2012 BMW X6 Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 BMW X6 review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 X6, and includes BMW X6 safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

Take a BMW X5, give it a fastback roofline, cut passenger capacity to five, and you have the BMW X6, which the German automaker calls a Sports Activity Coupe, also known as the answer to a question nobody asked.

For 2012, BMW drops the ActiveHybrid X6 model, adds standard equipment to the xDrive35i and xDrive50i, shuffles option package content, and offers a new five-passenger seating option. New standard equipment includes BMW Assist telematics, an iPod/USB port, heated front seats with lumbar support for the driver, dark tinted rear privacy glass, ambient cabin lighting, and auto-dimming rearview mirrors. The xDrive50i also gains a HomeLink universal remote.

Option package changes add heated rear seats to the Cold Weather Package, while the Technology Package now includes a heads up display, side-view camera system, and automatic high beam assistant. The Premium Package is also updated, and now includes a rearview camera, a navigation system, four-zone automatic climate control, Comfort Access keyless entry, and rear manual sunshades. BMW is also offering its Individual program for the 2012 X6, which includes exclusive choice of paint, interior trim, and full Merino leather.

With the discontinuation of the BMW ActiveHybrid X6 for 2012, two models remain on sale: the xDrive35i and the xDrive50i.

Standard equipment for the X6 xDrive35i includes heated 10-way power front seats with memory for the driver’s settings, Nevada leather upholstery, Ash Grain wood trim, ambient cabin lighting, automatic climate control, and a power moonroof. Bluetooth hands-free connectivity is also standard, along with a HiFi stereo that includes HD Radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an iPod/USB connection. Dynamic Cruise Control and push-button ignition are included in the base price, along with front and rear Park Distance Control, rain-sensing wipers with heated washer jets, automatic Xenon adaptive headlights with signature corona-ring driving lights, and 19-inch aluminum wheels.

In addition to a more powerful V8 engine, the 2012 BMW X6 xDrive50i includes 20-way power multi-contour front seats, a navigation system, a HomeLink universal remote, chrome exterior window surrounds, and a unique 19-inch wheel design.

A popular option on both models is the Premium Package, which includes four-zone automatic climate control, Comfort Access keyless entry, manual rear side window shades, a rear- and top-view camera system, an interior rearview mirror with compass, and cargo storage equipment. When added to the X6 xDrive35i, the Premium Package also includes a navigation system and a HomeLink universal remote.

Owners who ski will want the Cold Weather Package, which adds a heated steering wheel, a ski sack, and heated rear seats. If warmer, more humid weather is the norm, the Active Ventilated Seat Package adds ventilated front seats with perforated Nevada leather and active bolstering, and, on the X6 xDrive35i, includes 20-way multi-contour front seats. Anyone can appreciate the Premium Sound Package and its 16-speaker, 600-watt audio system with a one-year subscription to satellite radio, and the Technology Package comes in handy for its heads-up display, side-view cameras, and automatic high-beam headlights.

In addition to these packages, BMW offers the Sport Package, which includes different 19-inch wheels, sportier Shadowline trim, and Anthracite headliner, and Active Roll Stabilization with Dynamic Damping Control. A set of 20-way multi-contour front seats is also included for the X6 xDrive35i. Finally, if you’d like a more personalized BMW X6, try the BMW Individual Composition Package. It comes with full Merino leather in a choice of unique colors, high-gloss Shadowline trim, an Anthracite headliner, and a selection of special cabin materials. When added to the xDrive35i, it also includes 20-way multi-contour front seats.

Options available separately from these packages include a lane departure warning system, a rear-seat entertainment system, BMW Apps with smartphone integration, and soft-closing automatic doors. The X6 can be outfitted with an Active Cruise Control system with Stop & Go technology, Active Steering, and a set of 20-inch wheels, and the interior can be dressed in Nappa leather or Alcantara and leather, and equipped with a three-passenger rear seat that replaces the standard rear buckets.

