ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2025 BMW X6

I am not a huge fan of coupe-style SUVs, but the 2025 BMW X6 is one of my favorite options in this growing segment. It's based on the X5, arguably BMW's most well-rounded product, and therefore comes with the same platform and powertrains. The X6 competes against other coupe-ified SUVs such as the Audi Q8, Genesis GV80 Coupe, and Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe. BMW sent me an Isle of Man Green X6 M60i to review for a week, and the CarBuzz readers had some questions about what I lovingly referred to as "my big green egg." Here's my answers to what you wanted to know about the 2025 X6.

What Engine Is In The X6?

And Does It Have A Manual Transmission?

BMW currently offers the X6 with two powertrains: the xDrive40i and M60i. There is also the high-powered BMW X6 M, but we treat that as a separate vehicle entirely. The xDrive40i will be plenty potent for most buyers with BMW's outstanding 3.0-liter B58 turbocharged inline-six under the hood. 375 horsepower and 398 lb-ft of torque scoot the X6 up to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds while delivering OK fuel economy figures of 23/26/24 MPG city/highway/combined.

• Base Model 2025 BMW X6 xDrive40i	Go-Faster Model 2025 BMW X6 M60i
  Engine	3.0L Turbo Inline-6 MildHybrid	4.4L Twin-Turbo V8 MildHybrid
  Drivetrain	All-Wheel Drive	All-Wheel Drive
  Transmission	8-Speed Automatic	8-Speed Automatic
  Horsepower	375 hp @ 5200 rpm	523 hp @ 5500 rpm
  Torque	398 lb-ft	398 lb-ft
  City	23 MPG	17 MPG
  Combined	24 MPG	19 MPG
  Fuel Tank Capacity	21.9 gallons	21.9 gallons
  Highway	26 MPG	22 MPG
  Steering Type	Rack-Pinion	Rack-Pinion
  Turning Diameter	41.4 ft	41.4 ft
  Wheels Type	Aluminum Wheels	Aluminum Wheels
  Front Suspension	Double Wishbone	Double Wishbone
  Rear Suspension	Multi-Link	Multi-Link
  Wheelbase	117.1 in	117.1 in
  Front Wheel Size	20" x 9"	20" x 9"
  Rear Wheel Size	20" x 9"	20" x 9"
  Front Tire	P275/45HR20	P275/45HR20
  Rear Tire	P275/45HR20	P275/45HR20
  Max Width	78.9 in	78.9 in
  Height	66.9 in	66.9 in
  Length	195 in	195 in
  Curb Weight	5,002 lbs	5,300 lbs
  Seating Capacity	5 seater	5 seater
  Front Seat Headroom	39.3 in	39.3 in
  Front Seat Shoulder Room	60 in	60 in
  Front Seat Leg Room	40.4 in	40.4 in
  Rear Seat Headroom	39.3 in	37.5 in
  Rear Seat Shoulder Room	57.7 in	57.7 in
  Rear Seat Leg Room	35.7 in	35.7 in
  Trunk Volume	27.4 ft-59.6 ft	27.4 ft-59.6 ft

The M60i replaces the inline-six with a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 called the S63, which is also used in the M model. It delivers an overwhelming amount of thrust to the tune of 523 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. The V8 hurls the X6 to 60 mph in just 4.2 seconds, though the fuel economy is reduced to 17/22/19. Both engines are mated to a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic transmission. There is no manual transmission offered on any X6, but you can shift the automatic via the steering-wheel mounted paddle shifters.

Is The X6 Better Than The X5

If So, What Makes It Better?

The BMW X6 is more expensive than the X5 on which it's based ($74,500 for the base X6 versus $68,000 for the comparable X5), even factoring for the latter's standard all-wheel-drive. You will pay $6,500 more for a six-cylinder X6, while the V8 carries a $4,300 premium ($94,300 versus $90,000) over its X5 M60i counterpart. So why exactly is the X6 more expensive than the X5 even though it has less storage space? You are essentially paying for the coupe styling.

For the same reason BMW charges more for a 4 Series compared to a 3 Series, the X6 costs more than the X5. BMW thinks the X6's styling is worth the premium, but in my personal opinion, the X5 is actually the prettier of the two. The coupe style gives the X6 an egg-like appearance, hence my "big green egg" nickname, and it loses practicality compared to the X5. There is 59.5 cubic feet of space in the trunk with the seats folded, far less than the X5's 72.3 cubes. The X5 is also slightly more fuel efficient, netting 23/27/25 mpg in xDrive40i guise - one mile per gallon more on the highway and combined.

How Is The Ride On The X6?

BMW suspension systems lean on the firm side, but the X6 is very compliant, even in M60i guise. The M60i is a bit stiffer than the xDrive40i, but my tester came equipped with BMW's Dynamic Handling Package for $2,200. This package adds M Suspension Pro with active roll stabilization. It uses the 48-volt mild-hybrid system to prime the dampers, keeping the X6 flatter as it goes through corners. It's less aggressive than it is on the X6 M, but the benefit is a more comfortable ride. The X6 M is a bit bouncy on broken pavement, but the X6 M60i is a fairly cushy daily driver.

In my opinion, the Audi Q8/SQ8 and Genesis GV80 Coupe are tuned to be softer than the X6, but they lack the athletic handling of the BMW. The X6 treads a fine line between sporty handling and daily comfort, blending the best of both.

How Is The Infotainment System?

Is It User-Friendly And Smartphone Compatible?

As part of an LCI (Life Cycle Impulse) for the 2024 model year, the X6 gained BMW's Operating System 8. It lives on a 14.9-inch digital gauge cluster and a 12.3-inch touchscreen under one piece of glass. In addition to touch controls, you can add gesture controls that are a bit gimmicky, allowing you to change audio information by waving your hands. There are still some physical controls on the center console, including a rotating iDrive controller that can be finished in glass as part of a $1,850 Executive Package.

The lack of physical controls for the climate functions makes the infotainment system slightly annoying to use. It requires a separate menu to change the fan speed, which is fine if you like to leave the climate control in automatic mode. There are also far too many menu icons on the screen, though you can sort them into separate categories, such as infotainment and vehicle. Getting used to Operating System 8 might take a few weeks before you know where everything is located. In my week with the X6, for example, I could not find how to disable the stop-start system, a function that's typically available on a physical button.

2024-09-07T12:03:24Z dg43tfdfdgfd