1 February 2024
Great to drive, considering it’s a large SUV, but perhaps not the most logical choice
Introduced to the BMW line-up back in 2008, the high-riding BMW X6 is largely credited with kick-starting a whole new segment for luxuriously equipped premium brand coupe SUVs.Few cars manage to divide opinions quite like it, and it’s since spawned a host of sought-after rivals such as the Audi Q8, Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe, Porsche Cayenne Coupe and Range Rover Sport.But whatever you think about the X6, there’s no denying its success. And despite the increased competition and increasingly tight emission regulations in key markets, global demand for the big BMW continues to grow.The third-generation BMW X6 has been on sale since 2019. It introduced a bold, love-it-or-hate-it design, with a far more brutish exterior look than its sister car, the BMW X5. The X6 makes some obvious sacrifices, such as slightly diminished practicality, impacted by its sportier, sloped rear end. Although the X6 pioneered the introduction of the coupe-SUV segment, is it still the class leader? More importantly, can it match the excellent 4.5-star BMW X5? Our review will give you all the answers, so read on to find out more… The BMW X6 range at a glanceWhile the more boxy BMW X5 gets a plug-in hybrid powertrain with up to 68 miles of electric-only range, no such engine is offered on the X6 line-up. However, all cars are equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all cars have access to four-wheel drive. Instead, BMW offers the X6 with a choice of two diesel engines: the 293bhp xDrive30d and the 347bhp xDrive40d. Both pack a punch, accelerating from 0-62mph in 6.1sec and 5.5sec respectively. If petrol is more your style, the X6 is also offered with the xDrive40i, which is powered by a 375bhp in-line six petrol engine with 48V mild hybrid assistance, which BMW says helps to reduce emissions and fuel consumption. The X6 model range is topped by the high-performance BMW X6 M60i xDrive, which packs a twin-turbocharged V8 engine with 48V mild hybrid assistance, pumping out a staggering 523bhp and 553lb ft of torque. Not only that; it dispatches 0-62mph in a supercar-bating 4.3sec.VERSIONPOWERxDrive30d293bhpxDrive40d347bhpxDrive40i375bhpM60i xDrive523bhp