It's... Complicated. - BMW iX

[@TheDoomWorm]

Props for the honesty and calling out stupid features when you see them Other reviewers try to be nice and not piss off the manufacturers

[@ParadoxalDream]

LTT rent the cars and they don't have car manufacturers as sponsors, so they can do and say whatever they want.

[@iker42]

literally every youtube reviewer calls out the stupid features. press car or not.

[@ywsx6489]

Just like clarkson hammond and may.

[@DeepKumar.]

@@iker42 Agreed but also few female reviewers I saw praise these cars as if they are the ultimate cars that every car enthusiasts should have, I forgot their names but U can search for the postive reviews and U will find them...

[@bobzor]

Speaking of piss, some drunk is gonna push that BMW logo and take a wizz.

[@dinckelman]

This kind of car is a prime example of what happens when the marketing team controls the engineering team. No one wants a mountain of piano black plastic, with unusable touch controls everywhere, while also not having enough leg or head room, even if you're 5'2. But it drives great, I guess

[@shivamarya5225]

Glass and piano black plastic are not the same thing, the screen is made from glass not piano black, other than that I agree

[@xB-fx2iu]

They even invented a term for it: “shy tech”

[@abubakrakram6208]

It's odd because their older EVs weren't like this. My i3 seems spacious, although I'm not too tall, and most of the controls are still physical. You've got a screen for settings and CarPlay/Android Auto, but it's not trying to absorb all the physical controls into it. It's odd to me that they've changed so much.

[@robertt9342]

Mechanics think engineers suck at design as they often make repairs difficult and expensive.

[@mustardroshi418]

No no it shows what happens when commie china controls the brand lol

[@hatchet646]

They must have designed it this way because they thought: "If we design this car as fugly as possible the next one will be celebrated like a revolutionary design". There is no other possibility...

[@deth3021]

Bmw has a history of going with odd looking cars, and some even become classics.

[@giaopx]

@@deth3021 but it doesnt alway goes well. The e50 and e65 is so disgustingly ugly. While the e30, e39, e46 are cult classic

[@JohnGeorgeBauerBuis]

@@scorpioassmodeusgtx1811 I hope that you’re right and that they don’t repeat this ugly look in the future.

[@Morberis]

@@scorpioassmodeusgtx1811 why would they do that? Save the world from what they consider bad designs...? Terrible reasoning imo

[@deth3021]

@@giaopx bmw are willing to take some risks to try for something iconic. as you say it doesnt always work. Everyone is struggling to find some new design language that works for evs.

[@raphpictures7375]

9:58 I have a small remark: It should be 765Nm and not 765nm. Otherwise it's just a really short distance.

[@hedgehogdinosaur3023]

capitalizing does matter in units, despite what many designers wish.

[@aflac82]

@@hedgehogdinosaur3023 lol So you mean 128kb/s is the same as 128kB/s?

[@hedgehogdinosaur3023]

@@aflac82 No those aren't same, bytes and bits are different. What I meant was capitalizing certain letters in units has significant meaning, instead of being a arbitrary artistic choice.

[@AlexPotvin]

​@@hedgehogdinosaur3023 hey, honest mistake.

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@ErikTheAndroid]

Huge props to Alex for calling out all the infotainment related bullshit. I cann not stand seeing car reviewers show obviously broken systems and then describe them as great.

[@datachu]

Def agree. Some infotainment systems really suck and are a total waste of their (often these days) enormous screens. And not enough people talk about that aspect in car reviews and practically skip over it. I hope one day some right to repair legislation will put us in a world where you can swap out the software/hardware of your infotainment system in your car to something that doesn't suck ass, and possibly even add features in the process. But that is a world far from this one. The systems of these modern cars are kept as secretive as possible so we don't have the info to be able to do stuff like that anymore. A radio/infotainment swap used to totally be a thing on older gas cars and all features of the car would still work thanks to standard protocols. So yeah I'm on board with Louis Rossman's "schematics or die" mindset

[@Rabolisk]

It might be because these car reviewers are auto enthusiasts and are more interested in the auto part of the car, rather than the software interface. Still they should.

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@QualityDoggo]

The lag on swiping is painful

[@IkLms11]

@@datachu "Some"? More like all of them. I travel for work so I'm in a ton of different manufacturers cars and the one universal fact is that the infotainment system will be absolute hot garbage.

[@MarkBerberoglu]

This cars user interface seems to be the result of a bad intern project. Specifically by an intern that has never been in or seen a car.

[@aeromotive2]

lol

[@doomsday9973]

He made it sound much worse then it actually is. I thought I drive 8 was excellent.

[@kazzTrismus]

designed by a recent college grad who's used transit exclusively for 5-7 years and wouldnt visit anything but another city

[@huskers1278]

@@doomsday9973 this car's starting MSRP is 90k. 90 thousand dollars and "nOt tHaT bAd" this car should be close to perfect. Are you dense AF?

[@NGC1433]

This is a trend generally, unfortunately. For example ergonomics of new(-ish) Canan's lineup of cameras was clearly designed by a youth who has never ever taken a picture with anything but his iPhone. Their specs are so good, but there is so much parameters you cannot possibly adjust without menu diving, which for literally four decades were a a roll of a dial, or a button press and a roll of a dial, sometimes button hold and a roll. YOu could do everything without ever taking your eyes off the subject.

[@DaMainDude]

I love the contrast to the other reviews of this car - especially the German ones. Here, the presenter would go through every single interior panel and rate it's luxury level individually (that could take up 1/3 of the review). You approached this car like every normal person would - which is quite refreshing.

[@DaMainDude]

@L'homme Valid points - but they are definitely cranking these things out at the moment. I live in the town where they are produces - they are shipping out by the train-load.

[@sux0r1z0r]

Autogefühl

[@mus6926]

@@DaMainDude well yeah its a 100k dollar car not a 1m dollar car

[@G-Mastah-Fash]

@L'homme A 1980's S class is more comfortable than this and It also projects wealth much better. When I see this BMW I see a Hyundai with a pig snout, not a luxury car.

