Yahoo Autos The 2022 BMW iX Is a Supremely Quiet and Long-Range Highway Cruiser
In our sound-level testing, the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 was among the quietest vehicles we've ever tested.
The iX produces less interior noise than the most recent BMW 7-series and Mercedes-Benz S-class, and it is substantially quieter than any Tesla.
The iX also went 290 miles on our 75-mph highway-range test, the second-longest-range EV we've ever tested.
Welcome to Car and Driver's Testing Hub, where we zoom in on the test numbers. We've been pushing vehicles to their limits since 1956 to provide objective data to bolster our subjective impressions (you can see how we test here). A more comprehensive review of the 2022 BMW iX xDrive50 can be found here.
One of the hallmarks of automotive luxury is cruising in pristine silence. Many people assume that electric vehicles are supremely silent—using electrons to power the motors does away with the thrum and buzz of the constant miniature explosions happening within the cylinders of an internal-combustion engine. But at highway speeds EVs aren't necessarily any quieter, and they are susceptible to the same tire thrum and wind noise as combustion-powered vehicles. However, the 2022 BMW iX, which starts at $84,195, excels even in this environment, proving to be among the quietest cars we've ever tested.
Our test vehicle was a 2022 BMW iX xDrive50, which, after a suite of optional extras was added, cost a cool $104,020. The xDrive50 is the iX's entry-level trim in the U.S., powered by an electric motor on each axle that produce a combined 516 horsepower. The iX we tested rode on optional 22-inch wheels shod in Bridgestone Alenza 001 B-Silent summer tires, making its silence that much more impressive.
Here at Car and Driver, we determine interior sound-pressure levels using a handheld Brüel & Kjær Class 1 sound-level meter. We take three measurements: at idle, at wide-open throttle, and while cruising at 70 mph. Sound pressure measurements are on a logarithmic scale, meaning that a small numerical increase in the data represents a substantial noticeable difference in the real world. For example, every 3-dBA increase denotes a doubling of the sound pressure. We only compare data measured at the same test facility, as our Michigan test track is rougher and noisier than our California test track.
In our testing, the BMW iX recorded an average of 66 dBA with the accelerator pressed to the floor, and 63 dBA when driving along at a steady 70 mph. This puts it among the quietest cars we've ever tested. Only four cars have been quieter at highway cruising speeds—a 2019 Bentley Bentayga V-8 (61 dBA), a 2019 Rolls-Royce Cullinan (62 dBA), a 2020 Audi S8 (62 dBA), and a 2019 Jaguar I-Pace (62 dBA). The iX was significantly quieter than this quartet at wide-open throttle, even beating the fully electric I-Pace, which measured 71 dBA under heavy acceleration. And the iX is far more serene than the quietest Tesla we've ever tested, a 2021 Model S Long Range Plus, which came in at 66 dBA.
BMW's EV SUV outdoes some seriously luxurious vehicles at keeping it silent on the highway. The iX measured one decibel quieter than a 2020 BMW 745e plug-in hybrid, a 2021 Mercedes-Benz S580 4Matic, and a 2021 Cadillac Escalade 600. The iX also easily betters these three gas-powered land yachts when it comes to lack of noise during maximum acceleration.
The iX's serenity at highway speeds can be enjoyed for extended periods of time, too, as it went 290 miles in our 75-mph highway-range test. That's the second-best result we've ever recorded. It's also an impressive 92 percent of its 315-mile EPA range number, which represents a much higher percentage of rated range than is the norm for EVs. Only the Tesla Model S Long Range Plus, which did 320 miles, has gone farther in our testing, although we fully expect a Lucid Air to jump to the top of our EV range-test leaderboard once we test one.
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