drive overall is very nice with much better road noise isolation than a model X.

It might not be your taste or whatever, but the important point is this: I can get a lease of an absolutely loaded out iX for less than I pay for my X currently. It's a better car in almost every way. I'll miss the windshield, and air suspension, and.... that's about it TBH.

I'm a huge Tesla fan, but IMO they really need to step up what they're offering for six figures if they want to stay competitive.

"BMW iX electric SUV in Costa Rica" by mariordo59 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Admin note: Image added for Blog Feed thumbnail

 

[oldsport]

well it s like 2 group of ev buyers now that tesla has competitions...

1 is luxury buyer 2 is tech buyer...

 

[holeydonut]

Yeah, maybe Tesla used to treat their customers well and actually had people working there that cared to make sure the customer experience was good. But based on how they're promoting general managers who excel at pushing brand instead of service, I think that time has passed.

Buying from an automaker that is trying to play catchup usually results in a better customer experience than one that rests on its laurels or has the arrogance Tesla has today.

If you need 7 seats and the space... there aren't any EV options IMO that fit the bill other than a Model X. I agree, if you're ok with a nice 5-seater the iX is pretty good.

BTW if you're in NorCal, here are some black with air-suspension equipped 2023 model year. They had a red one but sold it last week.

New 2023 BMW iX For Sale in Pleasanton - Bay Area | WB523CF00PCM83518

New 2023 BMW iX, from East Bay BMW in Pleasanton, CA, 94588. Call 844-361-5467 for more information about this SUV, VIN WB523CF00PCM83518.

www.eastbaybmw.com

New 2023 BMW iX For Sale in Pleasanton - Bay Area | WB523CF06PCM50605

New 2023 BMW iX, from East Bay BMW in Pleasanton, CA, 94588. Call 844-361-5467 for more information about this SUV, VIN WB523CF06PCM50605.

www.eastbaybmw.com

 

[Yarecki]

1. It’s small
2. I can’t get over the way it looks… I just can’t - it’s ugly AF…

 

[ewoodrick]

I'm a huge Tesla fan, but IMO they really need to step up what they're offering for six figures if they want to stay competitive.

It seems as if they are selling as many as they want to.

 

[10dot]

well it s like 2 group of ev buyers now that tesla has competitions...

1 is luxury buyer 2 is tech buyer...

For sure... the problem is that buyer #2 can look at something like an iX and feel pretty good about it now. Car Play on a nice big screen is just a significantly better UI for infotainment than the current Tesla setup. Yes the Tesla map is better than the BMW built-in map... but not *immensely* so as in the case of Mercedes. It's just a little bit better.

My point is that I feel like BMW is close enough on tech that it's not a clear victory for Tesla like it used to be. 360 parking cameras are also a Big Deal tech-wise to a lot of people.

 

[everydaychris]

lol test drove one at the long beach electrify expo
Overall luxury wise it's insane. However for the cost, its what you think is worth it. It's probably a little bigger than a model Y but way more expensive.
The massage seats were nice, the cool electric sound, beautiful interior, all amazing. But does it have Tesla supercharger support? Soon maybe?

What about autopilot and FSD for road trips? I think it has a basic one but not as advanced. Overall, if I knew I'd have a Tesla for road trips, I'd probably get the IX because I love the ride quality and interior beauty. Maybe even the mercedes one too.

 

[10dot]

lol test drove one at the long beach electrify expo
Overall luxury wise it's insane. However for the cost, its what you think is worth it. It's probably a little bigger than a model Y but way more expensive.
The massage seats were nice, the cool electric sound, beautiful interior, all amazing. But does it have Tesla supercharger support? Soon maybe?

What about autopilot and FSD for road trips? I think it has a basic one but not as advanced. Overall, if I knew I'd have a Tesla for road trips, I'd probably get the IX because I love the ride quality and interior beauty. Maybe even the mercedes one too.

No FSD, but the highway driver assist is at least as good as the advanced autopilot was on my old S. I'll definitely miss the supercharger network... that's the one huge one. However, I don't really take road trips anymore so it's not as big a deal as it used to be.

It's bigger than the Y, not quite as big as the X. If you need the 3rd row the X is still the only game in town really. I don't anymore because divorce, so for me it's waaaayyyyy more luxury for slightly less money.

 

[mlambert890]

Sorry, not buying this premise that Tesla represents the "tech" option. This needs to get way more specific.

If what you define as "tech" is that the native UI is excellent, that the car is a software defined platform which has games, toys and OTA updates, and that the driver assistance is on the bleeding edge, then I concur.