[@Rikorage]

@@G-Mastah-Fash Sir, that's an insult to Hyundai and pigs 😂

[@_PsychoFish_]

"If you need to have a search bar on top your [CAR infotainment] menu, you've done it wrong" Wise words 🙏

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@automation7295]

@@Skylancer727 Okay then, but unlike you people, I want BMW to shut down or leave EU and US markets. All new BMW models should be exclusive to China.

[@Skylancer727]

@@automation7295 ??? The hell does that have anything to do with horrible design or the idea of openly telling people to off themselves? Not to mention, why? It sure as hell isn't going to happen either as BMW is a European brand. Why would they ever leave their own country of origins? It's more likely they would just go out of business. They literally would gain nothing and have more to lose by doing that. If you want a car made specifically for the Chinese market, there are plenty of Chinese brands. Why would you want them to be exclusive to the Chinese market? Buick for example is a brand which is owned by GM, they basically only sell well in China but they're still sold world wide anyways. Hell there's a Buick dealer on the street I live on, and I never see people driving them. Buick states to their own investors that 80% of all their cars are solid in China but people around the world really don't seem to like them. Toyota has continued to be the most popular brand in the US purely due to the fact they're cheap and they just don't die. I still drive a 97 Camry for example I see many others still driving the same model year. I would say nearly every cars I see here are either a Toyota, Honda, or Ford. But again, why would they leave the market if they still sell here at all? That just is killing a market where money could be made.

[@automation7295]

@@Skylancer727 *"Why would you want them to be exclusive to the Chinese market?"* Because all new BMW models are ugly and have big grilles, except for the current X1 and M2.

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@peterfokinpan8063]

Having driven it thousends of kms i honestly love the ride, hate the massage, like the infotainment, LOVE the gesture controlls, hate the seat controlls and love the backseat comfort whilst charging (the seats kinda move around the corner of the door so you can sleep real nice). The soundsystem is the best ive ever heard in a car! Make sure to get the 4D one! The white paint seems to be the best though i gotta admit i didnt believe it until i saw it in person xD

[@sergecourtois2710]

Thank you for hitting the nail on the head! No other review ever mentions those type of UI atrocities! It feels like everyone growing up with cellphones and computers knows the basic UI language, and yet brands like BMW just don’t get it.

[@JamVar]

Engineer: So, yeah. Since this is an electric vehicle and mass air intake is not a priority, the grill can be made much smaller than current models. The lower air dam will be sufficient to- Designer: Haha grill go brrrr

[@ElZamo92]

I hate it...

[@Fabianthehunter]

Such a shame to see this new BMW as a german engineer...

[@marcogenovesi8570]

it's not even a grill, it's just a panel with a drawing of a grill on it

[@ArmanRafique]

@The Game Shоrts 🅥 wtf is this

[@dumdum93]

Whoever thought it's a good idea to come back to vertical grills needs to be fired ASAP

[@JustLilGecko]

Those crystal knobs seems like such an easy way to get bright sunlight reflected and refracted STRAIGHT into my eyeballs. And I increasingly think the touch controls need to stop and allow physical buttons to control everything again. Takes so much more effort to navigate a menu while driving than... You know. Muscle memory your way to the switch that does [whatever]

[@noxious89123]

+1 I hate the idea of touch screens in cars. How tf is anyone supposed to do anything with that HVAC system whilst driving?

[@Leroys_Stuff]

Wait till they start the interior on fire like the insurance crystals

[@anomuumit]

That was the actual experience for some other car reviewer, they recommended the regular style knobs. Kinda crazy that the worse part comes in as an optional extra.

[@luca7069]

"I don't think drivers of this use their turn signals anyway" LOL

[@Formulka]

it was so casual as well (and true)

[@peterkogoj6847]

People get turnsignal usage wrong... It is not that BMW drivers don't use them.... I mean yes they don't, but so doesn't everyone else...

[@FaresDjebbar]

@@peterkogoj6847 as an an ex BMW driver, the only reason I don't use the turn signals, is because they are terrible, you can't cancel them as the the stalk gets back to its default position when you turn it on, and they don't cancel so you'll be looking like an idiot or you can turn the opposite side on which means the signals will flash, and everyone thinks you're turning to the opposite side ...it's a mess

[@OmegaTryce]

@@FaresDjebbar ohhhhh thanks for that, NEEDED THAT EXPLANATION. I think they use similar levers on the gr86 and they're, from what I've heard, equally terrible to use... at least from journalists/reviewers perspective.

[@wormspeaker]

Checks out based on past experience.

[@flyingpanhandle]

The front door opening is for a reason, if you do it via the Dutch Reach method, not only is it easier, its also safer.

[@sven679]

The "dutch" method doesn't really apply to the driver. He has that thing called "a mirror" that allows him to see whats behind him. Similiar for the front passenger. with a small lean forward they can see everything too.

[@radomane]

9:07 That is functional, it’s solid state. No mechanical point of failure, looking at LCD it should last longer than the car.

[@redusercolor]

I absolutely hate the direction in which car makers are heading. Its like "physical buttons are archaic and expensive, lets slap this giant ass touchscreen with horrible UI and justify the extreme price by adding crystal buttons and wood around the dashboard". PLEASE BRING BUTTONS BACK. We need to be able to change things while keeping our eyes on the road. And whats with the 'locked out engine hud'? Do they really expect to have these cars serviced by 'official retailes and service centers' forever?

[@antiwokehuman]

Totally. Some of the new "innovations" are nauseating and downright dangerous when driving.

[@iaadsi]

Expect, no, but they really really want to. They are desperately trying to convince everyone that changing one insignificant* technical detail about the drivetrain somehow warrants changing the service and ownership model, the design, the UI. *literally insignificant, my mom's been driving an EV for nearly a decade and she keeps forgetting that. To her it's "a car". She drives home, plugs it in, and that's literally all the changes she had to make. Everything else (looks, servicing, parts, fluids, buttons, not having to wave a freaking smartphone app at it to rent heated seats!) works the same as other cars because it's an "old" EV (a 2015 Volvo V60), before this new design madness started.

