The 2024 BMW X6 M60i: The SUV That's Too Cool for Kids

This 2024 BMW X6 M60i is the most fashionable and impractical SUV I've ever driven, and I'm not even mad about it. What's it like? Buckle up and let's go for a drive. I'm your host, Primax Racer, lover of driving fast, fun things, and on this channel you get reviews for drivers from drivers. Now, I'm loving the way technology is going with BMWs these days, and this 24 X6 M60i is no exception. Very tech forward, but because it's the M60i version, it's got lots of performance as well. But it is one of these very famous and fashionable SUV coupes. I don't understand this category, and maybe this X6 M60i is going to win me over. I guess we'll see, but before we get into what this is like to drive, let's have a look at this in a little more depth. Mechanically, this is similar to other big BMW SUVs, but of course it does have the sloping roofline, which some of you know I'm not a fan of. Regardless, mechanically, it's pretty stout. Under the hood is the 4.4 liter twin turbo V8, 523 horsepower at 5,500 to 6,000 RPM, 553 pounds of torque from 1,800 to 4,600 RPM. This is a 48-volt mild hybrid, and that electric motor under certain conditions will add up to 12 horsepower and 174 pounds of torque. Transmission's an eight-speed automatic. There is an electronically controlled limited slip diff at the back that is what they call the M Sport differential. Steering is the M Servotronic, which means it's variable ratio, variable assist, and there is rear steer on this X6 M60i. Suspension is based around double wishbones at the front, multi-link at the rear. There are adaptive dampers on this. Brakes are four-piston caliper at the front, single at the rear. This one is rocking the optional 22s with non-run flat tires, which we do enjoy on this channel. Because this is a 24, there's the new famous BMW curb display and loads of new tech, which we will talk about. Towing capacity is 7,200 pounds. Curb weight is about 5,300 pounds, and weight distribution is about 50-50, but on this channel, we know it's not static weight distribution that counts. It's how you use it. Did you know that about 80% of you are not subscribed? Well, it's true. I checked the stats, and 80% of you are not subscribed to this channel, so do us a favor. Hit the subscribe button while you're at it, like it, and be sure to share this with your friends, and hit up our merch store. Links here, links below. Lots of great stuff for driving enthusiasts like us. In short, BMW knows how to do cockpits, and I'm just set up perfectly here in every way. Basic seating position, ergonomics, visibility, I really can't complain. I've got a great relationship to the steering wheel and to the pedals. There's lots of adjustment in the seat, the steering column as well, and I think anybody is going to be very happy behind the wheel of this X6 M60i. And on top of that, the hip point is perfect. It's easy to get in and out of this thing. And despite the sloping roofline of this coupe, visibility is not too bad either. Certainly all of the cameras help, but all-around visibility is great. Big mirrors on the outside as well. And if you're going to do a coupe SUV, I suppose this is the way to do it with great visibility. Unlike some coupe SUV competitors, I don't hit my head here. There's a decent amount of headroom in this X6. The one thing I do have to note, and especially since there are M badges everywhere on this, and this isn't a full M X6, is that these seats are very comfort-oriented. They're flatter and less supportive than the seats we found in the X5 M we drove not too long ago. And as a result, I'm not as well supported as I'd like, given the performance capabilities of this X6 M60i. It's very quick in a straight line, corners relatively quickly as well, and I'd like a little bit more support in these seats. And I think that may be the key difference with this M60i versus the full M, because in that full M, you do get much more supportive seats and a little bit more performance. And I think that's the key difference. If you're looking for something a little bit more luxurious, well, maybe this is the choice. This has BMW's latest curved screen, which I have come to really enjoy, especially when I'm running on Apple CarPlay. Works lovely. When you get into the iDrive side of things, the menu, like maybe you're seeing here, can be a little complicated. The UI is a little too complex, but takes a little bit of getting used to, and then you're familiar with it. Although I've been driving these 24 BMWs for a while, I'm still not perfectly accustomed to this. I'm not really able to navigate my way around the system intuitively, but on Apple CarPlay, works brilliantly, and it's rendered perfectly on this screen. Some competitive coupe SUVs aren't as spacious, and that's one of the reasons I don't like them. But in this case, this X6 body shape is just perfect. There's a decent amount of headroom in that second row, and there's lots of cargo carrying