I whacked my noggin every time I twisted and scrunched my way up and into the updated and tall 2015 X6. No matter how hard I tried to avoid a head-banging – whack!
Welcome to function that follows form. In a bizarro world of small door openings in huge rigs, BMW – and others, to be fair – have taken to calling a big, heavy and pricey all-wheel-drive sport utility vehicle a sports activity coupe.
Such a naming strategy is designed to sell buyers on the idea of an impractical SUV design. In truth, it's just offensive. We are not so dim as this. We get that a four-door SUV is an SUV, even if the car company calls it a coupe – and the design itself is sleek and athletic, although impractical.
As art or at least craftsmanship, the X6 updated for 2015 is bold and powerful looking – long hood and wheelbase, short front overhang, a handsome but set-back passenger compartment with its small opening and big wheel arches with aerodynamic wind air deflectors. The overall wedge shape is planted and impressive and the many lines add visual detail.
Driving this rig is amazing and satisfying. The X6 may be almost as large as a steamship, but it drives like a big, sporty sedan. BMW's engineers are gifted at tuning for ride, handling, braking and steering effort – the best at this in the world. Pure engineering genius. The turbocharged V-8 mated to a brilliant eight-speed autobox is a marvellous pairing, also.
Once into the cabin – once the stars clear from your eyes and your throbbing cranium eases – it becomes a gem. No one has better, more perfectly cushioned seats. If you can overlook the absurdly overcomplicated iDrive controller system, functionality is outstanding – clear instrumentation, snappy readouts, a perfectly legible heads-up display and the rest. The four-zone climate control impressively manages the environment, the Harman/Kardon sound system is crystal clear.
BMW got everything right here but tight door openings dictated by the design. That'll be a deal-breaker for many.
You'll like this car if ... You want a stylish, fast and entertaining-to-drive SUV where function follows form.
TECH SPECS
- Base price: $83,190; As tested: $105,640
- Engines: 4.4-litre V-8, turbocharged
- Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
- Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 16.1 city/10.9 highway, using premium fuel.
- Alternatives: Mercedes-Benz GLE, BMW X5, Audi’s Q7, Infiniti QX70 or even QX80, Lexus GX 460, Porsche Cayenne, Volvo XC90
RATINGS
- Looks: The lines and proportions are entertaining and the wedge-like shape racy, but the form dictates compromises in the function. Enter and whack your head.
- Interior: The seats are a delight, the instruments and controls – other than that detestable iDrive – excellent. The materials look and feel expensive but not showy.
- Performance: The turbo V-8 is a beast and the eight-speed automatic gearbox buttery in how it shifts, entertaining in what’s possible with the paddle shifters. Drives like a sports sedan, not an SUV.
- Technology: Eco pro mode programs electrically powered functions, such as the climate control, heated seats and heated exterior mirrors for efficient energy management. When the navigation system is activated, the Proactive Driving Assistant function tells the driver exactly when to ease off the accelerator when approaching corners or a speed-restricted section of road to save fuel.
- Cargo: The hold at back isn’t particularly large, although the rear seats fold down 40:20:40 and the tailgate can be opened and closed via remote control and from the driver’s seat at the touch of a button – or via a hands-free trunk opening and closing function.
The Verdict
7.5
You will enjoy driving and even looking at this rig, but getting in and out is a chore.
Like us on Facebook
Follow us on Instagram
Add us to your circles
Sign up for our weekly newsletter