Compare the2022 BMW iXVS 2022 Kia EV6

The iX’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The EV6 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

The BMW iX has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The EV6 doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The iX has a standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The EV6 doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the iX. But it costs extra on the EV6.

Both the iX and the EV6 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The BMW iX weighs 1120 to 1752 pounds more than the Kia EV6. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The iX’s corrosion warranty is 7 years and unlimited miles longer than the EV6’s (12/unlimited vs. 5/100,000).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the iX for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance. Kia doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the EV6.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that BMW vehicles are more reliable than Kia vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks BMW 3 places higher in reliability than Kia.

The iX has more powerful engines than the EV6:

On the EPA test cycle the iX has better range than the EV6:

For better stopping power the iX’s brake rotors are larger than those on the EV6:

The iX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the EV6 are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the iX’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the EV6 (275/40R22 vs. 235/45R20).

The iX’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 40 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the EV6’s optional 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the iX has standard 20-inch wheels. Smaller 19-inch wheels are standard on the EV6. The iX’s optional 22-inch wheels are larger than the 20-inch wheels optional on the EV6.

The iX offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The EV6’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The iX has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The iX’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The EV6 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the iX’s wheelbase is 3.9 inches longer than on the EV6 (118.1 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the iX is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.7 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the EV6.

For greater off-road capability the iX has a 2.7 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the EV6 (8.8 vs. 6.1 inches), allowing the iX to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the iX uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The EV6 doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The iX has 2.5 inches more front headroom, 3.7 inches more front shoulder room, 1.5 inches more rear headroom and 2.7 inches more rear shoulder room than the EV6.

The iX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the EV6 with its rear seat up (35.5 vs. 24.4 cubic feet). The iX has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the EV6 with its rear seat folded (77.9 vs. 50.2 cubic feet).

The iX’s cargo area is larger than the EV6’s in almost every dimension:

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that BMW service is better than Kia. J.D. Power ranks BMW 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 11% lower rating, Kia is ranked 16th.

The iX has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The EV6 doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The iX’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The EV6’s standard passenger windows don’t open or close automatically. With the EV6 GT-Line/1st Edition’s power windows, only the front windows open or close automatically.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the iX has a standard rear wiper. The EV6 doesn’t offer a rear wiper.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the iX has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The EV6 doesn’t offer cornering lights. The iX also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The iX’s standard rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The EV6 offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

The iX offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the EV6.

The iX’s standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. The EV6 doesn’t offer dual zone air conditioning.