For the 2026 mannequin 12 months, BMW has determined to convey the BMW iX to the US at a barely cheaper price level, introducing a brand new base mannequin, the iX xDrive45. Beforehand, the iX competed hotly with one other electrical luxurious SUV that’s been round for some time—Tesla’s Mannequin X. At $84,990 to begin, the Mannequin X now instructions an almost $10,000 premium over the entry degree iX, which begins at $75,150 earlier than supply charges. Is the 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 the steal of the century? Or does the Tesla Mannequin X someway ship a further $10,000 of worth?
Exterior Design
The 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 will get a bevy of exterior upgrades that assist make it simple to select when subsequent to final 12 months’s mannequin. New wheel choices, a brand new entrance grille design, and narrower headlights come normal concern. Moreover, the M Sport Bundle is now obtainable on the iX, including extra aggressive wheel designs and physique work.
Alternatively, the Tesla Mannequin X has acquired minimal exterior updates since its debut in late 2015. Whereas astute observers could discover that there’s a barely extra streamlined entrance finish, little else has modified apart from a slight tweak to the rear headlight trim. The Mannequin X is barely bigger total than the iX, too. Whereas appears to be like are subjective, the iX positively appears to be like more energizing—even for those who aren’t notably completely happy in regards to the grille. That stated, each are positive wanting automobiles, providing higher-end options like 22-inch wheels, LED headlights, and flush door handles.
Inside Design
Inside, the 2026 BMW iX xDrive45 is each bit as luxurious as any of the upper trim ranges. Each the Tesla and BMW function screen-centric interiors, nevertheless it’s necessary to notice that the Mannequin X is the one one right here that provides room for as much as seven because of non-obligatory third row seats. As talked about, the Mannequin X is a bit bigger than the iX xDrive45. That interprets to meaningfully extra space nearly in every single place within the automobile.
Mannequin X provides 85 cubic toes of cargo area whereas the iX provides round 78 cubic toes. The Mannequin X even edges out the iX in entrance and rear leg room and head room. That stated, it’s solely by slim margins—for instance, you’ll take pleasure in an inch extra leg room within the entrance. Total, the Mannequin X grants drivers and passengers extra space, however inside high quality is doubtful in comparison with the iX. Moreover, the iX provides a bigger vary of supplies to select from, together with microfiber and perforated leather-based, and there are a great deal of luxurious options unavailable on the Mannequin X that the iX can supply, like glass controls and soft-close doorways.
Efficiency and Vary
Because the iX xDrive45 is a brand new base mannequin, energy is down from what final 12 months’s entry-level iX made. You continue to take pleasure in 402 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, sufficient to get the iX from zero to 60 mph in a BMW-claimed 4.9 seconds. Not that fast by EV requirements. Vary varies between 279 and 312 miles per cost, and BMW says the iX can cost from 10 to 80 % State of Cost (SoC) in 35 minutes with a Stage 3 Charger.
The Mannequin X ships with extra energy than the BMW. The bottom automobile makes 670 horsepower and might sprint from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, based on Tesla. Tesla claims a 316-mile vary, which isn’t very far off from the place the BMW sits. The Supercharger community—which shall be a legitimate possibility for BMW homeowners quickly—permits the X to cost from 10 to 80 % in round 20 minutes. Having pushed an iX xDrive50 (mechanically nearly equivalent to the xDrive45) and Mannequin X on the road and monitor, I can confidently say the iX is the extra dynamic driver—even when it is perhaps a bit slower from a launch. Physique roll is current in each, and each are very heavy SUVs, however the iX provides much more communication by way of the steering wheel and chassis.
Expertise and Options
Each the Mannequin X and iX xDrive45 come normal with a dizzy vary of expertise. Most significantly, driver aids: parking assistants and sensors, blind-spot monitoring, entrance and rear collision warning, lane departure and driver-monitoring are normal on each. Whereas the Mannequin X lately acquired updates that added rear cross-traffic warning, it’s necessary to notice that it will probably’t routinely brake (in contrast to BMW’s system) and solely makes use of a digital camera, not radar programs. The BMW touts a 360-degree digital camera system that Tesla lacks. A number of drivers may additionally discover the entire lack of buttons within the Mannequin X’s inside to be complicated or not less than unintuitive—the display screen and two multifunction steering wheel buttons management nearly each side of the expertise.
Moreover, Tesla doesn’t supply Apple CarPlay or Android Auto with its vehicles. Each are nice in-car options for those that can’t be bothered to study the intricacies of a brand new software program system, as they rely roughly in your cellphone’s processes to run. Each the iX xDrive45 and Mannequin X present drivers with built-in navigation, voice instructions, and app integration. Arguably, the Tesla app has barely extra usability (particularly with Sentry Mode), however the two are functionally very comparable.
Total, the Mannequin X and iX xDrive45 run a reasonably tight race. However finally, we fail to notice the place the Mannequin X establishes itself as $10,000 extra of a automobile. Not solely does the Mannequin X really feel much less luxurious, it additionally misses some essential security options that the iX can supply. After all, Tesla does supply Autopilot, however when you think about that’s one other $8,000 for tech that’s doubtful at greatest, our opinion isn’t swayed. Due to this fact, the BMW iX isn’t simply the higher automobile—it’s the higher worth, too.
[Tesla Model X Photos by Tesla, Inc]
