BMW X6 facelift to bring augmented reality navigation

• New iDrive OS8 infotainment
• Minor exterior tweaks
• Due to arrive in 2023

The BMW X6 SUV is due to receive a facelift next year. Test mules for the updated version of the German brand’s coupe SUV have already been spotted out on German roads, hinting at what we can expect from this revised model.

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As you can see from our spy photographs, the new BMW X6 will likely feature a tweaked front end design. The lower grille now has a larger opening to house radar sensors – just like the smaller BMW X1 – while the camouflaged headlights hint the new X6 will get BMW’s latest LED running light design, with an arrow-shaped insignia.

The lack of camouflage elsewhere suggests we won’t see any other significant changes to the X6’s exterior design. However, it’s likely that the facelifted car will be available with all-new alloy wheel designs as well as a handful of previously-unavailable paint options.

On the inside, the changes will be much more drastic. The new X6 is set to receive BMW’s latest iDrive OS8 infotainment system which features a ‘Curved Panel’ setup, comprising a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.9-inch central touchscreen. This system made its debut on the electric BMW iX and is one of the slickest on the market, with crisp graphics and a responsive interface.

Two of the headline features brought by iDrive OS8 are virtual reality navigation and ‘My Modes’. The former takes a live feed from the car’s array of safety cameras and superimposes directions onto what you see on the screen, making it easier to understand directions. BMW’s ‘My Modes’ feature allows you to set up individual driver profiles and configure the steering, throttle response, climate controls and ambient lighting to suit your current mood or tastes.

Despite encroaching emissions regulations, the smallest engine available to X6 buyers will be a 3.0-litre six-cylinder mild-hybrid. As before, there will be an entry-level petrol as well as two diesel models, however, these are all expected to get minor updates to improve performance as well as fuel economy.

Top-spec X6 M50i and X6M cars will continue to utilise a muscular 4.4-litre turbocharged V8; facelifted versions of the X6M are expected to produce slightly more than the current car’s 616bhp output. 

What does this mean for car buyers?

The original BMW X6 is often cited as the first coupe SUV, the founder of what has become an increasingly popular segment in the UK car market. The current, third-generation X6 has been on sale since 2019 and is beginning to feel outdated compared with new, electrified rivals such as the new Polestar 3. At this stage, it's difficult to hazard a guess at pricing for the new car, but we expect it to start from slightly more than the current model’s £65,740 starting price when it arrives next year. Hopefully, this new update will make the X6 feel fresh as it is not expected to be replaced until 2026 when an all-electric iX6 is expected to enter the fray. 

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