If what you define as "tech" are features like four wheel steering, ambient lighting, heads up displays, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, massaging seats, augmented reality, electric sport sound, night vision, 3D view, and parking sensors, then no, Tesla is not "leading in tech"

In terms of FSD, Tesla is playing a totally different game. That said, BMW advanced drive assist will stay centered in a lane, and do lane changes, basically forever, rock solid, including long periods with hands totally off. If you die at the wheel, it will also stop the car rather than turn the system off and drive off a cliff. This is true of Mercedes as well.

Build and materials quality isn't even a discussion. I think at this point the ship sailed and if you're buying a Tesla you simply accept that this isn't there, don't care, or can't recognize it. Looks are subjective. I admit the front view of the iX is a total disaster, but otherwise to me it looks good. The X, again to me, looks like a gigantic egg with no good angle at all. Now if we were talking Model S vs i7, different story. Model S, visually, trounces it to me, but the tech and luxury arguments apply even more in that comparo.

As for "selling all they want to"... I'm going to suggest it's time to kill this meme as well. Last I checked Tesla had a glut of S/X inventory, and had dropped the price like $20 grand. Now they're giving away years of free SC as well. They are clearly not "selling all they want" when it comes to S/X.

 

[10dot]

Sorry, not buying this premise that Tesla represents the "tech" option. This needs to get way more specific.

If what you define as "tech" is that the native UI is excellent, that the car is a software defined platform which has games, toys and OTA updates, and that the driver assistance is on the bleeding edge, then I concur.

If what you define as "tech" are features like four wheel steering, ambient lighting, heads up displays, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, massaging seats, augmented reality, electric sport sound, night vision, 3D view, and parking sensors, then no, Tesla is not "leading in tech"

In terms of FSD, Tesla is playing a totally different game. That said, BMW advanced drive assist will stay centered in a lane, and do lane changes, basically forever, rock solid, including long periods with hands totally off. If you die at the wheel, it will also stop the car rather than turn the system off and drive off a cliff. This is true of Mercedes as well.

Build and materials quality isn't even a discussion. I think at this point the ship sailed and if you're buying a Tesla you simply accept that this isn't there, don't care, or can't recognize it. Looks are subjective. I admit the front view of the iX is a total disaster, but otherwise to me it looks good. The X, again to me, looks like a gigantic egg with no good angle at all. Now if we were talking Model S vs i7, different story. Model S, visually, trounces it to me, but the tech and luxury arguments apply even more in that comparo.

As for "selling all they want to"... I'm going to suggest it's time to kill this meme as well. Last I checked Tesla had a glut of S/X inventory, and had dropped the price like $20 grand. Now they're giving away years of free SC as well. They are clearly not "selling all they want" when it comes to S/X.

I agree 100% on the tech part. Yes the native UI is better in a Tesla. The iX has 2 screen Car Play. I can drop Apple Maps in the HUD and get all the nifty features that brings along (like turn notification haptics on my watch, sync with my contacts/calendar that actually works, etc). Edited to add that on the tech front one notch I will give the model X is the stock audio... the base HK audio in the iX is not very good by comparison. The upgraded Bowers & Wilkins system however is definitely better than the Tesla (and what I ordered), though not as much as you might expect given the price tag.

The front of the iX is kinda ugly. The back with the sport package (so the taillights are white instead of red at idle) however is really nice looking, and the profile is basically a shorter X5. The interior is just no comparison. Tesla does a good minimalist interior.... BMW does it better. Much better.

 

[[email protected]]

My situation is I'm getting divorced, and I either need to refinance my current car or get a new one. Today I test drove a 2024 BMW iX and I left blown away.

Yes, it's a little smaller (5 seats vs. 6, but considerably more useable cargo area). It lacks air suspension (they stopped that after 2023 apparently). It's not quite as fast to 60mph (I tested).

That said, the interior comfort is on a completely different level. Real leather seats with a decent massage function, the ability to change bolster shaping, outstanding sound system (I tested the Bowers & Wilkins upgrade w/ the bass shakers in the seats), the list really goes quite a bit on.

The HUD was excellent, as was the parking camera and a few other little features the X lacks. Car Play on a big, wide screen is just great. There isn't a back screen but after having that for a year in the X I'm convinced it's not a value add in any way.

The handling is considerably better, and the drive overall is very nice with much better road noise isolation than a model X.

It might not be your taste or whatever, but the important point is this: I can get a lease of an absolutely loaded out iX for less than I pay for my X currently. It's a better car in almost every way. I'll miss the windshield, and air suspension, and.... that's about it TBH.

