2022 BMW X6 Review

At its heart, and on the surface, the 2022 BMW X6 is an X5 with a sloping rear roof. This midsize luxury SUV prioritizes form over function and gives people a more coupe-like profile in their family hauler. This design language has become popular in recent years, with rivals including Porsche and Mercedes joining the SUV-coupe competition to shake things up a bit. The X6, however, has been around for quite some time. Currently in its third generation, the X6 was redesigned in 2020, when it got significant updates to powertrains, interior tech and exterior styling. And with the relatively recent redesign of the X6, we believe that 2022 will be a year with no significant updates.

Currently, there are two choices for power when it comes to the X6: a turbocharged 3.0-liter six-cylinder engine that produces 335 horsepower and 330 lb-ft of torque and a turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 engine that puts out 523 hp, 553 lb-ft. If that's not enough power for you, there's always the pumped-up X6 M, which has two variants of the 4.4-liter V8 that produce either 600 or 617 horsepower — a massive amount for any vehicle, let alone a family SUV.

We're fans of the way the X6 drives with either of the standard powertrains and how quickly it accelerates. It's quiet and comfortable on the highway, as you'd expect from a luxury SUV, but the coupe styling decreases visibility, cargo space and rear headroom. If you want all those practical pieces back, you can always go with the standard X5 — it offers the same equipment and laudable driving characteristics.

Essentially, the 2022 BMW X6 and several of its rivals are stylized alternatives to the standard midsize SUVs with large, boxy rear profiles. They sacrifice cargo capacity and rear headroom for improved aesthetics, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We think the standard X5 has more to recommend it. Still, if you want to go with looks instead of practicality, it's nice to know that the X6 is a class leader thanks to its impressive driving dynamics and lovely interior.