2008 BMW X6 Review and Prices

Driving the BMW X6
BMW summons lots of technology in the service of making a heavy wagon with a high center of gravity imitate the exemplary behavior of a BMW car. It’s only partly successful.

Little fault lies with the engines or transmission. BMW’s quote of 6.5 seconds 0-60 mph for the xDrive35i isn’t particularly impressive, but the more-meaningful measure is the smooth six-cylinder’s ability to deliver gratifying throttle response in most any situation. The V-8 xDrive50i is faster -- 0-60 in 5.3 seconds, says BMW – but everyday driving seldom presents the opportunity to tap into its extra muscle.

With either engine, gear changes are unobtrusive with the transmission set in Drive and obedient when manipulated with the paddle shifters. Set in Sport mode this six-speed acts like the smartest guy in the room, automatically choosing gears precisely even in erratic traffic and holding the right ratios to help you storm into and out of corners on curvy roads.

That the ride/handling balance should be so good. Even with every suspension gizmo sensing and evaluating and whirring into action, the X6 can’t summon that silky passage over bumps and through turns its BMW breeding and coupe profile promise.

It’s more than competent, certainly, especially for a vehicle with SUV genes. Steering is direct and meaty – maybe too firm in around-town driving. The X6 is balanced in sweeping turns, and big brakes stop it short and sure.

But it also occasionally feints and shudders over bumps instead of soaking them up and continuing on. It’s got a tall-in-the-saddle list in fast turns, and a reluctance to really bite into sharp corners, even with a Sport package and the 20-inch tires. These are failings forgiven the X5 because it’s an SUV, but they’re inconsistent with the higher aspirations of the X6.

Riding in the BMW X6
There’s no escaping the firmness in the X6’s suspension, but to take the brittleness out of traversing sharp ridges and prominent tar strips, try sticking with the 19-inch wheels and tires; they shouldn’t generate as much road noise over coarse surfaces as the 20s, either. X6 occupants won’t detect much wind rush even at highway speeds. The engines are difficult to hear at anything less than three-quarters throttle; after that, the six-cylinder emits a high-tech whine and the V-8 a NASCAR-worthy exhaust bellow. It’s exciting.

High ground clearance and a low roofline conspire to make getting into the X6 a tiresome climb-and-crouch exercise; narrow rear-door openings don’t help.

Front-seat room, comfort, and support is terrific, and the driver gets an appropriately elevated view of the road ahead and surprisingly useful vision aft, despite the narrowing effect of the rear window’s slant.

In back, the buckets-with-console setup creates a sense of occasion for passengers, but the seats are set low to maximize headroom, so the view they get is mostly of the front seatbacks. The rear backrests don’t adjust for angle -- a demerit in this price class. The rear foot wells aren’t cramped, but those longer of leg will find themselves in a bit of a knees-up posture.

A rigid cargo cover snaps in place to close off the luggage bay, lessening the impression that you’re in a traditional hatchback or wagon. And BMW’s correct when it says the X6 has far more cargo room than a traditional coupe. There’s a usable 20 square feet with the rear seatbacks up, 51 with both folded. Still, every competitor mentioned above has at least 10 square feet more cargo space. And a 3-inch tall lip along the lower edge of the X6’s cargo opening means you can’t simply slide heavy objects in or out.

The big hatch itself is nicely counterbalanced to open and close easily. Huge map pockets in all four doors and plenty of smaller bins make for good in-cabin storage.
Inside and out, the X6 feels sturdy and carefully constructed of quality materials.

BMW X6 dashboard and controls
Instruments are circular and meticulously marked. Controls are easily reached and activate with smooth, short movements. A medley of pleasing surface shapes creates an atmosphere that rings with modern sophistication.

Quibbles include a steering-wheel rim that may be too thick for smaller hands to hold comfortably. And if the paddle shifters are there to promote rapid, intuitive gear changes, why are they shaped to require use of the thumb for upshifts and then a repositioning of the hand to use the fingertips for downshifts?

No quibbling about the iDrive system. It complicates simple functions like setting radio stations and frustrates already-complex ones, such as programming the navigation system. The driver pushes, twists, and tilts the central control knob, burrowing through layers of programming, watching the dashboard screen for the hoped-for result. Working iDrive becomes easier in time, of course, but it can confound even the practiced user.

It’ll also take some getting used to the transmission lever, which is really a joystick control that toggles back to its start position no matter what gear you shift into. Shifting into park, however, is via an anomalous button atop the lever. You have to scan the gear-indicator readouts to be certain you’re in the desired setting. A couple of innovations do prove useful. Auto Hold eliminates “idle creep” so you don’t have to keep your foot on the brake at stoplights. And if you shut off the engine with the transmission in Drive, the X6 automatically shifts into Park.