The 2024 BMW X6 is the coupe-like cousin of the X5 midsize luxury SUV. Its rounded roof and tapered rear accentuates its sportiness at the cost of roominess. Other German rivals offer similar SUV pairs in the Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class and Porsche Cayenne.
Yes, though it prioritizes performance over practicality versus the related BMW X5. Standard with a mild-hybrid starter generator and now equipped with a friendlier user interface, the refreshed X6 earns a TCC Rating of 6.6 out of 10. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
The 2024 X6 arrives with the most thorough update since the third-generation model launched in 2020. Cockpit tech upgrades mark the most significant changes, but BMW polishes the ends and enhances the three powertrain options in its three models, xDrive40i, M60i, and X6 M Competition.
The 2024 X6 comes standard with all-wheel drive and an M Sport package that blows out the front end with a large octagonal lower grille grimacing below the classic kidney grille above it. New LED headlights integrate daytime running lights that double as turn indicators winking at the edges. The biggest differentiator between the X6 and X5 rides on the roofline and the rear. The X6 rounds into the raked tailgate like a fastback.
The interior marks the biggest changes for the 2024 X6. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen curve under a single pane of glass toward the driver. Most of the climate control buttons migrate into the touchscreen, and a light bar under the center vents accentuates the horizontal theme, highlighting the wood and aluminum trim. BMW ditches the gear lever for a push button selector.
The selector engages a revised turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system that controls the start/stop function and cuts engine power while coasting. This new powertrain runs leaner and meaner, making 40 hp and 51 lb-ft of torque more than its predecessor, to 375 hp and as much as 398 lb-ft with the mild-hybrid engaged. Fuel economy increases 2 mpg to EPA ratings of 23 mpg city, 26 highway, 24 combined.
Every X6 uses a telepathic 8-speed automatic transmission that sends the power to all four wheels. An independent suspension with adaptive damping helps offset some of the X6’s prodigious weight, but ultimately it handles like an SUV because it is an SUV, albeit one that sits 2.2 inches lower than the X5.
The X6 M60i xDrive also employs a mild-hybrid with its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V-8. Output hits 523 hp and 553 lb-ft, and it launches to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds. That mild-hybrid powertrain migrates for the first time to the X6 M Competition. It makes 617 hp on its way to a 3.7-second 0-60 mph time.
Cargo space and rear passenger space suffers from the fastback-like design. There’s 6.5 cubic feet less vertical space than the X5, and rear-seat passengers have 1.7 inches less rear legroom and 1.2 inches less headroom. Adults nearing 6 feet tall won’t fit comfortably in the back.
BMW equips the 2024 X6 with driver-assist technology such as automatic emergency braking, active lane control, blind-spot monitors, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, and an automatic reverse parking that can back the SUV out of a tight spot without the driver in the vehicle. It may revisit its newfangled headlights to curry favor with the IIHS, which faulted the headlights in not earning a Top Safety Pick award.
How much does the 2024 BMW X6 cost?
The X6 costs about $3,500 more than the 2023 model, and at least $6,400 more than a similarly equipped X5 even with standard all-wheel drive. At $74,895 including a modest $995 destination fee, the X6 comes with a digital key, a 1-year satellite radio trial, the 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.9-inch touchscreen with wireless smartphone connectivity as well as wireless smartphone charging, and an updated infotainment system with greater data processing. Standard comfort features include heated front sport seats covered in synthetic leather and a panoramic sunroof.
The V-8 in the X6 M60i xDrive boosts the price to $94,595 with its M Sport brakes, dynamic exhaust, and electronic rear differential, making for a happy performance medium between the base model and the $128,195 X6 M Competition.
Where is the 2024 BMW X6 made?
In Spartanburg, South Carolina, alongside the X5.
