BMW’s new X6; the large SUV coupé I’d rather drive than look at

Published on 29 February, 2020

Refined car with subliminal rawness yet €120k price tag is prohibitive

Overview

The BMW X6 is a cross between an SUV and a large, tall coupé. Mercedes have their version, called the GLE Coupé, and Porsche their Cayenne Coupé.

Based on the excellent X5 large SUV, this new one is a bit more subdued in its looks. For me, it is still a visual challenge. It's still a heavy mix of curve and angle but that is my personal, perhaps insular, thinking because buyers in the US and China, for example, just love the whole idea of it. They love the look and the aggressive stance; they can't get enough of it.

Yet I think even they would find some of BMW's promotional hyperbole to be nothing short of... well, make up your own mind: "X6 stands for provocative self-assertiveness... new, distinctive design language, which is displayed by the supreme exclusivity and visionary technologies. All of this primarily points to one thing: absolute dominance."

And then they exhort: "Experience a previously unseen new way of exceeding expectations with the new BMW X6."

What in the name of God were they on, or thinking of, when they wrote and allowed that treacle into the public domain? Now I come to think about it, I believe I find it marginally offensive with its ludicrous theme of 'dominance'.

As you can guess, the real-world experiences I had on my test drives evoked judgment and language of a far more restrained nature. I can say that with certainty after several sorties, long, short and medium.

I'll admit that as the X6 and I became better acquainted, the looks struck me as being less offensive than before; so much so I came to have a sneaking regard for the downright unequivocal nature of sloping roofline plunging into wide, tapering flanks.

But what a front/grille it has. It is one of the most striking in-your-face car fronts around. (Yes, I liked it a lot.)

But enough about the looks. You will like or dislike them - no middle ground. And remember, you can't see them from behind the steering wheel.

You can see nearly everything else thanks to easily one of the best driving positions I have enjoyed in a long time. There is something great about being so well ensconced. In partial criticism, I have to say rear vision wasn't great due to the small designed-imposed aperture out back.

In front of me was the ubiquitous dash/instrumentation layout and design that is signature BMW across virtually all models.

It's a layout blueprint that works particularly well in some (such as the 840i Gran Coupé) and well enough in others.

The overarching attractions of this car, however, were the 3-litre diesel engine and the sporty pliability of its air suspension. It could be a hell of a machine when that power-plant went from purr to grrr.

It's a refined car - that is the nature of a luxury motor - but there was a subliminal rawness to the way it delivered its stream of powerhouse energy. With all-wheel-drive its reassurance of grip and traction gave me added confidence to push on over some slippery secondary roads.

As I churned out the hours behind the wheel over several test drives, I realised that I could sum up this big, solid motor as being a car I'd rather drive than look at. I wonder how the marketing gurus would react to that description? As far as I'm concerned, it sums it up.

As you would expect, creature comforts abound in what is a small enough cabin, especially with limited space at the back. Rear head room is limited, too by the sharply sloping roofline.

And the boot is awfully shallow for such a large motor: I wouldn't like to be carrying too much passenger luggage (the slot underneath the boot floor was of little use).

And I know there was a range of options but, even allowing for their inclusion, the €120,000 price is not just mad. It is prohibitive.

Would I buy it? Absolutely not. Even if I had the money I'd pass it up. Reluctantly as far as the drive is concerned because I enjoyed it - no, I really revelled in it. But I'd quickly pass on the rest.

Facts & Figures

BMW X6

SUV Coupé:

Total price of car tested: €120,797; 3-litre diesel xDrive30d M Sport, auto, €570 tax. Black Merino leather; options include visibility/technology/comfort packages, heated front/rear seats; M Sport exhaust, carbon fibre interior trim, four-zone auto air con, driving assistant, M Sport styling, 21in alloys, two-axle air suspension, front LED foglights, high-beam assist.