In 2024, BMW will update the X6 with a new 48-volt electric system, new headlights and taillights, new wheels, and a new front bumper and grille. The power of the base engine also goes up. The X6’s 3.0-liter inline-six turbocharged engine can make up to 375 horsepower. For this model year, the 4.4-liter twin-turbocharged V-8 engine, which makes 523 horsepower, will not change.

The more aggressive M60i replaced the M50i. It has an M logo on the grille, gloss-black body parts, and four tailpipes. The new 7-series high-luxury sedan was the first car to come with the Highway Assistant hands-free driving technology. Now, the X6 can also have it.

Pros

• It’s fun to drive even the most basic cars.
• Surprisingly large.

Cons

• It costs more than the X5.
• It’s not a plug-in hybrid.

The X6 40i has a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six engine that makes 375 horsepower. It is paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox that sends power to all four wheels. A 48-volt hybrid system is also built-in. The M60i has the same all-wheel-drive system and transmission, but its 4.4-liter twin-turbo V-8 engine makes a lot more power. It went from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds on our test track thanks to its 523 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Even more amazing is the fact that the X6 M is faster and can make up to 617 horsepower. The six-cylinder engine is still smooth and quick. Besides that, both the X6 40i and M60i come with 20- to 22-inch wheels and adaptive shocks as standard. During our tests, the X6’s V-8 engine amazed us with how well it stopped and turned. Even though it was firmer than the six-cylinder X6 setup we tried, it never felt bad riding. When going slowly, people liked how quiet the car was and how the heavy-duty steering could be adjusted.

Many types of driver-assistance technology come standard or can be added to the big Bimmer. Check out the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) webpages to learn more about the X6’s crash test scores. Some important safety factors are:

• Self-adjusting emergency brakes and forward crash warnings.
• It comes with blind-spot detection and back cross-traffic alert as standard.
• You can get stop-and-go technology and variable cruise control.

The inside of the X6 is very similar to the inside of most other current BMWs. This means that the panel is made up of two big 12.3-inch digital screens, high-quality materials, and soft-touch surfaces. Even though the instrument panel looks clean, the numbers are a mess. The optional head-up display is easy to use, which is good news. The last piece of hardware has also been carefully put in place. You can use the BMW’s gesture controls to change the radio volume by moving your hand in front of the infotainment screen, but you don’t have to. The front seats are heated, the lighting can be programmed, the front seats can be adjusted in 16 ways, and silent entry is standard. Adults can fit in the back seat, but there is about two and a two-thirds inches less headroom and space than in the boxier X5. In the same way, the X6 has less space for goods behind the back seats. The X5 could hold eleven carry-on bags, but this one could only hold nine.

The xDrive40i, with its turbocharged inline-six engine, uses the least amount of gas. Based on EPA estimates, it can get up to 23 mpg in the city and at least 26 mpg on the highway. When you get the M60i xDrive, which has a twin-turbo V-8 engine, you only get 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. We take a close look at the powerful X6 M Competition, which is the most fuel-efficient X6 model. It scores 13 mpg in the city and 18 on the interstate, per the EPA. We will make changes to this area once we have tested the updated X6 on our 75-mph highway fuel economy route as part of our strict testing program.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen entertainment system comes with both Apple CarPlay and Android Auto already installed. It can be controlled by buttons, speech commands, a rotary controller on the center console, and hand gestures, among other things. The company’s iDrive interface is quick and has great graphics, but some of the menus that are stacked on top of each other can be hard to understand. In the summer of 2023, BMW will send iDrive 8.5 to the X6 for free over the air. BMW also has a Wi-Fi router, better USB ports, wireless charging, and navigation built right in. The X6 can also have a high-end Bowers & Wilkins sound or the high-end Harman/Kardon audio that comes with the M60i.

In a class where pulling power is usually given little thought, the X6 has an amazing ability to pull. If you add the optional towing tools, the X6 can pull up to 7,200 pounds.

The 523-hp X6 M60i may make louder noises and accelerate more confidently, but we don’t think the big price difference is worth it. We would keep using the X6 40i with six cylinders and choose the M Sport package, which comes with a sportier suspension, a better sound system, a slimmer body kit and design, and a special steering wheel.