First quick feedback of Macan Turbo vs BMW iX

[Wivenhoe]

I watched a video of the iX where the front 'grill panel' had to replaced due to a stone chip causing a 'star' in the plastic. The guy said it could be a regular occurrence due to the size of the clear panel. As the front camera sits behind the panel the screen has to be free from chips. He had to order a replacement from BMW - £ 820 ($ 1,000) plus fitting.

He did try the alleged 'self healing' with heat and it removed minor scratches but not chips.

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[sor]

And it’s a bummer to hear that Burmester isn’t as good as the BW. Haven’t experienced it myself. I would have thought with the mega subwoofer it the back it would make for a fuller sound. The iX has good clarity and I like the speakers in the headrests, but for bass it is mostly just the back shakers. I’m one who enjoys a good thump.

 

[Etmaniac]

I have an iX now, I like it but there have always been things I’ve overlooked.

For one, it is just too big for my taste. Kids love the ample room but seriously, it would be roomy for basketball players. And you feel that weight when driving, especially in the snow. I think the Macan Turbo is 300 pounds or so lighter.

The interior styling is something I have never really liked with the luxury and jewel tones, and the driving position with open floor space really kind of feels like you’re driving a van. That long screen has been bolted on to every model they have. The seats are comfortable aside from the weird headrest, but don’t really hug you. First world problems to be sure.

I like the new iX front end better.

Range - I came from a first gen e-tron where the best I ever did was 210 miles on a charge. I thought the iX would be better, on screen it sometimes says 340 miles, and I guess it is in absolute best case, but I occasionally take 500 mile journeys and the iX hasn’t really made a difference in terms of where I stop or how long. In practice it is maybe even a bit worse than the e-tron since that had a monster charging curve and I could easily charge it to 90%, where the iX I’m lucky to get it to 75% before the charging rate drops and I want to move on. The iX always wants more than an hour to fully charge and get that promised amazing range, but I can get to 60% or 70% in 20-30 minutes. So in practical use I’m just charging to 70% instead of 90% but going the same distance as I did in the e-tron.

I expect the Macan to be a road trip monster, I have fast charging stops every ~60 miles on most freeways north/south/east/west and with the 800v architecture it will make the stops short. Not that I make these trips more than two or three times a year but from the charge curves I have seen I expect the Macan could be ready to move on before I am, on most stops.

Macan has marginally less battery but weighs a good deal less and has better aero. They have about the same EPA rating so I’m hoping it isn’t a step back in capable range and a step up in charging speed.

My short time with the Macan excited me. It is much more nimble and feels more fun to drive. It is a good size for me. It is shorter as well which will make it easier to reach my ski rack.

My iX spent a month in the shop four months after I got it, and another week the year after that, so I’m no stranger to issues with new platforms.

If you get a proper 800v charger the thing charges blazing fast. On long roadtrips you may not get long enough breaks for charging. 10 to 75 or 80 in 20 to 25 mins. Used to take me 40 to 45 in the tesla x.

 

[Fun TC Driving]

Our 2024 iX M60 goes back to BMW next week as an “Early Lease Return,” literally the day after our Macan EV Turbo arrives. I am going to wait to post here 99% my differences — because other than three spirited Macan turbo test drives, I have yet to experience it.

These however are my concluding thoughts on our BMW.

1) It was for us the perfect first all electric vehicle in terms of getting us over range anxiety. We got two 350 single charges on road trips with it under near-ideal circumstances — yet not hypermiling each time. We often exceeded 300 miles during warmer weahter (100% charging equivalent), though it dropped down to about 220 miles in winter weather especially if driving through rain). Overall we got 2.9 miles per kW.

When it was charged with our level 2 EVSE in our garage, many days it had had so much charge left it when we got home, it remained unchanged for another day. Typically we home charged it to 70% (of course with the night before trip excpetion of going to 100% and it being timewise, pre-departure pre-conditioned.

2) It is a fantastic vehicle for a large family. Back seat leg room is beyond very large. If you have two or even three high school football tackles in your family, this is your perfect family hauling vehicle.

3) Everything software of a major nature ALWAYS worked perfectly. In just under 10,000 miles on it had not one major issue. BUT it has so many tiny ones, like initially not returning the steering wheel back to its desired driving position, nor its mirrors, nor similar little things. Of course we made more than several system resets, worked with our BMW dealership, talked with BMW customer service and accomplished more than a few total system resets — which all worked for the next few times we drove it and then periodically failed again. Again however these were irritations and overall its software system performed very well, i.e.,while there were small things; nothing ever major failed.

Everything is on the huge screen. Got used to quickly finding what wanted (e.g., to increase or decrease my seat heat and similar while driving); did so with decent safety or time. But not overall a positive. Overall, never liked the interior’s looks but liked the screen working all the time; every other system always worked as it should have. BMW’s iX and, i4 software were rated by a top EV evaluator media company as # 1 and # 2 among all EV’s.

It’s OTA software upgrades worked perfectly every time. Way more often than I would have originally envisioned Probably get one every two weeks (not that they were most even needed IMO),. Never resulted in anything even partially “bricking.” Each one happened just right and the only way I knew about their happening was when we next got back into it and saw the screen notice saying it was completed.

4) The front seats suck. Not even very small side seat bolsters. No way to hold you in place even in moderate turns (I am 5’11” and weigh 153 pounds so not asking much of it). There are probably to posts on iX forums by others saying they were not acceptable seats, how grossly uncomfortable, how much pain some users say they have when in them for more than a short time. The message function is horrible to the point we turned it off after twice deliberately trying it — and never again. The lumbar on the very bottom of the back seat has never retracted backwards enough IMO — and also so noted by some others on the iX forums.

