BMW X6 xDrive50i SUV – 2009
Luxury Cars - Auto, Sport Utility - SUV Comments (0)
BMW calls the X6 a Sport Activity Coupe, which is a different take on Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV). The reason is because they want to accentuate the BMW X6 sporty car-like driving characteristics, which BMW thinks caters to active car consumers. However, the BMW X5 may be a better buy as it costs less, has additional cargo room, seats more people and is better on fuel efficiency than the BMW X6. So what can the BMW X6 offer over that?
The BMW X6 does have features that the X5 does not, for one thing it is designed with personality and style. The design is a little unconventional for this head turning BMW crossover vehicle.
The 2009 BMW X6 is available in 2 trims, a xDrive50i with a base price of $67,200 and a xDrive35i priced at $56,500. Compare that to a base BMW X5 coming in at $47,600 and you will be doing some real math to try to figure which model is worth the price.
The X6 only has seating for four, but the rear seats are quite comfortable as they are individual bucket sport seats and there is lots of head, leg and shoulder room in the back. The front seats are 10 way power adjustable with memory for different drivers, and of course they are also heated with 3 heat settings.
From the drivers seat, the visibility to the outside world in front is excellent, however the rear view is somewhat hindered by the big thick pillars of the X6’s body contour and the small rear window.
For reversing the BMW X6 with some level of safety, there is a backup camera option which cost $3300 for the premium package, however this does come in handy when parallel parking tight spots. The premium package also features automatic tailgate, heated rear seats and soft-close doors.
The storage room capacity of the BMW X6 is 570 liters, less than the 620 liters offered by the BMW X5. If you fold down the rear seats of the X6 you can increase the cargo space to 1450 liters, however if you do the same thing with an X5…well you still would be up on the X6 at 1750 liters of cargo space.
The BMW X6 stylish design is identifiable and stands out in the crowd of the same looking SUV and crossovers on the market. BMW hopes this will be a big selling point to customers looking for unique style and bold visuals.
The interior of the X6 is very modern, luxurious and well laid out, the controls are easy to find and work. The X6 climate control features separate temperature controls to keep both the passenger and driver pleased. The controls do feature iDrive which is a big knob to control many options in the car, however this does require a lot of attention and not recommended when driving in traffic, as it takes your eyes off the road.
The X6 includes a high end stereo system, which includes HiFi 12 speaker sound system with 2 subwoofers and a CD player with MP3 capability. Other standard features are sunroof, tilt steering, telescopic steering, and leather wrapped steering wheel as well as dynamic stability control, dynamic brake control, dynamic traction control, hill descent assist, ABS, tire pressure monitoring system and 6 air bags.
Adding options to your BMW X6 if you choose to buy it can be very costly, and will push the price of the SUV higher and fast. The sport package cost $2000, manual sun shades cost $200, a heads-up display (HUD) in windshield is $1250 and the DVD rear entertainment system will run you $1750 roughly.
The BMW X6 xDrive50i is a heavy SUV coming in at 2,390 Kg, however it has the power to pull that weight with an new twin turbo 4.4 liter V-8 engine that puts out 400hp and 450 lb-ft torque. The X6 is fast and does 0 – 100 km in 5.6 seconds. The engine is mated to a 6 speed automatic transmission and you can change the gears with Formula 1 style paddles. Cool!
The base model xDrive35i only has 300 hp from its 3.0 liter twin-turbo inline six engine, and 300 lb-ft of torque which is still quite decent to drive around with. The handling and suspension of the BMW X6 feels like the true dynamics of a BMW, firm and tight. On rainy wet roads the all-wheel drive system did a superb job.
No exterior noise from wind or engine sound came into the cabin, which resulted in a comfortable quite ride. Fuel mileage on the BMW X6 iDrive50i is not great to say the least at 14.1 liters/100 km. The X5 xDrive48i model is better on fuel economy at 13.3L/ 100 km and of course premium fuel is required. The price of gas and fuel mileage should not be a concern if you can afford the BMW X6 , you should be able to afford the big gasoline fill ups.
Overall, the BMW X6 is a very good looking and uniquely style SUV, crossover, however it does seem to have competition from BMW’s own X5 which offers almost identical features and for much less money.
Other alternatives are Mercedez-Benz ML class, Volvo XC90, Lexus RX, Infiniti FX, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne, Lincoln MKX and Cadillac SRX.
Related posts:
- 2013 Infiniti JX35 – 7 Seater Luxury Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV)
- 2009 BMW Z4 SDrive35i Convertible / Roadster
Editor @ February 20, 2010
