BMW has built its reputation on blending luxury and performance better than almost anyone else. Whether you’re looking at a sedan, coupe, or SUV, the brand consistently delivers vehicles that feel refined on long journeys while still offering enough athleticism to keep enthusiastic drivers entertained. Few automakers have mastered this balancing act quite as effectively.
In recent years, however, manufacturers have become increasingly obsessed with creating niche SUV body styles. Coupe-inspired crossovers have emerged as one of the biggest trends, promising sleeker styling and a sportier image than traditional utility vehicles. The problem is that these designs often sacrifice the very qualities that make SUVs appealing in the first place, namely practicality, passenger space, and cargo capacity.
One premium German SUV highlights this contradiction perfectly. Beneath its controversial styling sits a genuinely impressive luxury vehicle with strong powertrains, excellent road manners, and a plush cabin. Unfortunately, its dramatic roofline introduces compromises that simply don’t exist in its more conventional sibling. The result is an SUV that remains enjoyable to drive and easy to admire from behind the wheel, but one that leaves many buyers wondering why they should pay more money for less space and usability.
In order to give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from various manufacturer websites, including the EPA.
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The BMW X6 is smooth and luxurious, but its coupe-like styling lets it down
It costs more than an X5 but looks worse
If you’re looking for a sporty but luxurious crossover, there is no better place to look than a BMW dealership. The German brand has absolutely nailed the balance between comfort and driving enjoyment in a way that few others can consistently duplicate. In their lineup of impressive crossovers, the X6 stands out because of its sloping roofline, which BMW says makes it sportier and more stylish. In our opinion, though, it’s just a less attractive and more expensive X5 with less space in the trunk.
2026 BMW X6 trims and pricing
Model
Starting MSRP
xDrive40i
$77,300
M60i
$98,000
Coupe-styled SUVs don’t really make all that much sense to us, particularly when the sloping roofline is found on a mid-size SUV like the BMW X6. The styling compromises rear seat and cargo space by so much that you might as well have bought a 4-Series Gran Coupe. While we accept that there are a large number of people that do like the body style, it feels pretty ridiculous that BMW is charging you more for less. The BMW X5, which comes with near-identical equipment and a more spacious interior, is between $4,400 and $6,700 less expensive, depending on trim.
What makes all of this worse is the nuance of the exterior styling. Even those that do like coupe-like SUVs have found the X6 to be a pretty controversial vehicle. Its proportions are extremely odd, with it looking like a 4-Series Gran Coupe that has put on too much weight. While everything beneath the surface is still fantastic, cars are unfortunately emotional purchases, which is why the X6’s styling lets it down so much.
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Underneath that controversial exterior sits a pretty athletic machine
BMW offers two brilliant powertrains here
Credit: BMW
We’ve always been told not to judge a book by its cover, and that certainly applies to the BMW X6. While we don’t like looking at it from the outside, once you’re behind the wheel you’re tempted to forget about all that vain nonsense. As per usual, BMW has delivered a machine that, despite your already high expectations, delivers performance that will surprise you.
Performance specifications
Base Trim Engine
3L I6 Hybrid
Base Trim Transmission
8-speed automatic
Base Trim Drivetrain
All-Wheel Drive
Base Trim Horsepower
375 HP @5200 RPM
Base Trim Torque
383 lb.-ft. @ 1850 RPM
Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
23/26/24 MPG
Base Trim Battery Type
Lead acid battery
Make
BMW
Model
X6
The BMW X6 comes in two different forms, namely the xDrive40i and the M60i. Models with the xDrive40i badge on their behinds feature a three-liter turbocharged inline-six that pairs with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system to deliver 375 horsepower. The M60i, however, gets a fantastic 4.4-liter V-8 that puts down 523 horsepower instead. Either way, you get a slick-shifting eight-speed automatic. Unlike the X5, every X6 comes with standard all-wheel drive.
Considering the X6 weighs just over 5,000 pounds, it is quite quick. The xDrive40 can go from zero to 60 in around 5.2 seconds, with the M60i doing the same run in a blisteringly quick 4.2 seconds. These are BMW’s estimates though, so we imagine they are even quicker in real life. Cornering grip is heroic for such a big and heavy car as well, though you still always feel that weight. Steering is accurate but, as is the case for most modern BMWs, it lacks feedback.
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The question remains: Why buy an X6 when you could just have an X5?
The X6 is just a less-spacious X5
While all that performance is impressive, you can get exactly the same setup in the BMW X5, which comes with the same equipment and a more spacious cabin. The X6 doesn’t quite make sense in the lineup. While we understand that some people really like sloping rooflines, you could also instead opt for a M440i Gran Coupe instead and save yourself $10,000. It just feels as though the German brand is charging you more for less.
Interior dimensions and comfort
Front row headroom
39.3 inches
Front row legroom
40.4 inches
Second row headroom
37.5 inches
Second row legroom
35.7 inches
Cargo capacity
27.4 cubic feet
Those seated up front need not worry about any form of compromise, with there being plenty of space to stretch out. The story is different if you get relegated to the back seats, though. The X6 has almost the same rear seat dimensions as a 4-Series Gran Coupe. The sloping roofline also eats into cargo space, making the coupe-styled SUV less practical than an X3, let alone an X5.
The styling of the interior here is actually pretty great. The X6 doesn’t stray too far from the established norm that BMW has gone for throughout their lineup. You get a sleek dual-screen setup on top of the dash, plush materials lining just about every surface, and a bevy of other comfort and tech features. Once again, though, the problem is that you get all the same equipment in the BMW X5 for far less money.
Coupe-styled SUVs are silly, and the BMW X6 proves it
The crossover trend that has been dominating the automotive world for some time now has resulted in some pretty strange trends. Among these trends, coupe-like SUVs feel like one of the strangest. From driving dynamics to interior space, it feels like you would have been better off picking between a sedan or an SUV rather than trying to find a middle ground. The X6 proves this point, with it being compromised in almost every important area for a vehicle of this price and size. The real punch in the gut, though, is that it costs more than its more practical, mechanically identical sibling, the X5.
