2024 BMW iX2 eDrive 20 review

The concept is not particularly new – the 2024 BMW iX2 is technically a second-generation model. Based on the regular petrol-powered X2 range, the iX2 adopts the styling of the new X2 but with a zero-emissions powertrain under the bonnet for the first time.

Starting with the iX1 small SUV, BMW has sculpted a sleeker body – although the two share parts up front, the rear of the iX2 adopts a liftback style. It's less chopped-roof looking through the roof line than the first X2, but offers improved practicality as a result.

The iX2's design perhaps isn't as polarising as some of BMW's other SUV-coupe designs, but the new iX2 offers a clear point of difference for anyone who finds the iX1 just a little too conservative.

The BMW iX2 is offered in a choice of two variants in Australia, with both a front-wheel-drive iX2 eDrive 20 and all-wheel-drive iX2 xDrive 30 available – from $82,900 and $85,700 respectively. The eDrive 20 version is the one we'll focus on in this review.

If the looks of the iX2 appeal to you, but you're not ready for an EV just yet, the related X2 range bookends the iX2 on price. There's the entry-level X2 xDrive 20 from $75,900, while the more potent X2 M35i xDrive starts from $92,900 – both before options and on-road costs.

Externally the iX2 is little changes from the X2, although a specific grille for electric models is the key difference, along with small detail tweaks to the wheels and badging.

Under the skin, the iX2 eDrive 20 is powered by a 150kW/250Nm single motor powering the front wheels. BMW has positioned the electric model's outputs close to the 150kW/300Nm turbo petrol engine offered in the X2 xDrive 20.

The iX2 is equipped with a 64.8kWh battery allowing a claimed 477km WLTP (or 427km NEDC) driving range.

Despite carrying the 'entry-level' tag, the iX2 comes equipped with M Sport styling including 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive LED headlights, adaptive M suspension, leather-look upholstery, keyless entry and start, a 10.7-inch infotainment display and 10.25-inch instrument display, a head-up display, wireless phone charger, powered tailgate, and more.

Safety and driver tech sees adaptive cruise control, lane-keep and lane-centring assist, autonomous emergency braking, 360-degree cameras, automated parking assistant and more as part of the included equipment.

In the compact electric SUV segment, alternatives are varied. Another brand to follow the coupe-SUV styling of the iX2 is Volvo with the C40 Recharge. Pricing starts from $78,990 for the rear-wheel-drive C40 Single Motor with a 175kW/420Nm motor and claimed 445km of range (WLTP) from a 69kWh battery.

Audi has the Q4 e-tron, available as both an SUV and a Sportback, the latter starts from $86,500 for the Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron. That gets a RWD single-motor drivetrain with a 210kW/545Nm motor and a 77kWh battery for a 540km (WLTP) range claim.

Relatively new to the Australian market as an EV maker, Smart is back in the country with a range of compact SUVs including the swoopy Smart #3.

Smart has positioned itself as a premium offering, but pricing undercuts established competitors with the entry-level #3 starting from $57,900 with a 200kW/343Nm rear motor, 66kWh battery, and 435km claimed range. Even the flagship Brabus version, with a combined 315kW/543Nm from its dual-motor drivetrain, comes in at $70,900, though driving range drops to 415km.

All prices above exclude options and on-road costs.

Despite being one of BMW's smaller models, the iX2 retains plenty of upmarket fittings on the interior, and a design that's not too outlandish but manages to stand out all the same.

Externally the iX2 measures 4554mm long, 1560mm tall, and 1845mm wide. It sits on a 2692mm wheelbase (the distance between front and rear wheels). Compared to the iX1, the iX2 keeps the same wheelbase, but is 54mm longer, thanks to an extended rear overhang. The roof sits 56mm lower, and width is unchanged.

While there is technically a little less head room in the iX2, you'd need to be a National Basketball League player to truly notice from the front seats. The iX2 may be sleeker, but it is still tall and spacious. Rear head room, even with the tapered rear, is still adult-suitable for anyone of average height and under, although the enclosed pillars at the back make the back seat feel a bit darker – something the iX1, with additional rear glazing, avoids.

The interior uses plenty of quality materials. There's no shortage of luxe-feeling touchpoints, be that padded soft-touch or cool metallic finishes.

The dashboard is laid out with an on-trend horizontal theme. As with other recent BMW models, the design is relatively minimalist thanks to buttons for the dual-zone climate control being shifted to the infotainment screen, and car control buttons placed as part of the raised centre console.