[@willstikken5619]

Buttons are cheaper than replacing touch screens. You knew the end was coming when they moved to integrating the cars stereo into the rest of the cars systems. Now you can no longer easily upgrade to newer technology and when it fails its 4K and keeps the car form being usable until its replaced.

[@xmlthegreat]

Thank God I'm not the only one thinking these thoughts

[@larryspiller15]

Ever hear of steering wheel controls?

[@adamthejester]

The best in-car controls are; 1) Physical media controls on the steering wheel. 2) Physical climate control knobs/switches in the dash, displays on the knobs for temperature are okay. 3) Digital screen in the dash and/or instrument cluster for infotainment. Everything else is horrible. Other drivers are dicks, and tactile controls which you can *feel* make driving so much safer whilst keeping an eye on the road and other drivers.

[@palibakufun]

This this this. I love the infotainment in my Corolla, because it's physical buttons on the wheel, physical buttons for climate control and seat warmers and all that stuff, and touchscreen for the infotainment. BUT, there are still real buttons on the side to go to map, sound or whatever. I don't know how anyone can think that anything else is better.

[@MjolnirFeaw]

You're describing a E-Niro UI, are you not?

[@acactapus]

"I have, without a doubt, used the lane centering in this more than any other car that I've used before." *Is over the center line in almost every shot*

[@sequesterpl]

It keeps the line centered with the car. Duh.

[@erebostd]

Yeah, they had fun and mixed the shots with manual driving with his statement … the sad thing is, some people actually might think what sou wrote without humorous intentions behind it.. 😁

[@davidklein1245]

I got a kick out of his commenting about it 'diving into corners' as it cut over the double yellow.

[@bobandbobandbob6285]

iDrive has fallen so much from its heights with NBT (2013 onwards). The principles of navigation and everything that was so good about it has just been lost. It's such a shame to see this happen.

[@Peter22334]

I had an 2015 X3 from my old company, never had a BMW before and iDrive with the control knob felt like a godsend. Very easy to control and you didn't had the deal with touch menus without feedback. Sad to see they went the wrong way. 3 weeks ago I test drove the current Tesla Model Y, same shit. Everything hidden in menus. No feedback when controlling the screen.

[@Adam-xe5xm]

The current version of iDrive in BMW's ICE cars is still the best in class imo. This obsession with having a touchscreen and no dials has ruined car interiors, we can all blame Tesla for that. They are so much harder to use when driving. Why fix it if its not broken.

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@j.ballsdeep420]

@@Adam-xe5xm -- I highly disagree and preferred my virtual cockpit from Audi, thus my decision over BMW. I would really prefer BMW over Audi for aesthetics but just overall, whole package prefer Audi

[@xy7582]

11:49 "don't think that drivers of this use their turn signals anyway" Spot-on description of BMW-drivers in Germany! 😂

[@Aiphares]

i mean im german too but my feeling says they are probably like that all over the world :D

[@kanfoosj]

@@Aiphares They are indeed like that all over the world. This includes Audi and Mercedes drivers.

[@Aiphares]

@@kanfoosj well Mercedes is understandable, they have built-in Right of Way. OBVIOUSLY

[@fwd79]

And in UK 😂

[@Neoxon619]

My mom is trying to look for an EV that isn’t Tesla, so I’m glad that these car videos are starting to come out more often.

[@mavfan1]

Tell her she can just try. No need to “actually try” as the word actually is worthless.

[@linussu702]

Hands down the ioniq 5 is just the best middle class EV at the moment

[@Neoxon619]

@@mavfan1 I put it in because she was only passively looking at EVs before, but fair point.

[@Khloya69]

Just buy a gas guzzler like a normal person

[@NO3V]

@@linussu702 Unfortunately inefficient, comparatively small luggage space, meh performance, annoying, ugly software and not even cheaper (here) than a Model Y once you add options you'd most likely want - looks nice though and drove fine during my test-drive.

[@atlehassum1492]

I feel like my relationship to BMW is getting more and more strained by each year. It feels kind of like someone you've been friends with forever has ended up in new social circles, with completely different and bad values, just leaving you disappointed after each encounter while gradually turning more unfamiliar. For someone admiring the cars BMW has produced through the last forty years, it actually hurts a little. To be fair, for decades BMW have been nothing but disappointments when it comes to their (elaborate) planned obsolescence, but they still made beautiful, impressive, driver focused mile munchers while still being really tight and fun to drive as well. This heap of manure right here is just a gimmicky lump of steel, carbon fiber and lithium with none of the brands personality left. BMW has lost their edge, and it's sad having to just sit and watch. If any of you upstairs at BMW by chance read this, you need to be careful with your brand, so that you don't break its back...

[@linocooper8160]

As long as the F80 M3 exists, all is well

[@TheCompyshop]

Let’s be real, it’s been a steady downhill dissent since the e46 days

[@handlemonium]

That basically how most tech brands and AAA shooter game franchises feel like.

[@johnfurey3593]

Na we are still ok

[@entropysalamander]

You're not alone in this feeling.

[@brookead]

Drove one of these for 2 days a while ago and I agree with everything you said, especially the modes and the AC controls. I would say you could improve how quickly it stops when following by adjusting the following distance but, for surreal reasons, unlike literally EVERY OTHER BMW there are NO buttons on the steering wheel to adjust the following distance! On the i4 and iX3, etc there are buttons on the steering wheel and you can make that adjustment super easily. Even the i4, which has the whole "BMW OS 9" that is in the iX still has AC controls, and all the sport mode buttons and steering wheel controls etc! I have an i4 M50 on order which I am not expecting to get until deep into next year, but in the mean time my iX3 is brilliant!

[@lendersbagels01]

Really glad to see you guys throwing your opinions around in this space. This is valuable content for people at the upper limit of their budget. Its truly valuable and contributes to people making the right decision with their money. Kudos!

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@c0p0n]

The door opening mechanism is probably designed to facilitate "dutch reach" method, which uses the contrary hand to open the door instead.

