Introduction

The BMW X6 is the German company’s flagship SUV, offering a sportier drive than the X5 on which it is based. It was the originator of the ‘coupe-SUV’ concept when it launched in 2008 and it proves ever-popular in the sales charts, despite its challenging appearance. The UK model line-up of the second-generation X6 comprises high-powered, turbocharged engines. There are three six-cylinder diesels and two V8 petrols, with two dedicated performance variants – the M50d and the mighty X6 M. All models use xDrive four-wheel drive and the engines are universally hooked up to an eight-speed automatic gearbox. Furthermore, the ‘regular’ range of X6s, excluding the M50d and X6 M, can only be specified in M Sport trim, as befits the SUV’s dynamic focus.

Did you know? The man who styled the original X6 – and X5 – was Pierre Leclercq, who left BMW M in 2013 to join Chinese brand Great Wall as VP of Design. 

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (7.4/10)

The BMW X6 is, and will always be, something of an acquired taste. Its 'coupe' styling is the very thing that makes it difficult to swallow for many people, and the fact it is less useful and more expensive than the superb and much less controversial X5 on which it is based seems to be a strange move by the German company. But the people who d...