Buckle up, the future is here with the BMW iX40

Forget about sitting in the lap of luxury. When driving the BMW iX40, you are immersed in luxury itself.

Fully electric, but with fuel-like performance, the age of equality in electric vehicles (EV) is certainly upon us.

The Courier had a chance to spend the weekend with the iX40, putting it through its paces in a range of scenarios on the North Coast.

Suffice it to say, it ticked almost every box while drawing admiring glances from passers-by.

But first, let’s get the technical details out of the way.

The iX40 is part of BMW’s newest generation of EVs, boasting a fifth generation eDrive unit beneath the bonnet.

This allows it to reach a handy 0-100km/h time of 6.1 seconds, with a top speed of 200km/h.

It produces 240kw (equivalent to 332 horsepower) and 630nm of torque, with a lithium ion battery capacity of 232kWh.

That battery allows a range of between 372 and 425km, with 10-80% charging done in as fast as 31 minutes under ideal conditions.

Overall consumption is listed as 24.5kWh per 100km.

Weighing in at 2.365 tonnes, the iX40 has a 3 000mm wheelbase with 180mm of ground clearance.

What’s it like to drive?

One cannot help but feel you are piloting a spaceship when sitting in the driver’s seat, given you are greeted by a wraparound interactive screen and hexagonal steering wheel.

That’s where the similarities to a noisy, bumpy spaceship end however, because you can scarcely hear a sound when driving the iX40.

Fully automatic, the cool responsiveness of controls and general comfort is what is most noteworthy here.

Whether you are slowing down to crest a speed hump, swerving to avoid a pothole or overtaking on the highway, the control you feel is unchanged.

And it is probably sensible to have capped the speed at 200km/h, because without hearing the roar of an engine it is easy to lose track of your speed, although a head-up display does help.

Despite its size and ability to turn heads, one must also be wary that pedestrians cannot hear the engine either and are often surprised to see you pull up alongside them.

How’s the interior?

The dashboard screen may dominate the eye on first sitting, but uber-comfortable leather seats and crystal finishes on centre-console controls all compete for attention.

Comfort is again the word that comes to mind and it really is a pleasurable experience for four adults – a third in the backseat would be snug.

The screen is as easy to get used to as any smartphone, while the voice assistant is useful once you figure out the correct inputs.

Seamless connectivity, parking assistance and useful additions – like USB charging points and one touch seat adjustability – are standard at this price point, but the iX40 makes it easy.

The main downside is a small boot at 500 litres, although the back seats do lower at the cost of seating space.

A low clearance also means it would not be suitable for any real off-roading, but that’s not what you’re buying this car for.

It is ultimate German efficiency and a genuine pleasure to drive, assuming you keep to shorter weekend trips on good roads.

SMG Ballito offers free charging at the dealership for the first year of ownership, while an at-home charging station and installation is included with the purchase.

Pricing starts at R1.735-million.

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