New BMW iX4 Electric SUV Promises 428 Mile Range, But Is That Enough?

The BMW iX4 electric SUV is here for all the world to see. Like the X4, its internal combustion-powered ancestor, the iX4 is a coupe-ified SUV that presents itself in a shape that could, in classic BMW fashion, cause quite a bit of a stir. The Neue Klasse front fascia that we saw on the i3 and the iX3 only makes it look more wacky.

While you either love the styling or hate it, the specs probably tell a more complete story. According to BMW's press release, it's a bit of a range monster, at least compared to other vehicles its size. It can go an estimated 428 miles on a charge from its 112.2 kilowatt-hour battery. All trim levels in the iX4 lineup are powered by a two-motor setup for all-wheel drive, but the amount of power those motors deliver is up to what trim you choose. 

None of the options are what anyone would call underpowered though. The base model, the iX4 50 xDrive puts out 463 horsepower, and the iX4 M60 xDrive (BMW sure likes its alphanumerics, doesn't it) throws down 603 horsepower. BMW says it will do the 0-60 sprint in 3.7 seconds. 

Those are strong figures even by modern EV standards, and if you're a technology-forward individual, then the interior might be icing on that cake. The iX4 will feature BMW's hands-free driving system that can be used at speeds up to 85 miles per hour, a feature that purports to make highway driving a little easier. The connected features are powered by Amazon's Alexa+ AI tech – once again, love it or hate it — and promise to find directions, points of interest, and control the climate control and interior functions with your voice alone. 

Additionally, since it's a BMW, there are a litany of different customization options and different options packages for you to peruse. BMW lists eight different 20 to 22-inch wheel options. As far as price goes, it starts at $66,200 plus the destination charge. That's a $4,700 premium over the newly launched and slightly smaller iX3.

So, we know most of the important facts about the iX4. It looks like any bleeding edge BMW should, it has a lot of range. The interior is a rolling avant-garde art exhibit like any proper modern Beemer, and it puts down a lot of power. But is that all enough for people to buy it and, maybe more importantly, anyone to care? 

Just the mere fact that the iX4 is a Neue Klasse EV SUV coupe will undoubtedly sell more than a few models. The BMW badge alone means that there is a whole subset of drivers who are already sold on it. But will anyone outside of that demographic care for the iX4? 

Outside of that demographic, range is undoubtedly the most impressive attribute. It annihilates other vehicles in its segment and even vehicles that are much more expensive. Within the German luxury niche, the iX4's 428 miles puts the Mercedes EQE to shame as it tops out at just over 300 miles of range. The "base model" $79,900 Lucid Gravity can go 337 miles on a charge, and you have to spend nearly six-figures for the Gravity Grand Touring's 407 miles. 

The Gravity is a much larger vehicle, to be sure, but if you are looking for a beefy luxury SUV with far superior range to other options on the market, the iX4 is hard to ignore.  

So the range is excellent. There's no doubt about that. The real X-factor with the iX4 is that it's just a weird vehicle. The SUV "coupe" shape risks turning as many people off as it does convincing them, as the segment has already done for about a decade. The Neue Klasse front end, although appreciated by motorsports nerds (like me), will probably be polarizing too (again, not unlike every BMW grille design in recent memory). It hurtles from vast nostrils to (arguably oddly) narrow ones.

Then there's the AI-infusion into the infotainment system, which may cause people to pause, or at least just avoid using it altogether.

Range is certainly the best selling feature of the iX4, but coupe-styled SUVs have to appeal to buyers' hearts as much as they do their heads. After all, you're sacrificing some degree of practicality for the design, and a controversial design at that. We'll find out how forgiving — or enthusiastic — potential drivers are when the new iX4 arrives in the U.S. early in 2027.