BMW ix2 review: Is it just an accessory?

We have been railing for some years now against the cultural and design abomination that is the coupe SUV.

These things – allegedly coupe versions of large SUVs – are comparable in many ways to a man who wears a wig: they are patently trying to be something they are not.

We’ve been trying yet another one lately which is a very expensive example of the genre and while it might be beautiful to drive, you would be well advised to get out the Groucho Marx glasses and ‘tash to try and disguise yourself while doing so, just in case anyone might recognise you while you’re at the wheel.

BMW has been particularly guilty in the promotion of these vehicles and our tester this week, the iX2, is one of any number of them from the Munich concern. They also make the X4 and the X6, in various shades of petrols, diesels, PHEVs and pure electrics. Our tester is one of the latter.

I am, I must confess, oblivious to what could be appealing to anyone about the coupe SUV genre, aside from the fact they are sublime pieces of kit to drive and be ferried around in. But for their looks? Nope. They don’t do it for me at all.

Of course, as we have often said in these columns, one man’s meat is another’s murder and, subjectivity being what it is, opinions on a variety of matters will always throw up different points of view, not all of which will concur.

But, in my view, the coupe SUV has invented what might be termed the ‘car-as-fashion-accessory’ segment and being something of a traditionalist, that’s not something which sits easily with your humble correspondent.

Such cars do appeal to a variety of people, obviously, otherwise BMW and those other manufacturers who make these machines wouldn’t build them at all. The bottom line is profit, after all, and if there wasn’t a shekel to be made, they wouldn’t do it.

So, what is the iX2? Well, it is allegedly a sleeker version of the X1 and, with it’s ‘I’ designation, it is an electric and, as such, proof positive that BMW is not running away from its investment in EVs, as so many others are doing right now.

There are currently two variants of the model on offer, the dual motor eDrive30 and the single motor eDrive20 which is only really coming on stream at present. It was the former that we tested and, aside from the opinion-dividing coupe silhouette shape, the design itself is something that set tongues wagging.

There is the large grille, which is controversially not as kidney shaped as BMW fans would like and both the front and rear end designs are not for the faint-hearted. Personally, I didn’t think either to be as disgusting/outré as many suggest they are, more of a sort of Avant Garde design language aimed at differentiating the electric cars from their ICE counterparts, which is fine by me.

The 0-100 km/h time is 5.6 seconds and the top speed limited to 180 km/h and both figures are perfectly acceptable from an EV. The range on offer is about 440 km and while that too is pretty standard for an electric, the difference here is that it is truthful.

Like fuel consumption for years and years, most manufacturers boosted their figures creatively and so too it is with electric range. I know that most hide behind the WTLP figures, but there are ways and means of coming up with the right answers.

In this case, however, the Beemer is a pretty honest broker and by-and-large what is says it will give you is pretty close to what it does give you; obviously there are variables, such as how heavy your right foot is, but if you’re not trying to impersonate Lando Norris, then the iX2 won’t tell you too many porkies.

The reality then is that you can reasonably expect to get somewhere in the region of 370 km and for most punters that will be acceptable enough. It will take about ten hours to fully recharge from a standard wallbox while 10-80% charging is possible in just 29 minutes, thanks to some clever software.

The tester rode on 19” alloys, which is just as well because the 20” inch option will take away considerably from the ride quality. Consequently, what you have is a car which is both sporty and comfortable at the same time. Handling, you might expect from a BMW product is class leading.

M-Adaptive suspension is standard on this model which adds to driver and passenger comfort and the steering is pin-point and delivers an accuracy more associated with sports cars.

Worth noting too are the excellent brakes, which are not always a thing with EVs, and this can also be made into a genuine one-pedal driver, something which might seem strange to anyone not used to it, but is actually a really good way to have the car set up and can make for smooth and swift driving.

On the road, it is probably not as silent as its makers would have you believe, what with wind and tyre noise, but Hans Zimmer (the electro film composer) is at hand with a selection of synthesised soundtracks to block all that out if you so wish.

Space-wise the interior is nearly the same as the regular X2, but slightly smaller and while you can squeeze in three adults in the rear, the unfortunate in the middle is going to be compromised because in reality this is a 2+2 car. Boot space is good and there is even rom for the cables under the boot floor.

The curved infotainment and instrumentation screens are excellent, although the lack of physical control buttons for any function is an issue. The old iDrive rotary controls have been ditched here for BMW’s new Operating System 9 infotainment system which is easy to live with.

So, it is good to drive and wonderfully comfortable to drive and be driven in. You cannot but notice the build quality on offer here and just how well everything is bolted together and the high level of materials utilised.

As a mobile thing, the iX is a wonderful piece of kit and one which normally would come with the highest recommendations. But, as a coupe SUV (or SAC – sports activity vehicle – as BMW likes to label it), it gets an enormous number of points detracted simply for being such a stupid thing.

If you’re looking for a fashion extra, fine, but if you want something that doesn’t make you look like a vacuous influencer, then go for the iX1.