The BMW X6 xDrive35i is equipped with a twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine making 300 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 300 pound-feet of torque peaking between 1,300 and 5,000 rpm. An eight-speed Sport automatic transmission with paddle shifters drives all four wheels through BMW’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system, and the SUV can accelerate to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds. Fuel economy is estimated to be 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, and the xDrive35i requires premium fuel.

If you’re adamant about shaving a second or more off of that acceleration time, and you’re willing to take a big hit in terms of fuel economy to achieve it, get the X6 xDrive50i. This model has a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 with 400 horsepower peaking between 5,500 and 6,400 rpm and 450 lb-ft of torque available from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. Equipped with an eight-speed, paddle-shifted Sport automatic transmission and xDrive AWD, the X6 xDrive50i accelerates from zero to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds. Fuel economy measures 14 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway, and the xDrive50i requires premium gas.

The 2012 BMW X6 is equipped with a long list of standard safety features, including six airbags, traction control, stability control, hill descent control, trailer stability control, and BMW Assist telematics with a free four-year subscription to the Safety Plan. Additionally, every X6 is equipped with adaptive Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, front and rear Park Distance Control, rain-sensing wipers, and a particularly impressive set of brakes.

The braking system includes four-wheel ventilated-disc brakes with brake-force distribution, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control, brake fade compensation, brake drying, brake stand-by, start-off assistant, and brake regeneration. BMW also offers several safety-related options, including a rear- and top-view reversing camera, a lane departure warning system, and an Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go system.

As is typical of vehicles that sell in low numbers with high price tags, there aren’t many safety or reliability ratings to consult when it comes to the BMW X6. Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests, and the only dependability rating is from J.D. Power and Associates, a prediction of slightly better than average reliability over time.

If you’re leasing, the BMW X6’s four-year/50,000-mile warranty is just enough. Better yet, it includes free scheduled maintenance and four years of roadside assistance no matter how many miles you travel.The 2012 BMW X6 is equipped with a long list of standard safety features, including six airbags, traction control, stability control, hill descent control, trailer stability control, and BMW Assist telematics with a free four-year subscription to the Safety Plan. Additionally, every X6 is equipped with adaptive Xenon high-intensity discharge headlights, front and rear Park Distance Control, rain-sensing wipers, and a particularly impressive set of brakes.

The braking system includes four-wheel ventilated-disc brakes with brake-force distribution, cornering brake control, dynamic brake control, brake fade compensation, brake drying, brake stand-by, start-off assistant, and brake regeneration. BMW also offers several safety-related options, including a rear- and top-view reversing camera, a lane departure warning system, and an Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go system.

As is typical of vehicles that sell in low numbers with high price tags, there aren’t many safety or reliability ratings to consult when it comes to the BMW X6. Neither the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) nor the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has performed crash tests, and the only dependability rating is from J.D. Power and Associates, a prediction of slightly better than average reliability over time.

If you’re leasing, the BMW X6’s four-year/50,000-mile warranty is just enough. Better yet, it includes free scheduled maintenance and four years of roadside assistance no matter how many miles you travel.

The BMW X6 xDrive35i weighs 4,784 pounds distributed 49.8/50.2 front-to-rear. The X6 xDrive50i is significantly heavier at 5,225 lbs., and the weight is less evenly distributed at 51.1/48.9.

Under normal driving conditions, the X6’s xDrive all-wheel-drive system split power 40 percent to the front wheels and 60 percent to the rear wheels. The X6 comes standard with Dynamic Performance Control (DPC), a system that allows the multiplication of torque to an individual rear wheel, helping to “steer” the X6. The DPC system works when accelerating or decelerating to make the X6 feel more agile and in control.

The BMW X6’s trunk measures 25.6 cubic-feet with the rear seat raised. According to BMW, this is enough space for four sets of golf clubs. With the rear seats folded, the X6 can accommodate up to 59.7 cu-ft of cargo.

The BMW X6 has been on the road long enough that it’s no longer polarizing, but it remains an acquired taste. If you love it, get it. If you don’t, you’re not alone.

By Christian Wardlaw