capacity under the hatch. I really like the way this works in my day-to-day life. Can't complain about this at all. I'm very, very impressed with how they've been able to use the space with a lower roofline, especially in the second row and under the hatch. This is ridiculously quick. They say 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. I think they say that to not maybe encroach on the X6M's numbers. This feels much quicker than 4.2, 0-60. It is electronically limited to 155 miles an hour, which is probably responsible, certainly in this part of the world, because you really can't drive that fast on public roads. But nonetheless, this is real world quick. Has to do with this entire drivetrain. The all-wheel drive system works flawlessly. There is the E-Diff in the back. And then, of course, this is a 48-volt mild hybrid, and in certain conditions, that electric motor adds a whole pile of torque. So on top of the twin-turbo V8's torque, you've got a little bit more from the electric motor. And that is just incredible. Off the line, this thing just rockets. It is incredible. And it's 5,300 pounds. I mean, this is just wild. It defies physics in a straight line. It seems all of these BMWs we've been driving lately have their drivetrains just perfectly dialed, perfectly resolved, perfectly calibrated. And I really can't complain about this one. It distributes all of its power and all of its torque to all four wheels. It does exactly what I want it to do when I want it to do it. It is incredible, this all-wheel drive system. As BMW goes along with each iteration, these things seem to keep getting better and better. This is the eight-speed automatic, and it shifts smoothly when you want it to. And then, on top of that, when you do have manual control over the gearbox or have this in a more aggressive drive mode, it shifts quickly and crisply. It does rev-match downshifts. And of course, they've got this exhaust tuned to make a little bit more noise. It does overrun when you come off the accelerator and are decelerating a little bit, a little pop and burble out of the exhaust. And that's kind of cool. It adds a little bit of character. It's not as loud as a full M version would be, but it still adds a attitude. What impresses me the most about this X6 M60i is the handling, and it starts with the steering. It does have a variable ratio, a variable assist system up here, but then it adds rear steer, making this incredibly maneuverable. It's very easy to live with. It's stable when you're changing lanes at speed. And then, of course, when you're parking, that rear steer turns out of phase, so you can park this or turn this on a dime. This is incredibly easy to live with, especially in a busy city where I live. It is very easy to park, very easy to maneuver, and it's a fairly big...it's BMW's second largest SUV. I mean, the X7 is a little bit bigger. This is a remarkable big SUV to live with on a day-to-day basis, especially in a busy city. Given that this isn't the full M, it's a little softer riding than the full M version, and that is okay. They still have the suspension fairly buttoned down. Body and wheel motion is very well controlled, and that is a testament to BMW's tuning of their adaptive dampers. They just do a fantastic job with these things. I'm very impressed with overall ride quality as well as handling, and in terms of handling, yeah, it's a big SUV. It's got a tall center of gravity, but because the dampers and the rest of the suspension work so well, it handles exceptionally well for an SUV, and that's another reason why I like this thing. Braking is another highlight. This does have the bigger brakes, and they are positive once you're into them. Great control, feel, and modulation when you're into them, but what I find is the pedal is a little soft on initial application. So let's say you're cruising around in the city, and somebody pulls out in front of you, or an idiot cyclist just runs in front of you like they do in my town, and you've got to hit that brake sort of moderately. What happens is you get through that soft pedal of the portion, and then the brake pads hit the rotors, and then you're kind of jerking a little bit forward, but that's maybe the only downside. It's when you've got to get into a moderate amount of braking, and otherwise, very happy with the brake pedal. Even here, it's easy to transition onto the brake pedal. It's simply when you're on the go like this, and somebody jumps out in front of you, you've got to hit the brake pedal. Well, yeah, you get through that initial soft part of the pedal, and then it firms right up, and then you've got a lot of brake. I'd like a little bit smoother transition here, but overall, very happy with the brakes, certainly with the power and the brakes' ability to slow this thing down. It's incredible. This is a terrible road surface, and we're not hearing a lot of crash through. There's not a lot of road noise. It is a very comfortable and controlled ride. It's