The X6 is an SUV with a sloping roof line, a design combination which has led BMW to describe at as a Sports Activity Coupe. It has a very distinctive appearance which has not met with universal approval.

There are several petrol and diesels engines to choose from, with power outputs ranging from 254bhp to 567bhp. The M50d high-performance diesel isn't the most powerful in the range, but it's unusual in that it has no fewer than three turbochargers.

All X6 are fitted as standard with eight-speed automatic transmission and four-wheel drive.

Performance

Whatever else might be said of the X6, no one can deny that it's a very quick car. All of them, apart from the XDrive30d, can accelerate from 0-62mph in under six seconds, and top speeds across the range are in excess of 140mph.

The 444bhp xDrive50i and the 567bhp M do the 0-62mph in 4.8 and 4.2 seconds respectively, while the most powerful diesel, the triple-turbo M50d, isn't far behind on 5.2 seconds. All three have their maximum speed electronically limited to 155mph.

Ride and Handling

The ride can be very fussy, making this a much less relaxing car to drive than the admittedly more expensive Range Rover Sport.

The suspension of the more powerful cars does a good job of coping with the outputs of their engines, so handling is generally quite secure. The ride, on the other hand, can be very fussy, making this a much less relaxing car to drive than the admittedly more expensive Range Rover Sport. The ride height and the four-wheel drive system mean that you could go further off-road than would be possible in, say, a 5 Series, but if you plan to go rock-climbing or mud-plugging this wouldn't be the SUV we'd suggest first.

Interior and Equipment

The X6 is a close relative of a different and more conventionally styled BMW SUV - the X5.

Another area in which the X6 lags behind the Range Rover is the interior design. Land Rover is especially good at this, and BMW struggles to keep up. The shape of the X6's body limits visibility badly, especially at the rear but also up front, where the windscreen pillars are very obtrusive. The luggage capacity of 580 litres with the rear seats up and 1,525 litres when they're folded down is more than acceptable. The closely related X5 offers more (despite being slightly shorter) thanks to its more conventional shape, but in this case the X6 beats the Range Rover Sport. All X6s come as standard with satellite navigation, heated front seats, Bluetooth connectivity, voice control and warnings that you're about to drift out of your lane or come into contact with something ahead. There are many options, including interior and exterior design packages.

Cost

The M50d has the best combination of performance and running costs thanks to its 42.8mpg combined economy (which will realistically be difficult to match) and 174g/km CO2 emissions.

Since every X6 is large and powerful, it follows that none of them will be particularly economical to run. The xDrive30d in entry-level form has the best official fuel economy and CO2 figures of 47.1mpg and 157g/km, while the Sport, on larger wheels, has the same economy but a CO2 rating 2g/km higher. These models, and the more powerful xDrive40d, will cost £180 a year in Vehicle Excise Duty. The others will cost rather more, most spectacularly the M, whose 258g/km CO2 emissions put it in the highest bracket for both VED and Benefit In Kind taxation. The M50d has the best combination of performance and running costs thanks to its 42.8mpg combined economy (which will realistically be difficult to match) and 174g/km CO2 emissions. The M is also substantially the most expensive to buy, being priced at just over £93,000 without optional extras. The others cost between about £51,500 and £67,500.

Our Verdict

The outward appearance of the X6 will probably be enough to put some people off buying the car before they learn any more about it. If they get past that, the lack of visibility may also be off-putting. Further investigation reveals that it performs very well and can carry a decent amount of luggage. These are definite plus points, and the appeal of the BMW badge may be irresistible. But we feel that the company builds much better cars in other sectors, and the X6 is far from being its best work.