BMW iX is a top notch luxury EV SUV. Most reviewers are unanimous on this on the net. CD, CR, Edmunds, US News all rank it pretty high if not the highest. I am happy to add references.

It has a highway assistant which works great up to speed of 85 mph -- allowing hands free driving
Level 2+ autonomy lane change is being launched as part of i5 should make it to iX via OTA (in the 2024 cars with iDrive 8.5 version)
B&W 4D Sound System is awesome (Only Maybach's Burmester 4D system will compare)
It has both leather and non leather options and BMW is also giving options to those who care about sustainability
It has minimalistic design inspired by Tesla perhaps (It's for customers to take it or leave it)
It has a heat pump standard which helps in winters

BMW removed Rear axis steering and Air Suspension as being standard components on iX xDrive50 in 2024 (in 2023 model these were standard). In 2024 they are standard on iX M60 and so is B&W sound system. Air Suspension is an option for iX xDrive50.

It has 5G module for communication (This helps in OTA, Streaming services). 2023 Mercedes is uses 4G/LTE module

Forward sector visibility from BMW iX is way better than Mercedes EQS SUV

You have mentioned about superior driving dynamics already (which I think is one of the most important things -- after all its a car)

What's really sad about Mercedes is that its Electric motor in EQS SUV is not even from Mercedes, its from Valeo Siemens (Imagine a S Class without internal combustion engine designed by Benz)

Another good thing about this car is BMW Laser lights. They are awesome for night driving and country side driving.

Apple maps show up in the Instrument cluster and are a big navigation help

It's parking assistant allows you to memorize I think up to 10 parking positions (You can get off in drive way and it will drive into your garage and park itself and also come out when you ask it)
- remotely park the SUV via a smartphone app

It's 360 camera can be operated via hand gestures. Gesture controls can also control Volume up/down, skip to next, back to previous, pause

With all these options it's less than starting EQS 450 4MATIC SUV Premium trim

It's EPA range for AWD is greater than EQS SUV rear wheel drive (450+)

 

I have not driven the EQS SUV. I have sat in the EQE which is superb but have not driven it. The issues with visibility are in the sedan, the SUV has no problems at all in that department. Again I have not driven it. From
the accomodations perspective the EQE SUV I sat in was superb all around. The IX is sizewise an E rather than an S competitor.
The car drives great, again, what surprises me is that a 90 THOUSAND dollar car would be available in a base version worse equipped than a Honda Civic. Finally, the ride compared to the EQS sedan is a bit nervous.

 

I've got an EQE loaner in my garage...fantastic SUV. For those not wanting to pony up for an EQS, it is quiet, fast, handles great, very similar seats, and has most of the tech of our highly optioned EQS 580. My old 2008 MB is broken so often and for so long that I often end up with loaner cars for months at a time...I think I'll have this brand new EQE for at least 3 months or so, maybe longer.

 

I wish that an EQE SUV loaner had been available🥲

 

Just buy options. I don’t care what a base model has or doesn’t have because I would never buy one.

Ever look at a base model Porsche? Shocking.

 

I just can't pass that ugly grill in the front for BMW iX, because of it I didn't even bother adding to my list while shopping for EQS. I know it is personal preference but it is that bad for me.

 

I tried to convince myself that the appearance or the grill, or similar distasteful exteriors of other cars was insignificant if the driving experience from the inside was nice. But the negative reactions were so bad that I did not even go for a test drive. The thought of being seen in it for the next 10 years of ownership was a bridge too far.

ps. I do like the traditional kidney grill of BMW's.

 

I've owned several BMWs, and generally like the marque very much. I was very interested in the iX, but fell for the EQS 450+ and never looked back. Lots of iXs here, and I think they look great. I appreciate all this information, forever, as no car is forever, at least in my world.

 

same here. I had so many BMW since 2000, but BMW i car just not my cup of tea. but never been a MB fan, the only MB I had is 2006 E350. but MB EQ are really good, now have EQS sedan and SUV. other day had EQE suv as loaner and it has been good too.

 

I have driven an EQE as well as an IX. I found the IX has a much sportier feel and a much better sound system if equipped with the B&W (which eclipses also our EQS Burmester). But overall prefer the EQE for many of the reasons you alluded to - but mainly better interior, less minivan looking, skips the ugly grill. Actually I quite enjoyed the EQE SUV. If it had been available in AMG guise with a hyper screen when I got my EQS I would likely have bought that.