[@Scott-yu4yt]

Pretty crazy to watch LMG go from reviewing shit in a rented house that was a mess 10 years ago to now reviewing electric cars from BMW.

[@Thalestr]

I'm so sad that auto makers have taken this route with electric cars. Non repairable, everything touchscreen, no buttons of switches, etc. There are no EV's out there that I'd actually want.

[@ranzera]

Yep, I can't help but recoil every time I see the interior of one. I really want one, but not any of the user experience nightmares on offer today.

[@JGS123WRPTP]

If you need something solid and older school, check out the MG. It's fairly priced and looks like a normal car

[@ssheytanov]

You can check out the Lucid Air. It has physical buttons and it looks better than this.

[@MjolnirFeaw]

Don't know about the new 2022 model but last year E-Niro used a lot of real buttons and switches (like, a lot... feels like an airliner the first time you sit there) Nothing on the repair front but I guess as far as the powertrain goes it is a feature not a bug: fidgeting with a 400V, 150kW electric circuit is dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. They could make it simpler, but sooner or later they would lose a trial after someone is hurt.

[@elvn4933]

Skoda Enyaq driver here, physical buttons for the most important and mostly used functions, a nice, big and easy to reach touchscreen, overall clean but high end interior (more like something you would expect in an Audi) and the car is just driving and working very well. Wouldn't change for any other EV out there at the moment, at least in the same price category.

[@chuuni6924]

"The bonnet must only be opened by a manufacturer Service Partner or specialist workshop" -- Yup, that's another car I'll never even begin to consider getting right there. All three thumbs down.

[@Neojhun]

There should be a frunk on BEVs. You should open the bonnet more than ICE car on BEVs. Just to put and get stuff.

[@erebostd]

I fully support your point. 👍 But: if you choose a tesla or any other car with a frunk, you basically have the same outcome (+ a bit of additional space). No car with a frunk is meant to be worked on. PS: i drive an eGolf, and luckily i can get to literally everything, not that i need it 😉

[@Neojhun]

@@erebostd "No car with a frunk is meant to be worked on" WTF? It's realy easy to access part with most frunks. They are relatively easy to remove. Or atleast the hardware area just has a cover plate. FYI The 12v BATTERY is there.

[@erebostd]

@@Neojhun yeah, but in the manual it states you shouldn’t do it, exactly like what the manual from this ugly bmw suggested. And like in teslas an other cars you easily get in, if you want to. He pulled two latches, not exactly rocket science, don’t you think?

[@Neojhun]

@@erebostd The 12 Volt Battery issues do not allow OEMs to use that excuse. Until that whole system is removed. The driver will eventually need to access it when something goes wrong. Can't rely on approved tech just to get the car moving in the middle of nowhere. Sure most have warranty warning if you mess with anything else. But the 12v battery problem has no choice.

[@priyanshusharma1812]

1:28 I believe the windshield liquid dispenser can be used by anyone and it might be problematic, traditionally it's under the bonnet which can be unlocked mostly only from the inside to get access, but now anyone can put hot sauce inside it and cause accidents.

[@iamgigglz]

Thank you for a REAL review. I saw this car and thought "Man that must be amazing". Thank you for bursting that bubble in the best way.

[@GirAiDWinters]

Large non functional grill, check. Increase the heat pump size to keep things cool, check. German engineering at its finest. Edit: I take it back. The design that blocks the turn signal with the steering wheel is on point. 👌

[@aoitamashii]

Did you see the 2nd year Mach-E actually ditched the original grill design and went back to a more traditional grill look? It's still backfilled deeper inside, but aesthetically I find it looks far better than these sorts of sticker looks or the original Mach-E.

[@Qwertworks]

@@aoitamashii But won't that add drag?

[@aoitamashii]

@@Qwertworks Maybe. But far less drag on their sales numbers /s

[@Qwertworks]

@@aoitamashii XD Touché

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@argkatt9040]

I admire all the innovation that has been done in the automotive industry. It's cool that we have electric vehicles that are actually usable and performs the way they do. But holy crap I couldn't live with most modern cars. So many look like the dumbest shit anyone could draw in their sleep and with all the shitty interiors with more screens than my entire house with endless menus for the simplest things it would just drive me crazy. All I really give a shit about in the interior is a decent sound system with bluetooth, air condition and a few buttons to control it all. All of which I already have in my car from 2005. Sure, maybe a good navigation system if I took frequent trips through unknown cities. That's it.

[@willstikken5619]

The exterior styling is generally atrocious but its the loss of interior ergonomics that i just cant understand. They implement bad ideas in ICE power vehicles then crank them up to 11 in EV's because future...

[@mastrer1000]

You don't even need the navigation system, google maps on your phone is easier to use and more accurate anyway

[@Tallone55]

It's the atrocious rear visibility that concerns me most. I drive a car from 2000, and every time I have to drive something newer than it I notice the newer rollover protections that contribute to cut rear visibility by an absurd amount.

[@Mike-kr5dn]

@@mastrer1000 I’ve got google maps in my Tesla, it’s literally built in…

[@volcanodog12_0]

Thank you could not have said better my self one of many reasons I'm not getting a new car anytime soon

[@notyourwarden7698]

I think at this point Alex needs a car first-impressions and/or review channel - the amount of effort that's put into these videos is insane when they're sitting next to the traditional table and chair unboxings/first impressions. Otherwise, I love seeing how car manufacturers are making/modifying consumer EV designs. Keep up the good work, LMG.

[@GBFZeta]

I can understand that LMG is expanding their overall content but I would keep it at a first impressions at maximum unless they plan on hiring a dedicated individual exclusively for cars or let Alex go all in and only focus on it. It's obvious that Alex's knowledge of cars is fairly limited (Roughly around the same amount as MKBHD) and even then it appears only LMG is focused on electric vehicles.

[@rmp5s]

I really hope more reviewers (of EVERYTHING, not just in the automotive space) get brutally honest like this. Fantastic.

