Can the most radical and technologically advanced electric BMW since the i3 give other premium rivals a run for its money?

Price as tested: $182,300.

Powertrain and economy: Two electric motors, 76.6kWh battery, 240kW/630Nm, AWD, claimed economy and range 24.5kWh/100km and 425km (WLTP).

Vital statistics: 4953mm long, 1967mm wide, 1696mm high, 3000mm wheelbase, luggage capacity 500 litres.

Like: Impressively quiet, impressively smart technology, spacious and hugely comfortable cabin.

Not so much: Limited real-world range, expensive, boot lid doesn’t open high enough for tall.

GO, on, say it. Express that thought. Seemingly everyone has a conviction about this car, one they’re gagging to share. So, you know, join the club ....

 But, just one thing. If you think you’re saying something new and original by commenting about the BMW iX seeming a touch ‘confrontational’ in the looks department? Well, save it. You’re likely not.

 Agreed, it’s a BMW unlike any other. Not just on the outside, but also within. But before you start banging on about how the shaping of this metalwork – which, by the way, it likely isn’t, as so much is rendered from carbon reinforced polymer – is representative of a design language salted with profanity, best consider the bigger picture.

 The overt origami-ness of the iX is certainly something different, but boldness is a byword of Munich’s design and it’s worth being reminded that ‘ugly’ at first sight can become attractive over time. Think back to those Bangle-era Beamers. Some that were derided as bungles when brand new don’t look half bad in today’s roadscape.

 You could say that about the i3, too, which is more relevant in any case even though it dates back 10 years and is just about to leave production. Be that as it may, what I’m testing here is strictly speaking just the second BMW model to offer a pure-electric driveline. The i3 was the first.

 As part of this test, I invited an i3 owner to offer thought. It was a fascinating and worthwhile exercise, reminding that even now, the wee hatch remains an advanced car and still hasn’t really gone stale. That the owner all but immediately understood the iX’s operability said as much.

 Overall, though, the iX ultimately reaches into places the i3 crew could only dream about. Even though, in respect to construction, it’s following the same path as … well, the pathfinder, in also being constructed using a generous dose of aluminium, high-strength steel and plastic reinforced with carbon-fibre, the iX overall is emphatically the most modern of all modern BMWs.

 Timing is good because times have changed. The i3 arrived at a time when electric was still a sneered-at novelty and, with 250,000 built over its 10-year lifespan, failed to imprint as much as Munich hoped. The iX comes into a new age. It cannot be considered a gimmick, it has a solid support network.

 Sure, it’s not mainstream in any respect, least of all price. Even considered against other premium pitches, it’s not the cheapest. NZ-configurations limiting at the moment to Sport treatments for the $163,900 xDrive40 on test and $197,900 xDrive50 respectively. The closest equivalents, in respect to size and potential usage similarity, in the fossil-fuelled BMW family are two X5s, the petrol xDrive 45e plug-in hybrid and the diesel M50d, which site at $157,900 and $185,900 respectively, and that’s before options are considered.

 The test car went heavy on accessories. The extra spend items were 22-inch alloys ($1100), an interior camera for $250, blue seat belts for $550, glazing options that ran to $3200), a heat comfort package ($2100), a $2600 tow bar, and BMW’s Enhancement Package, a $8600 hit bringing soft-close doors, laserlight headlamps and a panorama glass roof with swanky electrochromatic light-to-dark filtering.

 To understand what the iX is about and what it intends to accomplish likely does requires acceptance that it is not an electric version of the X5.

 Sure, in terms of size, they’re about the same length and width, though iX is a little lower, roughly akin to an X6. That's to help with aerodynamics, which are much stronger for iX; it manages a coefficient of drag as low as 0.25 (an X6 achieves 0.34).

 Yet, at practicality and operability level, one is more SUV than the other. Yes, an iX will tow (it even comes with a flip-out tow ball, albeit to Euro-spec) and, quite possibly, it will go off-road; but realistically if you expect to engage in either, BMW’s similar-sized fossil fuel-reliant model will be more robust.

 The concept of the iX is to show electric as the smarter on road and metropolitan application, in some ways for driving, in more for occupant friendliness. Which it really does.

 In some ways it might seem amazing the iX is purely a five-seat vehicle, as its interior is convincingly generous. The boot in itself is largish, with 500 litres’ capacity, but it’s the part up front where people place that will win plaudit, lending good reminder why electrics – with no need for a transmission tunnel or driveshaft – are such winners for space. A truly flat floor, a wide body and decent headroom make it especially airy. Three large adults can easily fit in the rear seats thanks to the width available and legroom is simply not an issue. There's even a recess at the back of the centre console to make more space for the feet of the middle passenger.

