Price: NIS 790,000Competitors: Audi Q8, Mercedes GLE Coupe, Porsche Cayenne Coupe, Maserati LevanteLiked: Passenger cabin, design, suspension, engineDisliked: PriceRating: 9/10
We tend to think of the BMW X6 as a relatively new car, however the model has already crossed the age of 15. A reminder: it was first introduced as a concept car in 2007 under the definition SAC - Sport Activity Coupe, which itself is a definition for an SUV Coupe, meaning an SUV with a roofline that descends towards the rear, as if a coupe's roofline was put on a 2-door coupe on an SUV.
Although the debut appearance of such a design can be attributed to SsangYong with the Actyon, the one who really established the category, especially in the luxury field, is BMW's X6, and the rest is history or hysteria as premium manufacturers copied the unconventional structure. The first generation of the X6 started being marketed back in 2008 and introduced many technological innovations as standards. In 2020, the third generation was launched. The X6 examined here is from the third generation, but with the impressive facelift the model underwent at the beginning of 2024, which mainly touched the front of the car with new lighting units and an updated front grille.
Design: The exterior design is updated with lighting units, a front grille, and a new air intake that houses the safety system sensors. Its unique coupe silhouette looks quite elegant and the car appears smaller in its concrete grey color than it actually is. As unbelievable as it may sound, the X6 is devoid of flashy gimmicks that adorn various models today to appear 'impressive'. It is the most mature and refined design of the X6 to date, and although opinions on the essence of crossover coupe designs are divided, I definitely found it to my taste.
Passenger compartment: The first thing you encounter in the passenger compartment is the black with reddish-brown leather upholstery, a lot of reddish-brown. Things significantly improve from here. In front of the driver, there is a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with a variety of displays according to selected driving modes and driver settings. In the center of the dashboard is a 14.9-inch multimedia display with wireless connectivity for Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. There is also a wide central console with a closed compartment and wireless charging surface, and in the center of the console, there is a control panel for controlling all vehicle systems with a gear selector, a P button, and an electronic handbrake.
To the left of the driver are mode selection switches - Eco, Comfort, and Sport. Forget about Eco. You did not buy a car like this to put it in Eco mode, and next to it is a switch for starting / stopping the car. On the right side of the control panel is a large knob that serves as the control for the iDrive-Touch system that effectively controls all vehicle systems without the need to stretch out and touch the multimedia screen. Another switch is the height adjustment control for the adaptive air suspension, which allows you to raise, lower, stiffen, or soften the vehicle as needed.
In front of the driver, there are three handles that are well-designed and pleasant to hold, a little too big for my taste. Large parts of the dashboard, the central console, and the door coverings are integrated with wood veneer. It is worth mentioning that things 'fall' exactly where you would expect them to be. No more digging through endless menus, but rather an excellent user interface. The driver's seat is electric, of course, with ventilation and heating, with a variety of acceptable directions and some that are not. The only criticism I have about the driver's seat is that for short drivers, not to mention height-challenged ones, including those at a height of 1.70 meters, it would have been better if it could have been raised a bit more. Besides that, the driver's seat is wonderful, and in sport mode, it adjusts and closes around the driver to prevent them from sliding out during sharp turns.
The interior space in the rear seat is excellent thanks to a generous wheelbase of 2.975 meters. Despite the sloping roof towards the back, there is no noticeable head height limit in the rear seat unless you are an NBA center.
Cargo compartment: large and useful with a volume of 580 liters, and a small accessory to emphasize BMW's thoughtfulness. Under the cargo compartment floor is a spare wheel. Lifting the floor reveals that it is supported by a hydraulic arm that eases lifting and keeps it in an elevated position. Closing the floor is accompanied by a noticeable 'click' and the floor is securely locked in place.
Equipment: The X6 xDrive 30d is equipped to the brim with dual propulsion, adaptive air suspension, excellent multimedia system, multimedia control on the steering wheel (works great even though you feel like a complete idiot, especially when people look at you from the outside), full heating for the front seats, climate control with four zones, 360 cameras, autonomous parking vertically or parallel, Herman Kardon sound system, 22-inch rims, and more.