[@desert1701]

Re: the awkward positioning of the door handle. This might be to encourage people to use both hands to open the door using the "dutch technique" i think it's called, so you make sure to properly check for incoming traffic.

[@nf8721]

I wonder when companies will realise that they can make the exact same car but make it look at least not absolutely terribly

[@HowtoComputer]

Bmw also sell ones that look exactly the same

[@marcogenovesi8570]

seems like EVs need to look like alien shite, the day they figure out most people just wants them to look like a normal car there will be a riot

[@tonTeufel]

BMW actually does a really good job now of making their EVs fit their design language and look like the rest of their lineup. Unfortunately, their lineup looks like shit... The new i7 looks pretty much exactly like the non EV 7 series, both look absolutely awful

[@grandmasminecarftaccount1411]

You mean car rebadging? Been done for decades.

[@menno763]

@@tonTeufel Yeah the person who came up with the bigass ugly grill need to get fired. I know its the bmw design icon but they have made it way too chonk.

[@happycamperjack]

Bmw Exec: “there’s a supply shortage for parts! What shall we do?!?” Bmw designer: “Fear not! I present you, the iX! The demand shall never meet the supply!! In fact we have already close 2 factories to prepare for this launch!!” Bmw exec: “Genius! You are now the head of design..”

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@markman278]

The “personal mode” not being personal reminds me of my dad’s Mercedes’ Sprinter. The intermittent wiper is only one speed because “we know what the optimal speed of wiper is.” German car makers: we know best.

[@AbteilungsleiterinBeiAntifaEV]

Hahaha german car makers 🤝 GNOME developers

[@vintyprod]

German car makers: we know best Also German car makers: let’s put the infotainment out of arms reach

[@erebostd]

@@AbteilungsleiterinBeiAntifaEV this happens if you let designers take the wheel, not engineers

[@skirata3144]

@@vintyprod Maybe the entire BMW test staff consists of 2m+ giants who laugh at our puny childlike reach.

[@zsoltpeterdaniel8413]

@@skirata3144 also bmw: lets make the back seat kid size only

[@bighammer3464]

Here’s how the design pitch meeting went: Ok first year intern, we need you to design an infotainment system similar to what we currently have in our horse and buggy. We need for you to recreate the look and feel of our horses rear. Make sure to get the roundness of it real well. Also, you know how we have this little catcher to hold the poo? We’ll make the catcher into a knob and we’ll control everything through that. Ok you have 2 weeks.

[@CaptainHoratioPugwash]

There are a couple of issues with this car that Alex didn't mention; the trunk is hopelessly small for the overall size of the vehicle and while the carbon fibre elements of it's construction are neat, good luck getting it repaired.

[@sven679]

The main carbon fiber parts are the ones that you probably would not want to have repaired anyway. Also, you can repair carbon fiber. At least the parts that your life doesn't depend on.

[@ilkerYT]

This week I test drove both the 40 and 50. The acceleration in both is impressive. With the addition of air suspension the ride is much more comfortable in the 50 model. The design of the front seats makes the rear seats claustrophobic. Worth being aware that the rear windows only go down half way. The seats would benefit from better lumbar support. This can be overcome with the lumbar adjustment if fitted to the front seats. Be aware that due to a shortage of chips the lumbar adjustment is not currently available on the front passenger seat. The sunroof is frustratingly opaque when in the clear mode, hopefully this can be improved. The designers could have thought through better how this vehicle will be charged, for the charge sockets are in the location where one would typically put petrol or diesel. Near the front as with most PHEV vehicles would be better. They need to redesign to provide storage for the parcel shelf too. The current shelf appears like cheap plastic and not appropriate for a car of this price. The dashboard looks good but drivers may get annoyed when their passengers change the display when they want to adjust their seat heat. The performance and interior space are very impressive. The car is the size of the X5 yet has the boot space of the X3 so make sure it is sufficient for your need...

[@mateuszkask6286]

and the most annoying part is that some options from a few months ago that were available in an X3 are now not even available to spec on BMWs higher end models such as the iX or the x5, all due to the chip shortage, additionally, if you want to customize your model expect at least 8 months wait time for delivery, or more, with outright missing features that can be installed after they become available again, which to me is absolutely insane

[@Sweet-Vermouth]

I would watch a car review video if you made one. Lots of good points here that actually matter.

[@MuitoDaora]

BMW didn't think of what is better. It was more like "what the chinese market wants and how we do it cutting as much costs as possible for the price point."

[@Skylancer727]

You know it. Every brand wants that Chinese money.

[@Frostfly]

Touch screens are overrated for cars. If I can't change the temp in my car via muscle memory while driving it makes me and EVERYONE else on the road less safe. Just give me a couple of dash mounted controls for it.

[@thenonexistinghero]

The tech to actually make touch screens that feel and respond differently depending on the place is there (like through haptic feedback). But stupidly enough I don't think any care manufacturer has actually used those kinda of screens, even though cars are pretty much among the most useful uses of the tech, since being able to blindly control these things for a car will actually contribute a lot to safety.

[@H3LLGHA5T]

touch screens should be inaccessible during operation since it's fucking dangerous to use them.

[@wyw201]

@@thenonexistinghero Haptic feedback require decent vibration motors which goes against the cost cutting narrative.

[@ehdbom]

To some extent I agree. I like how e.g. Mercedes does it in some cars where you have 1 screen for your instrument cluster and then another widescreen for your multimedia, Apple carplay what have you. But the key here is to still have your heating/cooling, ventilation and such as physical buttons below the screen. I also despise all the non-screen touch buttons. This BMW has them on this wood and it just looks unusable, like you have to guess which button is which. Same thing goes for touch controls on steering wheel as some newer Mercedes cars have just yuck. This craze about touch buttons is just so stupid and a total gimick in many cases.

[@Frostfly]

@@ehdbom this is true, I drive a Metris and while it's as cheap a Merc as you can buy, having decent physical controls means I barely need the touch screen while I'm driving (sometimes for maps)

[@SoftKitty0930]

I love Alex doing car review and still brought a scroll when he cannot use his white board for illustrations.

