X6

Make
BMW
Segment
SUV

The original BMW X6 kicked off the SUV coupe trend, with the likes of Audi, Mercedes, and Porsche following suit. Neither the first-generation nor the second-generation X6 moved the needle for us in terms of styling and if given the choice, we would have taken the more practical (and less expensive) BMW X5 over its coupe sibling.

But BMW has just released the all-new third-generation 2020 X6, which just made its public debut at the 2019 Frankfurt Motor Show. We've thoroughly enjoyed the improvements BMW has made with the current-generation X5, so can the X6 finally win over the hearts of critics?

It all starts with the styling which is, admittedly, the best we've seen on an X6. BMW seems to have learned from the rather attractive X4 and this new model is by far the least offensive design we've seen on an X6. There is no getting around the fact the X6 has less cargo space than the X5 but BMW says the storage space has increased compared to the previous generation. The X6 will also be more expensive than the X5, with the sDrive40i version starting at $64,300 compared to $61,195 for the X5 xDrive40i. Interestingly, the X6 will be available with rear-wheel-drive while the X5 is AWD-only in the US.

When it arrives in US showrooms, the X6 will be available with two engines: a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six producing 335 horsepower and a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 producing 523 hp, the latter of which will start at $85,650. Unlike the X5, which is also available with a 456 hp xDrive50i version, the X6 will only come in the more potent M50i trim.

Seeing a car in the metal can often change your opinion of it and this seems to be the case with the new X6. The example displayed on the floor at Frankfurt was finished in a lovely grey paint with a touch of green that looks very attractive. On the inside, the same interior we liked on the X5 boasts carbon-fiber trim, glass controls, and a Swarovski crystal shifter. The X6 should get even better when the M version arrives with over 600 hp.