Engine and performance: The propulsion is provided by a 3.0-liter diesel engine, with a light 48V hybrid electric assistance system. Together, the two engines produce 298 hp (the diesel engine 286 hp) and 68.3 kgm (the diesel engine 66.3, starting at 1500 rpm). The automatic planetary gearbox has eight gears, with the option of manually shifting gears using paddles behind the steering wheel. The official acceleration to 100 km/h stands at 6.1 seconds, reaching a maximum speed of 233 km/h.
Fuel consumption: The fuel consumption, if relevant for this type of vehicle, was surprisingly good. The official consumption stands at 13.7 km per liter. In practice, after 36 hours with the vehicle, the average fuel consumption stood at about 12 km per liter, which is quite wonderful for such a vehicle, especially considering the driving style and aggressive pressure on the gas pedal during driving. Economical driving in the X6, meaning moderate driving at 100 km/h, without strong accelerations and without constantly accelerating and braking, yielded a consumption of over 17 km per liter.
Comfort and behavior: the power and momentum that any Chinese child can do, and if there is not enough, we will add another engine and get crazy and easy to achieve powers. But the real gap that separates the best German product from the X6 is a wonderful example of this, and it is a gap that manufacturers from the East have not yet closed, and it is not certain that they want to close, these are suspension systems. The X6 is blessed by the Creator with an excellent suspension system, undoubtedly one of the top 5 in which I drove with the ability to roll the hefty vehicle, accurate information transfer through the steering to the driver (remember that information needs to satisfy the vehicle and the driver, and BMW has alternatives for those who drive route and driving simplicity in the form of the M series) and maintaining high comfort and excellent adhesion to the asphalt. On urban roads, the X6 copes well with problematic undulations, broken roads, and random speed bumps. The suspension smooths out the entrance shock and knows how to smooth out the exit so that comfort in the car is not affected. The X6 does not float above the bumps but contains them impressively. On highways, it's like the king of the road. No matter what speed you decide to cruise at, the X6 provides a feeling of dominance. It is fast, the handling is wonderful, the grip is high, and the comfort in the passenger compartment is impressive. Here I mention again that perhaps the steering wheel was a bit too large for me for more demanding driving. I would have been happy with a slightly smaller one.
Safety: The X6 is equipped with most advanced safety accessories available today, if it has not yet undergone a public crash test. However, something can be inferred from the X5's crash tests, which consistently receive maximum scores, so it's unlikely that the X6 will be significantly different.
Bottom line: The X6 xDrive 30d is marketed at a price of NIS 790,000. This is perhaps the biggest criticism that can be attributed to it. However, it is not alone as all its merry group of competitors - the Audi Q8, Porsche Cayenne Coupe, and Mercedes GLE Coupe - all revolve in that price range, with it sitting in the middle between Audi's NIS 687,000 and Mercedes' NIS 849,000.
For those with many details in their pocket, as far as the X6 is concerned, it is still a very worthy and superb vehicle, continuing to set a very high bar with a focus on the dynamic side, its more prominent hallmark in this arena due to very high levels of precision and driving enjoyment, performance, and for you to feel really good with this expenditure - even fuel saving.
Technical specs: BMW X6 30dEngine, drive: Diesel, 6 cylinders, dualDisplacement (cc): 2,993Power/torque (kW/kgm): 68.3/298Transmission: Automatic, 8 gears
Dimensions:Length (m): 4.96Width (m): 2Height (m): 1.7
Wheelbase (cm): 2.98Fuel tank capacity: 580 liters
Performance (manufacturer):0-100 km/h: 6.1 secondsMaximum speed: 233 km/hFuel consumption (test): 12 km per liter
Safety:European crash test rating: Not testedActive safety: Emergency braking, stability control, lane keeping assist, warning of a vehicle in a dead zone, rear cross-traffic alert, and reverse driving aid in the last 50 meters
Air pollution:15/15
Warranty:3 years