[@Context0233]

the infotainment system in this would literally be a dealbreaker for me, even if every other thing about it was perfect

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@not_anton]

The plastic bit in the seat headrest killed me. How can you actually design a thing to hit your head on into a car seat? It was not there until someone deliberately put it in. Do they even drive cars at BMW office?

[@mihirpatil8843]

@@automation7295 ??

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@KDR816]

Infotainment actually pretty intuitive and fast

[@NO3V]

"The actual trunk is nice and big." ?!?! It's smaller than the trunk of externally smaller, way cheaper EVs like the Skoda Enyaq or Tesla Model Y (also way smaller than BMWs own X5) and the opening is tight because of the weird design decision. The underfloor space is sub-par and no frunk is a farce in a car on a dedicated EV platform - that rats nest under the hood must be a joke - if not it's an admission of inability.

[@lemonbrothers3462]

that rats nest under the hood must be so bad that I haven't seen a single video of this car where they were allowed to open the hood :D edit: they actually opened it here, cool and yes, it's pretty bad lol

Yep the storage of this car is the worst. It's an awesome tower... 2500kg at the most... But people towing also want a practical car! This could have been so awesome...

[@doomsday9973]

the trunk is not smaller than a model 3. thats nonsense

[@annihilhater]

I'm always blown away that LMG ended up being one of my favorite car review channels lol. Great job on this and BMW bad as always.

[@wileydewitt]

Feels a very comprehensive review, nice job Alex.

[@staubig]

It's really refreshing seeing someone not only mention the weird design decisions BMW made but rightfully bashing them for them. That being said despite sharing many of the same issues I still really like the i4. Would definitely be interested in it.

[@MrDeaf]

I like that BMW put some of the most expensive parts, the radar, into the butt ugly front grille.

[@igrvks]

I bet it was intentional so aftermarket bodykit manufacturers will have a harder time designing kits that get rid of the huge grille.

[@xanderbailey9106]

@@igrvks sorry but nobody is buying an aftermarket kit for a car like this. Hell nobody with an ounce of car-love will buy this over the competition

[@flytiger575]

Honestly one of the most recent design problems I’ve had with bmw is the obvious grill design, I’m not an suv fan but even on cars that grill looks awful.

[@mavfan1]

Are you usually dishonest?

[@reshadegaming6285]

I usually like sounds in electric cars, and the sounds in this car are pretty good IMO. But the fact that it's called "Iconic Sounds" means I'd never use it lol. The entire infotainment system kills it.

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@TeeeRobe]

biggest take-away for me: someone was listening to Wet Leg, and I respect the hell out of that

[@FreerunMediaService]

My biggest question is about those "crystal" like buttons. That would be fun in the summer or direct sunlight. I think that a couple of things getting a couple of burned in holes or even better, you can find your car very easy, just follow the big flames.

[@packaroo210]

What I want to know is, how does an electric car have an "engine bay", that is somehow more full than some cars with an actual engine.

[@nekominorinya2569]

You have extremly high voltages in there, basically to cool down the enormous battery it comes with and to heat the battery up for when it is in the winter, another thing is you need to wire the high voltage safely and doing that requires alot of other electronics ans yea at some point its just a cluttered mess

[@df98156]

@@nekominorinya2569 Then Tesla did a very good job to have space up front in the Model S for another storage bay.

[@automation7295]

So people are brave to say "Someone should be FIRED", yet they're afraid to wish death on the designers?

[@vadhub]

@@automation7295 So people are brave to copy and paste this comment everywhere, yet they're afraid to actually make any sense and have any coherent meaning?

[@sesadu2389]

The cut from music back to the car is just perfect. Props to the editor (0:35)

[@UzayYildirim]

Music and the car’s buzzing sound is also in the same key! Awesome.

[@AlexPotvin]

@@UzayYildirim that's either luck or musical awareness on my end, I guess? lol.

[@theshin_5229]

What music is it?

[@cmprodutions]

"The giant grill is nessessary in the M cars because airflow." Well now we know that was bullshit.

[@geraldchapman6865]

It was especially bullshit cause under that grill you still had a crash bumper in the middle blocking the same amount of air as the old F series.

[@DaemonViews]

Was at a test driving event from BMW yesterday and spent about an hour in these driving and totally agree. Seating and view and driving is amazing. The steering nobs feel like trash and those menus are awful. But they get away with it as someone else didn't seem to mind. My gf was turning on seat heating in every car and it took forever and she was in the passenger seat. Told BMW that I hope they fix it cause otherwise my next one would not be a BMW. The i4 was a lot better build quality wise (ix seats a lot better though) but still has too much stuff you have to use the menu for.

[@yonoseespanol]

For a tech channel, you guys are surprisingly good at car reviews

[@thomasforrester7242]

I would love a Mavrick review (especially the hybrid model), it's one of the only new cars that I think is actually worth the money new, and with how Alex reviews cars it would be a great insight into the vehicle.

[@doktoromen]

One thing about the doors, in Europe they teach you to open doors with your right hand while turning back with the body. The idea is you need to turn around to look at the trafic behind you. Maybe that would make it easier to open these doors.

[@armadillito]

Yup, Dutch reach - primarily to spot cyclists coming past. If it’s easier to open the doors that way that’s clever design.

[@sentineluk7]

"I think it looks OK in Black" - Alex, I hope LMG is going to pay for your eye test and new set of glasses! That thing's looks are an abomination unto man, at least it's quick so people don't have to look at it for too long

[@cloudyview]

I think he's saying it's so much worse in any other color, that by comparison the black is decent.

[@sentineluk7]

@@cloudyview Perhaps, but it's like putting lipstick on a pig (somewhat apt phrase considering how "Piggy" the front with those "Kidneys" looks)

[@swisstrader]

I own it and easily THE BEST driving car I’ve ever driven. Interior feels like I’m in a spaceship and just so much great tech. I charge it about once every couple weeks and 80% charge in 30 mins which is just crazy. Hit the accelerator and there is zero lag and massive power. Sure, some of the tech is just silly…I’m not into haptics to turn radio volume up or down, dont need hands free driving, not thrilled w climate controls layout, but not a big deal. Actually surprised this guy had so much negative to say about the infotainment system, because its super intuitive and fun to work with for me and he’s about the only reviewer that had something negative to say about it. P.s. that’s not gold trim, but rather titanium bronze. 😊

[@EliasH-video]

13:00 - “dip into corners in a way that inspires confidence” as it crosses a double solid yellow

[@aardwolf21]

To be even more gopping than a Prius takes a lot of design effort, well done BMW.

