BMW’s World-Beating iX Electric SUV Cops a Facelift With More Range and Power

• Dual-motors gain more power with 402HP
• Larger battery pack with 40 per cent more range
• iX xDrive45 M Sport prices now start at AUD$142,900 (+$7,000) plus on-road costs
• 175kW DC charging compliant

One of our favourite electric SUVs, the BMW iX, is coming to Australia in a new avatar with a heavily revised version due for a mid-2025 launch.

The iX was the first purely electric BMW SUV, and its design ethos has been sprinkled across the rest of the BMW range since its launch, including the Vision Neue Klasse X. However, the electric luxury SUV market has seen fierce competition enter the scene in recent years, including the Audi Q8 e-tron and Mercedes-Benz EQS SUV, so the new iX could not have come sooner. Headline changes include a significant bump in power and 40 per cent more range coaxed from its larger battery pack. Now, let’s take a closer look!

We’ll start with the BMW iX xDrive45 M Sport which replaces the old xDrive 40 Sport. It gains more power from its dual motor set-up and now delivers 402HP and 700Nm. This means this big BMW will sprint from 0-100 km/h in 5.1 seconds, or a whole second quicker than before. Crucially, the larger 94.8kWh battery pack has a claimed range of 602km (approx. 182km more than before).

This new battery has an updated pre-conditioning feature to help with increased charging speeds from 150kW to 175kW. It is also the first electric BMW to use silicon carbide semiconductor components.

While the original iX was deemed too polarising for its design, the styling has been gradually accepted over the years and the newer iteration is a tweaked version of the same. There are new LED headlamps with new lighting signatures that join the staple beaver grille that now comes with an illuminated surround.

You’ll notice the front bumper also gets a fresher look along with snazzier new alloys under the arches, but the rear styling still maintains the slim taillights.

Other updates include new colour options namely Arctic Race Blue, Tanzanite Blue and BMW Individual Frozen Deep Grey. On the inside, the interior retains the basic architecture including the curved display but the slightly odd-ball pentagonal two-spoke steering has been replaced with a three-spoke one.
Seats are new multi-function ones that come with the M Sport package.

Standard features for the facelifted iX in Australia are 21-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlamps, four-zone climate control, a heated steering wheel, an 18-speaker audio system, a panoramic roof, and quite a few other features you would expect to find on a luxury electric SUV. When that’s not enough, the options on offer start with the Executive Package ($6,500), Active Steering ($3,000), and Adaptive Air Suspension ($4,000).

While pricing and details for the 2025 iX xDrive 45 have been revealed, more details regarding the other variants including what is likely to be a flagship BMW iX xDrive M70 would only be spilled closer to launch. You can check out the BMW Australia website below for more information about the new iX.