Nicely for 2026 iX’supdates, BMW has re-designed at least the front ones to include some bolsters — and the new ones are getting way more positive reviews from the new seats.

5) Never happy with its auto-steering on curvy roads, constantly requiring me to adjust (push against) the steering wheel to better align it within the lane as we went around a curve. Turned that function off after trying for a few months. Then I easily steered the iX around every curve as I wanted.

6) Conversely on major roads like interstates, its assisted self-steering properly and always adjusted for vehicles around you, changed lanes basically by itself when I wanted. But the system is aggressive in its reminders to get your eyes back to straight ahead even after a two second look at something other than right in front of you. Too many irritating reminders IMO (long long before I ever got close to moving outside my lane).

7) I tried one pedal via its strong “B” setting and at adjustment level is was always too firm in auto-decelerating. If in one-pedal B mode in cruise control but wanting to stop for a just changed lower speed limit, putting on the brake superbly gently would move one’s upper body forward toward the steering wheel — so to mitigate that every time I just as took off cruise control, I would also asap feather in the throttle to reduce the too-great amount of speed decleration. What a PIA. Instead during the last year of ownership, I chose to operate in “D” regular drive mode, which LOL is most like the Porsche gentle deceleration process and flow. Still generated regen but a lot less than under B (max) mode.

8) The iX is big, BIG. Only on paper being 7 inches longer than an Macan EV, only 3” taller, and only 1” wider but it feels like driving a tank. Not an issue for me personally as I drove long haul tractors with double trailers all over the west, up and down the Rocky Mountains for years and loved it, but when my wife and my daughter drove it ,constantly they said it was too big to drive in traffic. Yet for decades they never once complained about their drivng our 1992 GMS crew cab, much-much longer pickup truck. So not a scary personally issue for me but for many (most I think) the iX feels so large inside when you are in an among other traffic, that please before you decide to get one, please have all your potential drivers drive it a couple of times in heavy conquestion.

9) Like all M60 versions, our came standard with air suspension and rear steer. RWS is excellent. Worked perfectly to make it easy getting into an out of our 90 degree turn end of garage to driveway turn, e.g., no back and forth but a single continuous turn in or out every time.

10) Suspension is not good over bumps, yet just fine driving over smooth roads — even when in its gentlest mode. Many, many reviewers such as savagegeese commented on its roughness when the roads are rough. I enjoyed it in sport mode but only a few times on very smooth, near new pavement. My roads where we lives are generally needing a little love so even in efficient mode, the ride could use a 10% smoothing. For 2026, also thankfully BMW learned this and greatly improved its handling, especialy its smoothness responding to bumps.

8) Accelerartion in the M60 is BRUTAL. Wonderful if you need a punch of power to avoid a potential idiot around you or to safely select a quick lane change into a small opening in rush hour traffic. BUT, be careful you or your passengers do not get neck whiplash injury. From 0-20 MPH it feels in comparison to a MacanEV Turbo, while the iX is a jet powered drag racer, while the Macan EV turbo feels in comparison slow initially — though the Macan turbo actually ends up a tick faster to 60 MPH.

SUMMARY: For many, the iX is an outstanding EV. For the right family it is what you want! Lots of things it does very well. Personally however, my wife and I (just the two of us daily in the car) cannot wait to change to our new Macan turbo a week from today.


I hope this is at all helpful to anyone considering getting an iX, especially a used one.

 

[sor]

Truth be told, the iX is good enough that I am still thinking of the Macan as a holdover for a few years until their iX3 and iX5 lines mature on NK platform. Their app and software, while not perfect was way better than my experience with Audi on the e-tron as well - I fear I will miss that. They are doing good work and it will be fun to see what comes next.

I was reminded about one thing that does really bother me about the interior on the iX, the screen being landscape and huge makes it hard to reach. And something about the vehicle’s layout or my size makes it so I have to lean forward to touch the screen when I’m adjusted to a good drivers position, and it only gets worse if you’re trying to reach the far side of the screen.

I look forward to having a manageable touch screen and a tactile HVAC control that doesn’t take 8 seconds to render on the display!

 

[Fun TC Driving]

The first appearing this fall in U.S. showrooms, Neue Klasse BMW’s have two great things coming, the A pillar to A pillar top of inside dash, easily-customizable, Panoramic display and the remaining center screen being much smaller and closer to the driver. If BMW can pull off the Neue Klasse, I would consider a 2028 model year M3 EV sedan with massive HP and handling prowess — with probably even that model having 325 or even 350 mile real world, average daily range. But then again as Dave here pointed out, that could be when the J1.2 Macan revised version comes out. More fun; more choices ahead for us all over the next few years.

Personaly however I am now focused on our next week incoming Macan Turbo.

 

[Yves]

One thing that strikes me every time is how beat the camera‘s of the Porsche are, the iX camera system, way older is much better … also in Part because the screen is bigger in the BMW …

 

[Awaz]

I hope this is at all helpful to anyone considering getting an iX, especially a used one.

Now we know to stay away from your iX

Good read. Some of your experiences, I can relate to my i4, especially software (no bugs).
I must say, touch wood, I'm one of those lucky ones here who have had trouble free Macans.
Looking forward to your detailed write-ups on upcoming Turbo. Surly, you will have fun, along with your family

 

[Fun TC Driving]

Yves was/is right. I forgot to mention that the iX’s rear cameras are one world light year superior.

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