[@aardwolf21]

Toyota chose it, not me :)

[@Movie_Games]

The front looks like if a normal car ate a really sour lemon

[@open_world_media]

How about BeaVerW

[@RedAugust08]

This car feels entirely unnecessary. Almost everything about it seems made to be intentionally awful, gaudy, and difficult to deal with.

[@thenonexistinghero]

I think the car was pretty much made to be the powerhouse car of electric cars and nothing else.

[@StimulatorCam]

@@thenonexistinghero it has barely any more power than a Tesla model 3 Performance though

[@mrnarason]

Good for people who wants to be chauffeured

[@yuxuanhuang3523]

It is "premium"(meaning full of crappy fanciness nobody likes)

[@lobotomise863]

@@mrnarason with no leg room in the back?

[@123italiano321]

It keeps amazing me that the big German luxury/premium car brands keep doing stuff so fundamentally wrong.

[@dmitryvvinnik1002]

I walked into this Langley bmw and got it off the lot that same day (4 month ago) no wait they have a lot of them. Love the car, infotainment is what it is, you can't have everything. Overall very happy.

[@TheSirGoreaxe]

BMW: We need some new designs, BMW: I know, we'll make the front look like a sinister beaver

[@ChrisKuiperBelt]

A Tesla Model Y performance beats this in every way I can think of. Better designed interior, better software, better drag coefficient, better performance, better range, better sound system, better autopilot, better price....

[@unfathomable1876]

eh, I agree with you but I disagree with the interior and sound system being better on the Y, iX definitely wins in that category

[@KyurekiHana]

I refuse to buy BMW because they seem to be trying to speed run anti-consumer practices. Monthly charges for basic features, and they have been making their cars harder to repair. Would rather go with any other brand.

[@Snoop_Dugg]

They make most of their money from fleet cars. They couldn't care less about what an individual customer wants, because corporations will eat the servicing costs and dumb shit.

[@chrissy.v]

This dude is so nice to watch when he's talking. Like kinda satisfying somehow

[@miff227]

coefficient of drag gets multiplied by the frontal area cross-section to get the actual drag. This car's cross-section is massive.

[@AroraMaths]

This was a great review, reminded me of better than peak Top Gear reviews, lots of humour and very informative, and a great presenter!

[@themagicboy6548]

They don't want you under the hood because of the potential liability with the high voltage

[@losslessification]

Thank you for making an honest review and quite literally calling out BMW's shit. The interior and exterior just look like a comittee of 50 people had an idea of what the design for everything should be, and they just went with all of them. Crystal, and leather mixed with etched wood and aluminium accents and infotainment screens that just float away from the dash. What a mess.

[@glorious_help]

"Crystal, and leather mixed with etched wood and aluminium accents and infotainment screens that just float away from the dash" That's awesome and incredibly modern.

[@joogox]

I honestly love the new design language. It’s ultra futuristic and stands above everything we’ve seen before.

[@ramr7051]

Agree. The crystals in particular look incredibly distasteful and stupid.

[@ofekgrosfeld4277]

That was a good genuine review for a car - for this type of channel i'm impressed

[@MaestroWenarto]

I totally agree, I have this black one and I have to agree, the worst part is the temp control - and Harman Kardon is the worst, even I tried the M60 B & W system is not that good, they need to get Burmeister

[@amithabraham2224]

I love BMW, especially their Motorrad and M Series division, but the design and design language choices for this car leave a lot to get my hopes for BMW power through electrification. Ironically the i3 is one of the best electric small cars I have ever seen.

[@RazeR8023]

BMW has managed to make almost all new models look like a crashed Lexus.

[@parrotv2]

It looks like capybara car

[@schizrade]

I literally never use the touch display in my '21 X1. The jog wheel/buttons in the center console are so good you dont really need touch.

[@DogsBAwesome]

I have a Corsa-e ( you will never get it in America) it's supposedly the dowdy stepsister of the Peugeot e-208, which in reality means it's less flashy with sensible physical knobs and buttons. The dog and ! love it.

[@maweitao]

When was BMW ever so ahead of anyone else with EVs? If anything, they've been criticized for lagging behind. I really like the i3, but Nissan and GM got there first. By the time the i8 hit the market, the Model S had already been on the market a few years, and it was just a glorified hybrid.

[@AdamTreier]

I am also confused by his take that BMW was ever even in the running let alone actually leading.

[@nitePhyyre]

Behind 2 or 3 other manufacturers but ahead of the other 12+ is a perfectly cromulent use of the term. If you had listed Chevy, VW, kia, Toyota, ford, fiat, mini, etc...

[@berengerchristy6256]

@@nitePhyyre the only reason electric cars are where they are today is because of tesla. everyone was behind teslea, and they led the way. I'm not an elon musk fanboy but he seems to be right on electric cars. short term they'll replace combustion engines. at least in wealthy countries. who knows long term. there's just no way everyone in the world gets their own personal vehicle. not enough resources. I just want to get a big manual V8 before it becomes illegal

[@maweitao]

@@nitePhyyre You seem to be unaware that all those automakers beat the iX to market, some by a decent margin. Several of those companies have had EVs for years; they just didn't offer them in the US. I could have also brought up Porsche/Audi who've already been in the luxury EV space for a couple of years. Toyota also should be recognized for the profound impact they've made with hybrid technology. It was a major milestone on the path to electrics and continues to be a more viable and economical alternative for most people. This was while BMW was still cranking out diesels. Just to reiterate, BMW's former CEO, Harald Kruger, was kicked out because of the company's slow transition to EVs.

