BMW X6 first drive review

BMWâ€™s divisive SUV is more palatable after six years on sale, especially if you enjoy going fast.

Drive Team

00:5431 January 2015

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BMW X6 first drive review

The motoring world has had six full years to digest BMW's first-generation X6: its divisive coupe-cum-SUV roofline, hefty pricing premium and overall purpose.

Irrespective of whether you love it or hate it, it takes roughly five seconds to appreciate the sheer power of the second incarnation launched in Australia this week. That's because the updated X6 defies big SUV logic in a way most others struggle to match.

Accelerating out of a fast right-hand corner in the mid-range 50i, a vehicle tipping the scales at a portly 2100kg, triple figures is notched in a swift 4.8 seconds. With the help of two turbochargers, its 330kW/650Nm 4.4-litre petrol V8 offers chest-thumping low down torque and excellent mid-range punch, from where this monstrous stump puller revs eagerly to cut out.

But more than that, the big, seemingly cumbersome X6 corners among some of the most accomplished BMWs produced.

Riding on adaptive dampers, the 50i turns in positively, tenaciously clings on mid-corner thanks to all-wheel drive underpinnings and then slingshots away with utmost fluency and resolve. It's a vehicle that asks to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck, with steering that is well weighted and suitably responsive to driver input.

A cacophony of snarls and crackles ensue as the V8 deftly peddles through its eight ratios – each gear flawlessly timed and executed.

The X6 is unquestionably big, and there is no hiding its proportions on a tight ribbon of road, where its mass makes itself known during quick changes of direction. But boy does it go.

When it first broke cover back in 2008, the oddly shaped high-rider polarised opinion. The new model will continue to do the same.

The outside styling presents largely the same as before, save for lightly revised front and rear ends, and an additional character line down its flank.

The overall proportions have changed ever so slightly – 32mm longer, 6 mm wider, 12 mm higher – while weight is whittled down by between 10 and 20kg. Inside, the boot is 75 litres larger, at 580 litres, while 40:20:40 split-folding seats and a standard electric tailgate ensure some semblance of functionality.

The five-seat X6 is a cosseting and pampering place to be. The front chairs are supportive and comfortable on long trips, with excellent head and leg proportions. The rear suffers slightly from the raked roofline, though two six-foot adult passengers would be comfortably accommodated during extended journeys.

The presentation front and rear is first class. In all models you'll find premium materials at all the contact points, and a plethora of door storage and compartments

A 10.2-inch screen now resides at the top of a slightly revised centre fascia, controlled via BMW's successful iDrive rotary dial in the middle console.

Also new for 2015 is a matching 10.2-inch screen in the driver instrument cluster conveying digital readouts for speed, revs and the like. Switching between the different driving modes (Sport, Sport-plus, Comfort and Eco), the analogue-style gauges in the instrument cluster prioritise the numbers most relevant to the driver (e.g. performance stats in Sport). Clever stuff.

The outlook from the cockpit is similar to before: an excellent driving position with a slightly compromised rear window. Working to offset the latter factor is a revised suite of standard safety technology in 2015 including adaptive headlamps and a camera-based technology providing lane departure warning, forward collision warning and pedestrian warning with light city braking. Those features are in addition to existing front and rear parking control, keyless start-stop, dual-zone climate control, automatic wipers and headlights, Bluetooth, sat-nav and 20GB media hard drive.

Three different models are available from this month: the entry level 190kW/650Nm 30d diesel ($115,400), the 50i petrol ($151,600) and the triple turbo diesel 280kW/740Nm M50d ($157,900). From late February they will joined by the $127,700 xDrive 35i and $128,400 xDrive 40d.

For most, the entry level 30d will likely provide the optimum mix of performance and efficiency, with a pleasant yet quick 3.0-litre diesel that can sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 6.7 seconds.

Like the 50i - which is 22 per cent more efficient than before, consuming an impressive 9.7L/100km – fuel use has been improved across the range. The bulk-selling 30d consumes a miserly 6.0L/100km, while the flagship M50d sips on a claimed 6.6L/100km combined, while dispatching 0-100km/h in 5.2 seconds.

All models offer the same high-riding performance to varying degrees, with the M50d and 50i standing out as the two pedigree variants, riding on standard adaptive suspension. The three lower tier models can also be optioned with the same technology if you splash out on the $1800 M Sport package.

The only real downside of those sporty pretensions – across all models - is a jiggly ride. Rolling on 20-inch wheels, the X6 feels busy on a typical Australian road. Over larger bumps at speed, particularly when there is unsprung load, it can lead to unwanted body movement as a result.

Of course, all that dynamic prowess won't be enough to convince some buyers away from the garden variety X5, on which the X6 is based. After all, the more conventional X5 is cheaper, can still hold its own through the twisty stuff, and offers more interior space at the same time.

But there is no doubting the trail-blazing SUV deserves its place in BMW's line-up – a factor reinforced by Mercedes upcoming GLE SUV due later this year, sporting the same uncanny profile. The X6 unapologetically prioritises driving ability above all else, leaving a smile on your face that will likely take some time to wear off. Years, perhaps.