2026 BMW iX 45 Review | 402 HP, 312 Miles & A Discontinuation Notice

The 2026 BMW iX gets a new entry-level 45 trim that drops the price of admission while keeping everything that makes the iX one of the most distinctive luxury EVs in America — a carbon fiber reinforced safety cage, 100 kWh battery, up to 312 miles of EPA combined range, and 402 horsepower from dual electrically excited motors that ditch rare-earth permanent magnets in favor of an old-school brushed design. We measured a 4.6-second 0-60, a 110-foot stop from 60, just 58.5 dB at 50 mph (one of the quietest cabins we've ever tested), and roughly 300 miles of real-world range against a 279-mile EPA estimate on this short-range trim. The catch: BMW has discontinued the iX for the US market — once dealer inventory is gone, it's gone, with the eventual electric X5 not expected until around 2028. In this full review we cover the iX's CFRP structure and X5-adjacent dimensions, the dual-door AC/DC CCS charging setup and 180 kW peak rate, front and rear seat comfort (and how they stack up against the X5's), child seat fitment, 36 cubic feet of cargo space, the included 40-amp dual-voltage EVSE, the dimming electrochromic glass roof, BMW's iDrive infotainment, instrumented acceleration and braking, ride quality on broken pavement, real-world efficiency, and full competitive comparisons against the Porsche Cayenne Electric and Macan EV, Cadillac Lyriq, Polestar 3, Rivian R1S, Volvo EX90, Lucid Gravity, plus the upcoming Volvo EX60 and BMW iX3 — so you know whether to grab a discontinued iX off the lot or wait for what's coming next. Here's why we don't talk about reliability much: https://youtu.be/WicesuUvTXo And resale value? Same thing: https://youtu.be/635cX7A3E_Y Join this channel to get access to perks! https://www.youtube.com/@AAutoBuyersGuide/membership Support on Patreon: patreon.com/autobuyersguide Buy Merch! http://aoamerch.com The Pod: https://www.youtube.com/c/AutoBuyersGuidePodcast EV Buyers Guide: https://www.youtube.com/c/evbuyersguide The Mountain Garden: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMountainGarden Follow us on Facebook: http://fb.me/theautobuyersguide/ 0:00 Intro: 2026 iX Lineup & the New 45 Trim 1:05 Exterior Design & Carbon Fiber Structure 4:07 Powertrain, Battery & Range 5:30 Charging Speed & CCS vs. NACS 7:17 Front & Rear Seat Comfort 9:47 Cargo Space & Included EVSE 12:25 Interior, iDrive & Electrochromic Roof 17:11 0-60, Braking & Driving Dynamics 21:35 Ride Quality, Cabin Noise & Real-World Range 24:54 Discontinuation News & Competitor Compariso