[@nitePhyyre]

@@maweitao Nissan, GM, Porsche, Audi, Toyota, plus their CEO being fired for their transition presents a much better case that Alex was wrong to call BMW a leader in the field. That'd put them around midpack, at best.

[@fieldrat9046]

BMW’s design language fell off a cliff over the last two generations.

[@kainwort4149]

They don`t build primarily for europe/US anymore. China likes it, that`s all they care for.

[@aoitamashii]

@@kainwort4149 That explains the tacky gems and wood grain.

[@ericmiller9375]

IMO you guys should have an entire separate channel dedicated to reviewing electric cars, along with associated side content. 🔥 stuff.

[@RealThore]

I had the iX 40 with about 330hp on wednesday and it was soo much fun, all in all better than the EQE I tested

[@MrSolvalou]

Manufacturers nowadays give you all this incredible safety tech - lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian / cyclist detection - all of this so you can spend all your attention on an unintuitive touchscreen that spreads halfway across the dash. Good job!

[@pyrymoisio978]

These car reviews are great, keep making them.

[@matthewjudge3763]

The last gen Bmw has the best infotainment I've ever used, (and I've used a lot) but you have to use the idrive wheel. I've never used the touch screen on it. Kinda disappointing if they screwed it up.

[@jadoei13]

Thank you for covering the RTR aspect, such a shame that the Germans (see Merc EQS) are going down this route. I'd love if we could slowly change course again, one might actually be able to buy it second hand in 10 years when you don't want to go to BMW to pay way too much for servicing an older car.

[@benwu7980]

I would love to see a life expectancy on the battery packs ,or the cell configuration, and the price to replace them after that time of 10 years. Also the likelihood of them even being available/produced.

[@jadoei13]

@@benwu7980 You can get a new pack for most cars, Robert on the Fully Charged Show recently replaced the battery in this 2011 Nissan Leaf for about 4k if I remember correctly, trippling its range since the battery had a far larger capacity. Then there is Tesla where a new pack costs roughly 20k for a model S, which is a shame cause you can usually get away with replacing just one block for way less. Rich Rebuilds did a video on replacing a single block a few months ago.

[@benwu7980]

@@jadoei13 True, but my point was knowing in advance, what those costs would be with some basic info around when would need to replace, and the costs involved, and what amount of the entire cell capacity would be required to be replaced. I'd be okay with the Leaf at that price to replace, but the Tesla, when just a coolant nozzle damage, means a ~19k full battery replace from a main repair shop, I'm less than happy

[@edneddy2]

I'm in an early variant of the Honda HR-V where they made a lot of their media control AND defroster/AC unit touch control. I will say that is a nightmare. You don't want to be trying to figure out which button you'll be pressing as you're driving and looking at the road. Media control is one thing but the defroster and AC unit has to have intuitive buttons that I know where to reach and not accidentally touch as I'm trying to reach for other buttons.

[@anthonya824]

Okay - that sunroof is actually freaking awesome. It's so sci-fi, it reminds me of Nick Fury's office windows in The Winter Soldier... ah, I'm in love. That's awesome

[@AlbertBuckinghamEllison]

I love how drag coefficient is a factor in this review. Like, mate. It's a flat-faced SUV that weighs as much as a barge, handles like one, and would look at home among them on the canals.

[@Shapershift]

The hassle to pop open the hood feels so anti-consumer.

[@rustler08]

Oh no, you have to pull two things instead of one? God, soooooooo anti-consumer.

[@MartinBlyberg]

Well, since there is basically nothing in there for you the average consumer to work on. It isn't really. Remember EVs aren't like nomral cars when it comes to fixing them. Most mechanics don't even work on them and those that do only do certain brands because they are all different and messing up gets really dangerous quickly. And if you can pay 89K for a car you probably won't do your own service anyway.

[@tater_pootz1439]

@@rustler08 it literally says we're not supposed to open the hood and they proceeded to hide tabs on separate sides of the car so yes.. Especially when one tab is literally all you would ever need

[@TriMarko]

Not necessarily. The problem with electric cars is that because the tech is a lot newer people are unfamiliar with the workings of the batteries/electric motors. That coupled with the fact that most of them are completely different from one another means it can be fairly dangerous for someone with little knowledge to poke about under the hood. However the fact that there IS an option to open the hood means if you really want to then you can poke about and attempt to repair something if you really want to. If it was closed completely like in the new Mercedes electric cars then I'd agree

[@MartinBlyberg]

@@TriMarko Don't forget high voltage. You would basically need to be an electrician to work on it safely as almost all parts related to the motors/power train is 230V AC of higher.

[@imjoyz3828]

I work for BMW where we build the IX, and i have to say this is a good review 👍🏼 i drove it myself and the display and lack of buttons drove me crazy 😅 but the autopilot and headup display and driving experience is incredible. I didnt like the car at first but after seeing it a few times and driving it i love it 😅 if you want to go electric and BMW go for the IX or the i4, both are great cars

[@TheOriginalNCDV]

You should fire your UI and ergonomics design teams. Touch controls for oft-used functions like audio and climate control are unsafe, and just plain horrible to use. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. I would not even consider buying this car purely on that basis.

[@landornan]

The door handle might be for safety, in NL we are thought to use your right hand to open the left door, so you are forced to look behind you. Its good to look behind you when you open a door so you dont open it infront of a biker of something....

[@jameswhelan308]

I'd like one mega pint of that delicious sequence at the start there. Good job Aprime and Andy!

[@Zuul88]

I've also tested this car and for me the suspension and steering felt like I am lost in the sea on a boat. Also if you're going over 130 km/h and want to accelerate the sheer mass this vehicle has ma, makes is slower than almost everything else on the road.. Despite having over 500 hp.. Felt so stupid on the highway in Germany.

[@armadillito]

Needing to accelerate from 130 km/h is a gloriously German problem. 110 I can understand, but much above that is irrelevant to most people. The mass is a concern for numerous reasons though, I dread to think of the tyre particulate emissions or its behaviour in collisions with smaller road users.