 Agreed, before considering the interior you’re inevitably going to cast an eye over the exterior. I’m not going to disagree; the daring approach to design is certainly not half-hearted.

 Perhaps it's a design that grows on you, perhaps it won’t. Of all elements, it’s the grille – or, more accurately, a panel that is of a grille shape (it’s solid to protest a host of driver assist electronics behind) - that is most challenging, though the surfacing of the sides, the frameless doors and the shape of the side glass are also magnets for all kinds of comment.

 Whatever the case, chances are this debate won’t settle when it moves inside, because everything in there is at the edge of future-dom as well. A wheel shaped like a round hexagon is one strange-ness, unless you happen to be old enough to recall the Austin Allegro (No? Moving on, then). But it’s okay to hold and lends a good view of the instruments behind.

 A new design of front seat, with an integrated headrest incorporating USB-C inputs on the rear facing is employed and, of course, the interior trims give BMW opportunity to use the iX as a sustainability exercise, showing all the good things that can be achieved through recycling materials, mainly plastics, that might otherwise be bound for the dump.

 You can get real (or fake) leather for this car or, alternately, can go the way of this one, which had a soft microfibre fabric on the seats and a fuzzy felt on the dash and door tops. It’s laudable to be able to reuse stuff, but the question was raised: Does in look truly expensive? Hmmm. Several mates who work in the higher echelons of the car industry who rode shotgun in the iX raised doubt about longevity susceptibility to staining and grime and, in respect to the felt, wear and tear.

 More? To give an idea about how far it strays from BMW convention, consider that the badge on the bonnet (which it isn’t) serves here as the access portal to the windscreen washer reservoir. Also, it has push buttons to unlock the doors. (though there are trad door pulls as back-up).

The control layout per se isn’t taxing for anyone familiar with BMW’s approach, but though some controls slip across from the fossil fuelled models unaltered and the interfaces are largely familiar, obviously there’s no traditional gearstick because electrics don’t need that sort of thing and though it maintains the trad iDrive rotary controller – this one rendered in crystal glass, as were the seat controls and start/stop button (all for the wow factor, there’s no practical advantage) - the reliance on voice control is greater.

 The panel the twist controller sat on what appeared to be a solid slab of walnut wood. Actually, it’s a (sustainably-sourced) veneer to enable enough yield for haptic involvement with the various core iDrive menu options that are back-lit. Below the top level of the centre console is a layer holding a charging pad which is the natural repository for your phone (as there’s the convenience of wireless Apple CarPlay), cupholders, 12-volt socket and USB-C ports. As much as there’s a lot there, it all effects as a minimalist look.

 The instrument panel is the tour de force, being a massive slab of anti-reflective glass that appears to float above the main dashboard fascia. This is 'BMW Curved Display’ is touch sensitive but if you don’t like seeing finger marks, use the iDrive controller to access the myriad of sub-menus.

 The operating software is a push into a new world, being the latest version of iDrive, based on BMW Operating System 8. It applies itself to voice activation and is designed for 5G connectivity, close integration with smartphone apps and the cloud and lots of personalisation.

 The ‘My Modes’ personalisation options are fascinating. You can create your own profile and have the car tailor itself to your personal tastes well beyond setting up the seat and steering wheel position to personal preference.

 The car expects interaction. To make a call or determine your infotainment choices on the move requires using the rotary controller, which in itself is a far less distracting method when you're driving than screen touch, or trying out the natural speech voice control function, which works well most of the time. That side of things works well, but the car lacking physical buttons for the climate control did take some getting used to. With iX, adjusting the interior temperature is a matter of using the touchscreen or, when moving, preferably the voice control function. Too much? Maybe.

 It will also become a personal internet and comms device, with all sorts of attractions, well beyond the usual feat of being about to search out the nearest charging spot. Woe betide if you forget your password, though. I deliberately did exactly that and the car would still start and operate, but basically otherwise cold-shouldered me.

 Navigation uses the cloud-based BMW Maps and Augmented Reality Video in the control display: In addition, five cameras, five radar sensors and 12 ultrasonic sensors are used to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings. A remote theft recorder is a feature. There’s a lot going on.

 BMW development engineers determined that the iX should offer the comfort of a 7-Series limo and the handing of a 5-Series sedan, in one X5-sized package.

 From this experience, I’d say it’s closer to hitting the first goal than the second. The influence of the dynamics is, of course, the mass that has to be controlled.

