Incoming: 2020 BMW X6

The third-generation 2020 BMW X6 is on its way and will be in Australia well before Christmas.

Australians are mad for the big fella X6. Based on the X5 SUV (BMW insists on calling them Sports Activity Vehicles, but I don’t), the X6 has been massive for the Munich brand here in Australia.

And it’s a massive car. New for the 2020 X6 is a bold new look with that new grille.

The new car looks a lot better than the old, I reckon. Sleeker headlights, a bit more definition and much-improved proportions. It’s still not gorgeous, not by a long shot, but current X6 fans will like it.

The new car is longer and lower which is partly why it looks better. It’s also wider which makes it look a bit less like it’s tottering about. It remains an acquired taste, but given how many of them there are, many have put in the effort.

Inside are all the new bits and pieces in the X5 and X7, including the awesome 12.3-inch Live Cockpit dashboard. Much like Audi’s excellent Virtual Cockpit (found in lots of Audis), it’s a fully-digital screen with lots of customisation. The presentation is beautiful, too.

The fun stuff like sat nav and media system are run by BMW’s iDrive 7.0 system. You control it all through the other 12.3-inch screen at the top of the centre console. Using both touch and the console mounted iDrive controller, it’s the best in the business and is really easy to use.

The diving roofline will brush taller heads, like the old one, so it’s not as roomy as its under-the-skin sibling, the X5. But the boot is now 30 litres bigger, with 580 litres for your stuff. Put the seats down and you’ll have 1530 litres. Not many lifestyle SUVs actually have the room for your life, so that’s refreshing.

All X6s have M Sport as standard and you can option a high-capacity towing unit that doesn’t look horrible when it’s fitted.

Engines

When the X6 arrives, you’ll have a choice of three engines, two petrols – including the M5’s belting V8 – and a diesel.

Whichever one you pick, it’ll go fast and it will also have all-wheel drive to keep everything on the straight and narrow.

How much and when?

The 2020 BMW X6 will arrive in Australia by the end of 2019, but I bet if you ask nicely, a dealer will take your money now. Speaking of money, here’s a handy table with prices:

We’ll get our hands on one as soon as possible.

Peter Anderson

Peter Anderson is the Editor and founder of the theredline.com.au. He’s been writing about cars for years and finds it difficult to talk about anything else.