I'm a huge Tesla fan, but IMO they really need to step up what they're offering for six figures if they want to stay competitive.

Where do you charge?

 

[10dot]

Where do you charge?

At home. And the new place I'm moving to is letting me install a 220V outlet in the garage, so it's an easier choice for me than some for sure.

 

[cdub]

If you need 7 seats and the space... there aren't any EV options IMO that fit the bill other than a Model X. I

It's bigger than the Y, not quite as big as the X. If you need the 3rd row the X is still the only game in town really.

Ahem.... R1S?

R1S - Rivian

Explore the places you love with the people you love. It’s time to make some memories.

rivian.com

It looks absolutely wonderful.

 

[holeydonut]

Ahem.... R1S?

R1S - Rivian

Explore the places you love with the people you love. It’s time to make some memories.

rivian.com

It looks absolutely wonderful.

Yeah it looks nice, but at this time is almost impossible to simply go purchase. The only person I know with one works for Rivian’s R&D. A colleague is picking one up in a few weeks after waiting 2 years. Until it’s mainstream I don’t typically advice the R1S as an option for a near term comparison.

 

[10dot]

Yeah it looks nice, but at this time is almost impossible to simply go purchase. The only person I know with one works for Rivian’s R&D. A colleague is picking one up in a few weeks after waiting 2 years. Until it’s mainstream I don’t typically advice the R1S as an option for a near term comparison.

I was going to say something similar. The *only* reason I have to wait ~2 months for my iX is because I was super picky about features and color (I wanted basically everything but not the M60 because I don't care about the extra 100hp). If I would've been cool with black, or missing a couple small things like the radiant heat, I could've had one inside of a week. The R1S does look awesome... my big concern withe Rivian currently aside from availability is the service story. Since I'm moving out, the BMW will be my only car. If something breaks at least I know I'll get set up in a nice loaner while it gets fixed and the dealership/service center is only a few miles from my house.

 

[holeydonut]

I was going to say something similar. The *only* reason I have to wait ~2 months for my iX is because I was super picky about features and color (I wanted basically everything but not the M60 because I don't care about the extra 100hp). If I would've been cool with black, or missing a couple small things like the radiant heat, I could've had one inside of a week. The R1S does look awesome... my big concern withe Rivian currently aside from availability is the service story. Since I'm moving out, the BMW will be my only car. If something breaks at least I know I'll get set up in a nice loaner while it gets fixed and the dealership/service center is only a few miles from my house.

Let us know how the iX turns out! You have a lot of stuff going on, but hopefully the car is a source of good vibes in a tumultuous time.

 

[10dot]

Let us know how the iX turns out! You have a lot of stuff going on, but hopefully the car is a source of good vibes in a tumultuous time.

Thanks! I'll still be around watching Tesla stuff with excitement. If I were shopping for a mid-luxury, smaller car I'd still buy a Y performance over just about anything else. When the time comes for my kids to drive, a well used/loved-low spec 3 would be great from a safety/etc standpoint.

My biggest hope is we see a more complete opening of the supercharger network. The easier it is to charge the better it is for everyone, and lacking that competitive advantage I feel would force Tesla to innovate more on the comfort/interior/etc. They've already got the infrastructure part rocking... I think it's time to show off, personally.

 

[oldsport]

Thanks! I'll still be around watching Tesla stuff with excitement. If I were shopping for a mid-luxury, smaller car I'd still buy a Y performance over just about anything else. When the time comes for my kids to drive, a well used/loved-low spec 3 would be great from a safety/etc standpoint.

My biggest hope is we see a more complete opening of the supercharger network. The easier it is to charge the better it is for everyone, and lacking that competitive advantage I feel would force Tesla to innovate more on the comfort/interior/etc. They've already got the infrastructure part rocking... I think it's time to show off, personally.

yea at the end of the day, it s just a car and a car needs fuel... wo infrastructure it s just a toy...

 

[cdub]

Yeah it looks nice, but at this time is almost impossible to simply go purchase. The only person I know with one works for Rivian’s R&D. A colleague is picking one up in a few weeks after waiting 2 years. Until it’s mainstream I don’t typically advice the R1S as an option for a near term comparison.

Hmmm... Someone at my kids school has one. Don't think they work for them. I'm sure wait times will soon come down. I'm not too familiar with their ordering process. I'm not in a huge rush for a car though.

 

[Sonus]

Until you drive an EV, you don't necessarily appreciate the importance of ubiquitous, reliable, tightly integrated public fast charging to making it practical for road trips.

Keep that In mind when you buy an EV that you will need to travel with and not solely for commuting.