Compare the2025 Volvo EC40VS 2025 BMW iX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EC40 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW iX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo EC40 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW iX doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the EC40 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The iX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The EC40 has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The iX doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

Both the EC40 and the iX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, 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 EC40 Core’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the iX xDrive50’s standard 60 series tires.

For better maneuverability, the EC40’s turning circle is 2.3 feet tighter than the iX xDrive50’s (37.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

The Volvo EC40 may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 900 to 1050 pounds less than the BMW iX.

The EC40 is 1 foot, 8.2 inches shorter than the iX, making the EC40 easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the EC40 easier. The EC40’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.2 inches, while the iX’s liftover is 30.3 inches.

Standard Trailer Stability Assist on the EC40 uses the Dynamic Stability and Traction Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The iX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the iX, the EC40 has standard driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, outside mirror angle, climate settings and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the EC40 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The iX doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the EC40 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the iX only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The EC40 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The iX doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The EC40 is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The iX doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.