exactly what I want from an SUV like this, and it makes me very happy. Certainly puts a smile on my face when I'm just cruising around, and then throwing it through the corners, it's very well composed. The one thing I do want to talk about is BMW's Advanced Driver Assist, and it's because I've been using it a lot. This does have the Assist Plus function, which is fully hands-off on certain roads. When it can see road markings, it says Assist Plus available. You just hit the little button, and it is a hands-off system, and it works exceptionally well. I do have to say, in this part of the world, road markings can be terrible. Sometimes the system will get confused, not due to the system, but due to our crappy road markings. The Assist Plus just transforms a long drive, because you can go completely hands-free. It does have driver monitoring, so you do have to pay attention. That is the most important thing, and while I've used similar systems in other brands, I really like the way this one is calibrated, the way it's resolved. It's more appropriate for my driving style. It transforms a road trip, transforms the driving experience, and when you're hands-off and can rely on a system like this, it makes that entire road trip much more relaxing, and you arrive much more refreshed than you normally would. I'm very impressed with the system, and that speaks to this 24X6. With all of this tech, I think this is just the right blend of tech and performance, and of course, mechanicals. Big V8, twin turbo, wonderful drivetrain, wonderful all-wheel drive system, great brakes, great suspension, and then we have all of this modern tech, and I wonder if this isn't the sweet spot of modern vehicles. Certainly among modern SUVs, this might just be the sweet spot. How do you spec yours? Well, there are some considerations beyond this just being the M60i version. You are looking at Isle of Man green, which everybody loves except me. That is black merino leather interior. We are on the optional 22s, and this is basically fully equipped as almost every conceivable option for the X6 M60i. Base price in the U.S. is $93,000. As tested, it's about $108,000. In Canada, it starts at $108,000, and as tested, it's $133,000 here in Canada. That's before freight and local taxes on all of this pricing, and don't forget there's a famous luxury tax in Canada now. In terms of spec of yours, everybody seems to love this Isle of Man green. Not my choice. I'd get mine in black, but here's the other consideration. Given that we are close to the X6 M in terms of price and performance, I kind of like the seats better in the X6 M, so that's probably the way I'd go. But nonetheless, I love all of the features, all of the functions, and the performance of this X6 M60i the way it's configured, save for the Isle of Man green. So if you're looking at something like this, you need to check this out, but I'd highly recommend a high spec version of an X6 M60i. It's definitely worth it. My verdict? Well, let's start with fuel consumption because it's actually relevant, and as regular viewers know, I do enjoy using the throttle, especially when there's a twin-turbo V8 under the hood, and what I've been able to achieve is about 18 miles per gallon, and that's about 13 liters per 100 kilometers for my Canadian friends, and that is remarkable. This is a 500 plus horsepower SUV that weighs over 5,000 pounds, and to pull 18 miles per gallon is just incredible, and in addition to that, it has decent utility, and that's the thing about these coupe-like SUVs. They do have some reduced cargo carrying capacity relative to a traditionally shaped SUV, which is where my tastes go, but like I said off the top, after spending a week with this X6 M60i, I'm not mad about driving this thing. It works incredibly well. The tech is brilliant, and of course, this drivetrain, its dynamics are all excellent. The only thing I don't care for about this particular X6 M60i is this Isle of Man green paint. Everybody loves it. I don't care for it. Far too bright for me. Yes, I don't mind green, but this is far too bright. I'd get mine in black and be very happy with my X6 M60i. Thanks for hanging out with me and having a look at this 2024 BMW X6 M60i. I hope you liked this episode, and if you did, you're not new to YouTube. You know what to do. Smash the subscribe button, turn on your notifications, like this video, and as always, sharing is caring, so please share this with your friends, especially on Reddit, because on Reddit, they really need to see reviews for drivers from drivers. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments below. I'll get back to you as soon as I can. If you want to support the channel, please hit up our merch store. Links here, links below. Lots of great stuff for driving enthusiasts like us, including our very popular line of Save the Manuals merch. Thanks again for watching. We'll see you again next time, and remember, cars don't understeer by themselves, not even BMW X6s.