The all-electric BMW iX is the Bavarian automaker's technology flagship, so you would expect it to be equipped with state-of-the-art safety technology and protection. To find out how well it performs in the event of a crash, the European New Car Assessment Program (Euro NCAP) has tested the flagship SUV to destruction in a series of metal-crunching crash tests - and it's safe to say BMW will be very happy with the result.

In every crash test assessment, Euro NCAP awarded the BMW iX a five-star safety rating. This is particularly impressive when you consider the Euro NCAP introduced stricter measures in 2020, making it harder to achieve a five-star safety rating.

When assessing adult occupation protection, Euro NCAP praised the effectiveness of the airbag position between the driver and front passenger seats, providing additional protection in side collisions. In frontal and side impacts, child safety in the back of the BMW iX was awarded the highest possible score.

Another factor that helped the BMW iX crash its way to a five-star safety rating was the SUV's aluminum spaceframe with a carbon cage for the passenger compartment. Carbon fiber reinforced polymer applied to the roof, side, and rear sections also increase the SUV's rigidity, while support structures and deformation zones absorb impacts in a collision, diverting it away from the passenger compartment to reduce injuries.

Standard safety tech in the BMW iX includes an attention assistant, lane departure warning, and speed limit recognition, which were also highly rated by Euro NCAP. We'll have to wait for the IIHS to crash-test the US version, but Euro NCAP's findings suggest the BMW iX will be one of the safest electric SUVs on the road when it goes on sale. In the US, the BMW iX will arrive in Q2, 2022, with prices starting at $83,200 before destination, undercutting the Tesla Model X.

"The BMW iX sets new standards in sustainability, and its top rating of five stars in the Euro NCAP underlines the vehicle's comprehensive sustainability concept," said Dominik Schuster, Head of Vehicle Safety BMW. "The extremely stable body structure and the extended range of restraint systems ensure an outstanding level of occupant protection. In addition, the BMW iX scores highly both in the test program and in everyday driving with innovative driver assistance systems that significantly reduce the risk of accidents in a wide array of situations."