BMW iX2 review

Our opinion on the BMW iX2 

Unless you’re sold on its looks, it’s hard to find the BMW iX2 anything but less appealing than its close relation, the BMW iX1. The coupe-SUV’s ride quality is every bit as firm as the regular model’s, and there’s less headroom in the rear cabin to boot. The four-wheel-drive iX2 is a bit too fast for its own good, too; the more modest front-drive edition is actually better to drive overall, as well as offering cost savings and extra electric range.

About the BMW iX2

Much like the BMW X6 is to the X5, the iX2 is a coupe version of the iX1 SUV. Unlike some other EVs, the iX2’s slippery shape doesn’t mean any notable battery range increase compared to its boxier sibling, so its rakish appearance is purely for cosmetic appeal.

There are two powertrains to choose from here: the eDrive20 with a single front-mounted motor, or the dual-motor, four-wheel drive xDrive30. Unlike the petrol-powered BMW X2, there’s no fiery M car variant. 

We’ve tested the iX2 against the Audi Q4 e-tron in a real-world twin test, and we deemed the Audi the better car because of its spacious interior, long battery range, and user-friendly technology. The BMW still impressed in some areas, though, such as build quality and high-speed refinement.

BMW iX2 prices and latest deals

The entry-level eDrive20 M Sport kicks off the iX2 line-up from around £49,700, which is a roughly £6,000 premium over the base BMW iX1 (although this is due to the latter having a lower-spec Sport trim). An iX1 M Sport starts from £48,300, so the iX2 is still the pricier equivalent car. 

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At the top of the iX2 tree you’ll find the xDrive30 Shadow Edition, and this sits around the £56,000 mark.

If you’d like to save on your new car, you can build the perfect BMW iX2 via the Auto Express Buy a Car service. We also have a number of top iX2 leasing deals to choose from, and we can even help you to sell your car.

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If you desire an electric coupe-SUV that delivers straight line speed to match its sporty looks, you’ll want the iX2 xDrive30. This model has a motor on each axle, producing a combined 310bhp and 494Nm of torque, making this a car with prodigious performance. 0-62mph takes 5.6 seconds, which is only a whisker longer than the petrol BMW X2 M35i’s 5.4 seconds. 

The front-wheel drive eDrive20 isn’t too far behind, though, and we’d argue that its more docile performance makes a bit more sense in an electric SUV that’s mostly going to be used for family duties and work commutes. This model has 206bhp on tap, along with 250Nm of torque, and these are good for a 0-62mph time of 8.6 seconds. While this isn’t mind-blowingly quick, it’s still more than enough for effortlessly getting up to speed on a motorway sliproad. 

Town driving, visibility and parking

As soon as we flicked the iX2’s simple toggle gear selector into D to pull away, we were quickly impressed by its smooth power delivery and excellent electric motor refinement. However, there’s a firm edge to the suspension at lower speeds, which acts as a reminder that BMW’s engineers have had to set the chassis to cope with a 2.1-tonne vehicle.

Forward visibility is fine, but the usual coupe-SUV pitfall of impeded rearward visibility is all too present here. This is the price you pay for that sloping roofline and chunky C-pillars. BMW’s standard-fit Parking Assistant system helps to make up for this, provided you don’t mind being rather dependent on cameras and sensors. 

Country road driving and handling

Sadly, the impression of mass is something that the iX2 struggles to shake, something you might be forgiven for expecting because a BMW is supposed to deliver more involvement than you’d find in its rivals. There’s instant punch (enough for the iX2 to feel rapid when joining a motorway or squirting between corners) but equally, the car never quite feels outright rapid, even when driving the 310bhp xDrive30.

The ride never quite settles, unfortunately. What seems to have been an overriding focus is keeping the body flat at a fast cruise (tip: think Autobahns), resulting in a stiff primary set-up that no amount of softened-off damping can overcome. Indeed, chuck the iX2 around on a bumpy road, and you’ll find that it struggles to get out of its own way as the car fights to compose itself between changes of direction. The steering is consistently weighty but devoid of feedback, and if you do lose patience and hurl the iX2 at a corner, the front end will just slide across the Tarmac in an armful of understeer.

The weird thing is that it’s never genuinely uncomfortable and feels tied down in most scenarios, really. Yet we can’t help but sense that a little more compliance, while resulting in a teeny bit more body lean, would have delivered a more composed performance overall.

Motorway driving and long-distance comfort

The iX2 is at its best on motorways, where its motor refinement is complemented by good wind-noise suppression, delivering a restrained cruise. While it remains on the firm side, it still manages to calm down into a drama-free mile muncher. This is a clear upside of that aforementioned Autobahn inspiration. Both cars have more than enough poke to keep up with and overtake traffic, too (this is still a BMW, after all).