The clever design of that console manages to feel both open and practical at the same time, with a large space up front lending the cabin a more airy feel – and it's here that you'll find the wireless charger, plus a pair of cupholders.

Further back, the iX2 retains a traditional armrest, though the lidded bin on it opens towards the passenger, effectively blocking itself from the driver. A car control pane placed within easy reach of the driver houses the gear selector rocker switch, drive-mode button, a shortcut to open the vehicle settings menu, hazard light switch, and a volume scroller and skip buttons. Basic, but enough to cover the essentials.

There's also space under the floating console. Enough for a small purse or handbag, wallet, keys and sunnies, or a takeaway bag. There's also a pair of USB-C ports here to power devices.

Seat space is good, the seats are firm without feeling too hard, and the support from the bolsters is enough to grip you without giving your sides a squeeze.

There are some sore points up front. I've got fairly short fingers, so gripping the fat M Sport steering wheel isn't very comfortable and becomes downright achey on long-haul drives. I'm also not a fan of the massage on the seats as part of the Enhancement Package option. It's a bit half-hearted and didn't really revive or restore me in any meaningful way.

Other inclusions as part of the Enhancement Package include a heated steering wheel, and panoramic glass roof with powered blind, plus 12-speaker premium audio.

The outboard rear seats are served by air vents, USB-C ports, and a fold-down armrest. The outboard seats are comfortable, but the middle seat is firmer, higher, and has a raised floor with an extension to the centre console impeding foot space.

Compared to the petrol-powered X2, the iX2 has a slightly smaller boot, with 525 litres available (versus 560L in an X2). That is still quite a large figure for a small SUV and grows to 1400L with the rear seats folded.

Its rear seats have a 40:20:40 fold arrangement, allowing you to mix and match folded sections depending on what you plan to carry. There is under-floor storage too, with a sturdy floor that's self-supporting. This spot is handy for anything you don't need to access too often.

The iX2 doesn't offer additional under-bonnet storage, as is the case with other BMW EVs.

In a world where bigger seems to be better when it comes to screen sizes, BMW has shown some restraint with the iX2. The infotainment system measures 10.7 inches, accompanied by a 10.25-inch display for the instruments in a driver-centric single-panel frame.

The infotainment system comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, embedded navigation, FM and digital radio, and Bluetooth. The optional 12-speaker Harman Kardon audio system on the car shown here is a belter too, up from a six-speaker unbranded system normally.

The BMW OS9 system driving the screens offers quick load times, but an often frustrating user experience. Rather than divide groups of functions into tiles or sections onscreen, the system has basic home screen tiles, but heading into a system or menu often requires multiple steps, and feels frustratingly counterintuitive.

Unlike larger BMW models there's no iDrive controller on the console either, everything is via touch inputs or voice control. The experience is perhaps more frustrating when you remember that older BMW operating systems used to have a simple and elegant interface, with the latest system feeling like a backward step.

Along with the infotainment screen, the digital instrument display is bright with high resolution, and offers display options from the more traditional to minimalist, to some that are more conceptual. The range of personalisation is decent, if not particularly detailed. Apple Maps can also run in the cluster, although there's no way to get a zoomed-in view on the infotainment – only the trip overview, which isn't my preferred option.

A head-up display provides clear at-a-glance key info ahead of the driver, and again, there are some minor configuration options here to ensure you see the info you want to see.

BMW Connected Drive access is available, and the iX2 comes with the brand's Premium Package that brings live maps, access to additional apps for music streaming and podcasts, weather and news updates, and over-the-air updates. Via a paired smartphone you can also check your car's location, lock and unlock it, check the state of charge, pre-cool the cabin, send navigation destinations to the car, and more.

The current-generation BMW iX2 (and the related X2) is untested by ANCAP, or its overseas partner organisation Euro NCAP.

Although there are differences between the two cars, the similar iX1 has been tested and potentially provides some insights as to the iX2's performance.

Based on 2022 crash testing, the iX1 received a five-star rating with 86 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 76 per cent for vulnerable road user (pedestrian) protection and 94 per cent for safety assist systems.

While it may be the entry point to the iX2 range, not much is missing from the driver-assist list with features like lane-centring assist, adaptive cruise control (with stop-and-go), blind-spot monitoring, a 360-degree camera, parking assistant and drive recorders as standard.

