2015 BMX X6 xDrive50i Luxury SUV First Drive and Review

2015 BMW X6 ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

The 2015 BMW X6 is the German brand's equivalent of a yes/no question.  There's no middle ground with this hulking 'sports activity coupe' - either you like it, or you don't, as the full-size monster's polarizing styling and limited utility (about as much cargo room as a compact crossover) have made it the very definition of a niche luxury product.  Although BMW chooses to focus on the fact that just over a quarter million X6's have been sold globally since the vehicle was first introduced in 2008, that number glosses over the reality that only 37,000 of those vehicles found new homes in United States.  It also ignores that the much more practical BMW X5 SUV has moved eight times as many American units during that same period.

That being said, the margins on the pricier BMW X6 are appealing to BMW, given that it sits on the X5's bones and borrows its drivetrain options to boot.  The higher-ups deemed that the X6 had gathered enough momentum to spawn a second generation, and that was why I was summoned to the rural roads surrounding BMW's Spartanburg, South Carolina plant where the SUV is built to sample the revised version of the automaker's premium brute.

BMW's Linebacker

The 2015 BMW X6 presents itself as the athletic, sport-focused member of BMW's utility-oriented X-family, but if one were to be truthful about its potential to make varsity, it would probably be trying out for the position of defensive linebacker.  The X6 is big, and more than that, it's heavy: at over 5,000 lbs, this SUV's curb weight is roughly 1,000 lbs greater than that of the average family sedan.  The sheer heft of the BMW X6 is immediately evident in its styling as well, for although it's been given a coupe-like sloping roofline, its swelling haunches, wide front fascia and grille, and tall stance highlight rather than conceal its enormous proportions.

Fortunately, BMW has thrown a substantial amount of technology at the problem of how to keep the new X6 glued to the pavement when hustled at super-legal speeds.  The company's favorite word when describing its recent spate of products - 'dynamic' - is splashed liberally over the 2015 X6's equipment list.  There's the Dynamic Drive active roll stabilization system that keeps the SUV from wallowing in the corners, the Dynamic Adaptive Suspension Package that automatically adjusts shock absorber stiffness to allow the toggling between comfort and high performance chassis settings, and the related Dynamic Performance Control system.  Even the softer Comfort Adaptive Suspension Package features Dynamic Damper Control (with both systems available together under the banner of the Professional Adaptive Suspension Package), and hardcore handling fans can also opt for the Adaptive M Suspension setup.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Right Foot Connection

As might be expected, such a high level of technological intervention does the 2015 BMW X6 no favors when it comes to providing the driver with road feedback when driven in a spirited manner.  Don't worry - physics is always riding shotgun in the SUV to keep you informed of just how much weight you are pushing around the bend - but while the X6 stays relatively flat and leverages the grip of its torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system to keep surprises to a minimum, driving the BMW quickly is not a particularly rewarding experience.

One area where the 2015 X6 manages to defy the limitations imposed by its generous mass is straight line speed.  The return on mashing the pedal to the floor in the X6 xDrive50i, which is motivated by a turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 engine, is substantial, with the SUV leaping forward with vigor and easily surging past a responsible rate of speed in just a few seconds.  445 horsepower and 480 lb-ft of torque - figures that may well be underrated - are well-matched with the X6's portly platform, although one will eventually be able to order a more modestly-gifted, 300 horsepower sDrive35i edition of the vehicle in the first quarter of 2015.  BMW claims a 22 percent increase in fuel efficiency for the current model year as well, but we're still waiting for official EPA figures.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Improvements Inside

Given its position at the apex of the BMW suv pyramid, it's no surprise that the 2015 BMW X6 can be ordered with a heaping helping of luxury gear.  Stand-out features for the X6 include surround sound audio, a navigation system, BMW Apps accessible through the iDrive interface, a head-up display, adaptive cruise control with stop and go capability, a night vision system, and parking assistance.

The interior of the X6 also feels sufficiently sumptuous, especially when ordered with available two-tone leather that does a great job of adding detail and flair to the vehicle's dashboard and door panels.  Front seat room is generous, although the driver's position seems unusually high for a vehicle sold on its sporty character.  In the back, anyone taller than six feet will lament the lack of headroom enforced by the style-conscious downward angle of the X6's ceiling, and although the SUV offers marginally more storage space than it did the year before (53.9 cubic feet with the back row folded forward versus the X5's 66 cubes), there's still no comparing the BMW to any other full-size hauler in terms of practicality.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Lifestyle Accessory

Lifestyle Accessory

Honestly, the lack of day-to-day practicality isn't going to matter to the 2015 BMW X6's core demographic.  This 'coupe' isn't truly intended to step in and save the day with legitimate utility: it's a lifestyle accessory designed to be parked alongside a small fleet of other luxury automobiles in one's four-car garage. 

If you get it - and by 'get it,' I mean find the X6's styling attractive rather than off-putting - and don't really need to worry about hauling around more than the occasional back seat passenger, then perhaps you'd enjoy this SUV's gobs of power, extroverted attitude, and comfortable cabin.  If you're looking for a weekend warrior to help haul camping gear to the woods on the weekend and tackle more than just a muddy, gravel road, then you'd be better served by the more spacious, and equally-quick X5.

Photo by Benjamin Hunting