“Wind noise is minimal, and this is largely overtaken by tyre roar at higher speed. We expect this would be reduced if buyers stuck with the iX2’s standard 19-inch wheel option.” - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.

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The BMW iX2 gained some updates to its battery in early 2026, alongside its iX1 sibling and the mechanically similar MINI Countryman E. The iX2 received a boost in range as a result - from 283 miles to up to 318 miles in eDrive20 from. Charging speeds stayed the same at up to 130kW – so a 10 to 80 per cent top-up should take around half an hour.

The battery capacity of the more powerful and expensive dual-motor xDrive30 remains the same as that of the eDrive20. This version also benefitted from the same 2026 battery update so instead of a maximum 267 miles, the dual-motor iX2 can cover 294 miles on a charge. 

During our test of the iX2 in its older guise, we found it should be capable of about 4.3 miles per kilowatt hour at its most efficient in eDrive20 form, and as little as 4.0 mi/kWh in the less efficient xDrive30 specs. In brisk driving, our xDrive30 returned around 3.0mi/kWh, which would equate to a range of about 195 miles, though most owners will likely find themselves somewhere between this lower limit and the claimed figures – a real-world 3.5 mi/kWh and 220-230 miles or so from full to empty.

A full charge on a home 7.4kW wallbox at 9p/kWh overnight would cost you just under £6, while that 10-80 per cent fast charge, for around 45kWh of electricity and at 75p/kWh, is more like £34. At 3.5 mi/kWh, that £34 would get you around 160 miles.

Insurance groups

Premium electric cars and cheap insurance seldom go together, and sadly, the iX2 is no exception to this rule. The entry-level xDrive20 sits in group 31 (out of 50) in both M Sport and Shadow Edition trim. The faster xDrive30 M Sport bumps this up to group 38, while the Shadow Edition resides in group 39. 

There won’t be many low-cost quotes to write home about, but the iX2 does at least keep in line with the Audi Q4 e-tron, which sits between groups 32 and 40. 

Tax

All electric cars are now liable for the standard rate of VED road tax, and the looming 2028 eVED pay-per-mile tax is another potential concern. The BMW iX2’s pricing structure also means the vast majority of variants cross the £50,000 electric luxury car tax threshold, resulting in a combined annual fee of £625 between the second and sixth year after registration. 

While the tax rules for EVs have changed over time, they still qualify for the very lowest company car tax rates. 

Depreciation

According to our market data, the BMW iX2 is a fairly average performer in terms of depreciation. After three years of ownership or 36,000 miles, this electric SUV retains between 46 and 49 per cent of its initial value. This is one of the areas where the iX2 outperforms the iX1, because the latter only manages 42 to 44 per cent. 

Rivals-wise, the Audi Q4 e-tron retains a mere 36 – 42 per cent in both standard and Sportback form. The quirky Genesis GV60 suffers an even greater loss, at 35 – 37 per cent.

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With the more sensible iX1 already in the line-up, the iX2 is deliberately aimed at those who may not need as much practicality and can sacrifice some of the iX1’s utility for visual flash. 

The iX2 is longer than the previous generation X2 by a full 194mm, and has a much more sloping roofline, so despite a 64mm increase in ride height, it’s considerably more rakish and hides its familiar underpinnings (it shares its platform with everything from the BMW 1 Series to the MINI Countryman) quite effectively.

The front end is similar to the iX1, but around the back the iX2 has its own style. A busy one, it has to be said, but it’s certainly a car with more personality than the old X2 and puts much more distance between itself and the iX1 than the old X1/X2. You can stand out further by opting for one of the more vibrant paint shades, such as Fire Red, Portimao Blue, or the satin-finish Frozen Portimao Blue, and BMW’s Individual programme gives you dozens more options; several of the launch cars were painted in a Kermit-hued Frozen Tampa Bay Green Metallic.

Interior and dashboard design

The iX2’s cabin is nigh-on identical to that of the iX1. There are perhaps a few too many textures visible on the dashboard (a diamond pattern on the top and a swirly line across the metallic front panel, for example), but there’s no denying that this feels like a £50k car, just as it should. There’s a wide choice of interior trim materials, including real leather and Veganza artificial leather (some offered in brown, grey, beige, red, or black colourways).

Materials and build quality

Climb aboard, and the first thing that’ll strike you about the iX2’s cabin is that its finish is on a completely different level from the first-generation X2. Everything has a reassuringly sturdy, premium feel, and there are useful front cubbies, including a tilted wireless charging panel for smartphones and a couple of USB-C ports behind the twin cup holders.

Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo

Like other recent BMWs, and in common with smaller models like the 1 Series, the iX2 gets a curved twin-screen display in front of the driver, for both driving information (10.25 inches) and infotainment (10.7 inches) needs. What you don’t get, which some larger BMWs retain, is an iDrive control knob in the centre console for operating certain functions with a physical control; everything is now loaded into the touchscreen.