BMW seems to have a fairly good grasp on how safety systems should co-operate with the driver. During my time with the car there was little to complain about. The lane-assist systems aren't bossy and understand when the driver needs to take control, and the adaptive cruise control has a natural feel to the way it speeds up and slows down.

During my time with the car, there were no false alerts, but the safety net is there in the background to help out if attention strays.

The BMW iX2 is covered by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty, and the high-voltage battery is covered for up to eight years (unlimited kilometres). Roadside assistance coverage extends for three years.

BMW servicing doesn't follow a typical service schedule, instead using condition-based servicing that suggests a schedule based on how the vehicle is used. For the iX2, BMW offers a six-year service plan that costs $2200, making the iX2 slightly cheaper than its petrol counterpart that costs $2500 for a five-year service plan.

An insurance quote from a leading insurer came to $2955 per year, based on the details of a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

Using the same driver, a Volvo C40 Single Motor would cost $2157 to insure, and an Audi Q4 Sportback 45 e-tron was quoted at $3118.

Two range figures are offered for the iX2 eDrive 20, according to WLTP testing (which is the standard most brands measure range by) the car can cover up to 477km on a single charge. Using NEDC figures (an older testing method) the range is a claimed 427km. In an effort to more realistically match real-world expectations, BMW Australia quotes the latter.

Compared to BMW's claim of 427km, we saw a real-world test range of just under 410km, but where BMW has a (worst case) 16.9kWh per 100 kilometres consumption figure, the car in testing settled at a near identical 17.0kWh/100km.

BMW equips Australian-spec cars with a 22kW onboard AC charger, where 11kW is standard in some overseas markets. Although not widespread for home charging (where 7.4 or 11kW units are more common), for charging away from home it helps reduce change times. On an AC fast charger, the iX2 can recharge at up to 130kW, meaning a 10–80 per cent charge in as little as 29 minutes.

There's a maturity from behind the wheel that's hard to define, but something about the iX2 just clicks when you start driving.

Despite the lowered roof line and swoopy styling, you still get a fairly commanding seating position and good forward visibility out. At the side and the rear visibility is more significantly impacted.

The electric drivetrain is smooth and quiet. While the acceleration is perhaps a little more conservative than some either electric cars, there's still plenty of oomph off the line, and a decent amount of urge during rolling acceleration.

With the front wheels handling the steering and driving duties, the iX2 does feel a bit nose-heavy. It's also pretty easy to spin an inside wheel mid-corner – and that's not from an outburst of aggression, there's just a lot of torque very quickly available.

The iX2 feels most at home in urban confines. On the open road the tyres are quite noisy, though this varies by the type of road surface.

I'm a fan of the lightweight but very communicative steering. BMW has developed a knack for finding the balance here. It's not too twitchy or direct, but it's also not entirely isolated, nor needlessly heavy. The iX2 is not a real dynamic superstar, but the steering is worthy of a mention.

Adaptive suspension is standard on all iX2 models, and the control leans towards the sporty side of the ledger. The ride is firm, but never harsh or rough. It won't appeal to everyone, but it matches the iX2's slightly sporty persona just fine.

Where the petrol X2 xDrive 20 can sometimes feel like it skipped finishing school, with an occasional lurch from standstill, or poorly timed gear change, the eDrive 20 feels superior. While it goes without all-wheel drive, for most urban owners that's unlikely to ever pose a significant issue.

If the BMW iX1 represents substance, then the more dramatic-looking iX2 is clearly BMW's style play. Here, though, style doesn't necessarily outweigh substance.

Between a well-constructed and modern interior, a strong list of standard features, and a back seat and boot that remain practical despite the stylistic concessions, the iX2 holds its own.

The real challenge for BMW is a growing set of competitors, some more affordable, some more potent, and some that simply manage to out-style the iX2, beating BMW at the coupe-SUV game it created.

It would be worth consideration if a compact electric SUV is on your wishlist, but be sure to check out a competitor or two to make sure the BMW fits your niche.

BMW's relatively simple iX2 range makes it easy to find the model that's best for you, and for anyone unfussed by peak performance, the eDrive 20 model hits plenty of highs.

You can check out colour and trim options, and build your own BMW iX2 via the BMW configurator. If you'd like to see what's available in dealers, check out new and demonstrator BMW iX2s for sale at Drive Marketplace, with new listings being added all the time.

To arrange a test drive or check out the iX2 in person, start by finding your nearest BMW dealer.

If you want to stay updated with everything that's happened to this car since our review, you'll find all the latest news here.