 It helps the iX's cause that the single heaviest component, its battery pack, is mounted in the floor, helping to bring down the centre of gravity. This influences the ride; on good surfaces, the iX feels settled and regal. Still, you do need to watch speed bumps and dips as either can momentarily disrupt the schmooze. The air suspension delivered to the xDrive 50 would resolve that trait.

 Overall, though, while BMW’s ultimate driving machine reputation is not endangered, neither is it enhanced. Despite all the remarkable use of lightweight materials, you do feel the car’s bulk, not least when you turn into a corner at speed. Yet it is nonetheless a BMW you can look forward to driving.

 Why? Mainly because of that CRFP structure. This clearly wasn’t just employed to cut back on kilos. It also lends impressive rigidity to the body structure, and that is a tangible bonus for the car.

 It means that, while feeling hefty, it generally feels in good shape, with acceptable body and wheel control and decent balance. You only really sense the weight at work under heavy braking.

 Variable ratio steering is fitted to all iXs as standard and it really suits the car, making it feel more agile around town and through tight corners as the steering speeds up the further away from straight ahead you turn the wheel.

 Look to the specs and you’ll see the xDrive40 has an output of 240kW/640Nm from its 76.6kWh battery whereas the xDrive50 can punch out 385kW/765Nm from a 111.5kWh device.

 That will show in the performance, particularly off the line. It won’t be the fastest iX - that accreditation will go to the M60 version – yet though it’s cited 5.8 seconds’ 0-100kmh take off is ripped apart by the incoming flagship, which does the same in 3.8s, for briskness of step-off the entry edition is certainly no sluggard. Neither does it waste any energy in wheelslip.  The iX facilitates four-wheel drive by having an electric motor on each axle and everything gets through to the ground.

 That top speeds of both derivatives being limited to 200kmh might seem a sop but, believe me, given the bulk involved, you cannot imagine why it’s not anything but sensible.

 Realistically, it’s the difference in range that I could imagine becoming the core factor dictating which becomes more preferable. I

 It’s impossible to say without having opportunity to drive it how close the xDrive50 comes to realising the ‘up to’ 630km range that testing to WLTP standard suggests is possible.

 However, on strength of what the xDrive 40 indicated during test, there’s reason for doubt. The 425km WLTP-measured range BMW has shared as a cited accomplishment was out of reach for the test car.

 I twice charged the battery to an indicated 100 percent replenishment – a process that initially took two hours even when hooked to the oomphiest charger in my location, a 50kW ChargeNet outlet (interestingly, the xDrive40 has a slower charging rate than the xDrive50) – and on both occasions it indicated a maximum range of 375kms.

 The writer who had driven the car immediately before I did told me he saw the same from the undertaking an identical replenishment in identical circumstances.

 From past experience, that leaves the xDrive40 in the same position as the Audi e-tron S, a tri-motor, tested recently and slightly advantaged over the Mercedes EQC. You’d certainly be capable of using it for extended open road driving but, really, would always want to plan a route that allowed for possible requirement for top-ups.

In test, I used as much of its performance as could be considered sensible in a public roadscape, tried all the driving modes and travelled over a span of terrain, from smooth tarmac to gravel, flat roads to fill country.

 The average consumption came to just over 23kWh/100km. Given the car’s kilo count, I figured that wasn’t too bad.

 But, yeah, if you’re considering the iX in xDrive 40 guise to be the next-gen luxury SUV in which to clock big kays in, it leaves a lot to consider. Though life-of-vehicle running costs will always ultimately favour electric, this one is taking an extra-long road to get to that point when compared to an X5, especially in diesel format.

 While it might not be able to take you as far on a single charge as you might have hoped, it will do this in considerable style.

 Quite apart from the comforts of the cabin, when it comes to refinement, the iX is in a class above. This is a seriously quiet vehicle. BMW has almost completely quelled motor whine and wind and road noise is very well muted.

Even the regenerative braking, which recovers energy to top up the battery as you slow down) plays a part. You can choose high, medium or low settings, but for the most part it worked well in automatic mode, in which the car uses data from the navigation system and onboard sensors to judge when to ramp up the effect. It is a remarkably intuitive system that other brands should consider applying.

 The trim material choices notwithstanding, the car’s quality is also outstanding. Panel gaps are perfect and there are no rattles. The sense of solidity and integrity is no illusions; independent testing by Euro NCAP shows iX as one of the safest premium electric cars.

 Hard to say if this is the best premium electric SUV around. But it certainly is an especially fascinating one, not least in its styling. Like the i3, it’s an electric that sets out to stand proud. It’s hard to argue why it shouldn’t.