The in-car tech would be better without this heavy reliance on touchscreen controls, but there are at least sensibly placed, permanent shortcuts on display for the heating, ventilation, and the heated seats. The system itself is typical BMW – so responses are snappy (it runs on the company’s ninth-generation operating system), and there’s already a decent range of third-party apps that you can add (podcasts and music) to enjoy on the move or, in the case of movie streaming and gaming, while parked up at a charging station.

There are clever touches, such as the little rollercoaster-style bar that holds your phone in place while you’re driving on the relatively upright wireless charging pad. Naturally, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both supported, too.

“The combination of leather and suede upholstery, matte plastics and metal-effect trim used throughout should hold up to family life better than the gloss-black trim that features in the Audi Q4 e-tron.” - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.

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You shouldn’t, and probably wouldn’t, expect the same kind of practicality from the iX2 that you’d get from the iX1 on account of its sloping roofline. However, this svelte EV does have at least one advantage over its SUV sibling.

Dimensions and size

The BMW iX2 is ever so slightly longer than the iX1, though its width is identical. It also has a tiny bit more luggage space than the Audi Q4 e-tron.

Seats & passenger space

The iX2’s coupe body style does little for the rear cabin, where you’ll find a respectable amount of leg and kneeroom for six-footers, but restricted headroom for anyone that height. It can also feel pretty gloomy back there since the rear screen is quite far away and very sloped. The side windows narrow as they go towards the back of the car, restricting light further.

Things are much better overall up front, though. It’s lighter and airier than in the back, and we’ve already gone over the quality and layout, which both comfortably justify the iX2’s reasonably high price. As is typical for a BMW, the driving position is excellent. The seats are comfortable, all the major controls are well-aligned, and the seat and wheel both offer enough adjustment that only weird alienesque creatures are unlikely to find the ideal combination.

Boot space

The iX2’s boot is a decent size, at 525 litres, which is actually even larger than the iX1 (490 litres). While the floor isn’t a true variable-height affair, it is hinged close to the rear seat backs, so it lifts up easily, and stays in place when you want to throw cables into the underfloor storage compartment. The low roofline won’t be dog-friendly, but luggage isn’t much of a problem. The rear seat backs are split 40/20/40 and can be folded forward to expand the boot volume to 1,400 litres.

Towing

The iX2 eDrive20 is only rated to tow up to 750kg braked, while the four-wheel drive xDrive30 is a more appropriate caravan-pulling candidate at 1,200kg. The Audi Q4 e-tron matches this capability when fitted with the 55 quattro powertrain.

“If you’re travelling three-up, then a bigger problem will be shoulder space, because the BMW’s cabin is narrower than the Audi Q4 e-tron’s.” - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.

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The electric BMW iX2 hasn’t been crash tested by Euro NCAP, but the safety body has tested its petrol and diesel equivalents in X2 form, which received a full five-star rating and some particularly impressive scores for child occupant protection and safety assist features. We’d expect the iX2 to do similarly well given that, drivetrain and roof shape aside, it’s largely identical to the tested models. The high safety assist score was due to praise for the car’s various occupant-reminder features, such as lane-keeping and emergency braking, and for its effective speed-assistance functions.

The iX2 didn’t make an appearance in the most recent Driver Power survey, but the BMW brand saw a pretty respectable eighth-place outcome in the best manufacturer rankings. Lexus and Mercedes were the only direct rivals to outperform BMW with third- and second-place finishes, respectively.

• Best buy: BMW iX2 eDrive20 M Sport

While it’s only the entry-level model, we don’t really see much point in forking out loads of extra cash on anything fancier than the eDrive20 in M Sport trim. This model still has more than its fair share of standard kit, while the slightly more humble performance will suit the vast majority of SUV buyers’ needs. The upgraded battery range has improved this car’s appeal, too.

BMW iX2 alternatives

Coupe-style SUVs are nothing new, but the market for smaller-sized models is a fairly slim one. Mercedes doesn’t even have a direct iX2 equivalent, because the EQA is pretty conventional. Arguably, the most direct German competitor is the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron, although this doesn’t hide the visual bulk of its electric platform quite as successfully as the BMW.

Elsewhere, you’re looking at models like the Genesis GV60 and Volvo EC40. There are also quite a few coupe-style models that fall within the same pricing bracket as the iX2, but these come from brands that don’t quite have the premium appeal of the BMW badge. Instead, these cars tend to be slightly larger and more practical, offering you a little more for your money. Examples include the Ford Capri, Skoda Enyaq Coupe and Volkswagen ID.5.

Another alternative based on the same platform as the iX2 is the MINI Countryman. While it doesn’t have a sloping roofline, it’s hard to argue it lacks style, especially inside, with its circular OLED infotainment screen and some imaginative colours and trim materials.

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