 

The IX does drive well, very planted and confident at speed. However having driven it for 400 miles, unlike my EQS sedan, its not in the same league as a cruiser.

 

Your EQS sedan is a much more expensive car, and better compared to an i7 which is much more of a cruiser.

 

Your iX did not have air suspension option, so I won't be surprised you preferred your EQS, which has one.
There were a few comparison video and they preferred iX suspension (with air suspension option) over EQS.

 

I have sat in a few BMW iXs since they came out, and I found the base sensatac interior on the BMW iX extremely disapointing. The car also had the base inteior with plastic seat adjustment and window controls and was a very basic spec. Felt like the current X3 which I think doesn't really have a luxury car interior, most disapointing in the class. But I sat in an iX with the mirocriber wool blend and one with the leather, both convenicnce trim with the driving assist pro and luxury packages which i think are all 100% necessary, and the difference was huge. Crystal door trim was gaudy but felt WAY nicer then the plastic, wnidiw controls were metal, wood trim, etc. It was so so so much nicer. Felt like an X5/GLE/EQ inside no question. So I think with the BMW what interior material you get and if you get the luxury package or not make a MASSIVE difference, vs on an EQ the different material you get from MB-Tex to leather to Nappa to Exclusive Nappa or the signature inteior doesn't really change much aside from the seats. So you can get a base base EQE and have a beautful and high quality interior with great materials, or you can get a fully loaded EQS and have nicer seats but the same door panels and lower dashboard, and it's still very nice but not quite S Class with Exclusive Nappa level. More equivilent to S Class with regular Nappa leather. But the fact that a base EQE is basically that nice inside is hige to me, and I really like the feel of MB-Tex, especially the newer materiral in the EQE SUV, so it works out well.

 

124. Soft limiter. Feels very stable an confident at that speed.

 

In fact no. An IX 50 comparabky equipped is 107k. Thats more than EQS450 AWD. As I said previously the base I 50 I drove doesnt even have adjustable lumbar support., almost an insult for 87K.
my 580 was 117 and came totally loaded.
I got mine before they jacked the price😉

 

An EQS450 4 Matic starts at $107k before destination, $20,000 more than the iX XDrive 50, and it has 200 less HP. You need to compare it to an EQS 580 4 Matic. An xDrive 50 with EVERY option, air suspension, upgraded wheels, all the driving aids, M Sport package, all the interior and tech upgrades, B&W Diamond Surround sound is $108,050, so no the EQS 450 4 Matic is much more expensive with much less power. Just going to the luxury line EQS 450and optioning it similarly to the loaded iX 50 brings the price of the EQS SUV to about $10k more.

When you compare it to the EQS580 which is where it should be compared because of power that starts at $125,450, or nearly $40,000 more than the iX 50. The iX60 with even more power and coming in way more loaded starts at $111,500 and fully loaded with every option is $119,500, $6,000 less than a base EQS580. 580 spec'ed like the loaded iX comes in at $132,500, $13,000 more than the iX.

So no, the EQS is significantly more expensive than the iX.

 

Again 87 K with no lumbar support...... Everything in a Bimmer is an option. The 450AWD has less power but it includes everyting else. The competition for the IX is the EQE SUV.for this particular model its the EQE 500.
An EQE 500 much better equipped is about 92k vs 108k. Again BMW is nickle diming.

 

But when you add up the options and compare the two vehicles the iX is still significantly cheaper, the EQS450 4Matic with no options is more expensive than an iX with every option, and the EQS requires options to be spec'ed like the iX which drives the price up more. The EQE500 is a much better comparison.

As we said before, this is just how BMW does options. When you option them similarly the BMW is still cheaper. With BMW too getting a special order takes 6 weeks worst case, so you just order exactly what you want and you don't have to wait 6+ months like you do with MB.

 

If you think BMW is the nickel and dime winner on stacking up big bucks for common options you haven’t looked at Porsche! 😊

 

Totally!

 

5000 optional Tag analog clock, anyone🤣
BTW the only difference is the clock dial thatsays TAG, for the maximum expression of brand whoreishness!

 

Its a capstone luxury vehicle that many people work their whole lives to be able to buy, so who is to say things like that are silly?

 

And in the MB it isn't?

 

In fact, no. For the first time, the EQ has three separate packages. Albeit this is new for them.