Heritage, as it would seem, is an important thing in the automotive business. It is quite common to hear or read about car companies talking about their achievements through the years either through an advertisement somewhere or through a carefully curated press release.

These chest thumpers usually centre around achievements in the world of motorsports, safety technologies, performance, design and sales figures.

Car companies with decades of heritage like BMW have put out many such advertisements and the press releases continue to this day.

But alas, those boasts have been poor since BMW, particularly it’s EV’s, have been constantly outsold by companies that do not have the same heritage as BMW, particularly BYD and Tesla.

Or is the boast relevant?

In the month of July of this year, of the 10 most popular electric vehicles sold in Malaysia, seven had Chinese origins. The best seller for that month was the BYD Seal followed by the Tesla Model 3, then the BYD Atto 3 and the BYD Dolphin. In fifth spot was the GWM Ora (combination of the Good Cat and 07), and in sixth spot is the BMW iX2, the subject of this article.

Just to sate everyone’s curiosity though, in seventh spot was the MG4 then the MINI Countryman SE. Rounding off the top 10 is the Neta V in ninth and finally smart in tenth with a combination of the #1 and the #3.

So, are sales figures true indicators of a brands prowess? I think not. Because of all the models listed in the top 10 best seller’s list, the BMW iX2 is the most expensive at RM297,000 (inclusive of the extended warranty and service package). Despite that, the iX2 was still the sixth best-selling EV in the country.

And that just goes to show that no matter what the Chinese muster up in terms of tech and pricing, the badge on the bonnet and on the boot will always matter to some, in Malaysia at least.

However, that would be stealing some of the iX2’s thunder, because it is much more than just a badge.

The iX2 is the four-door coupe bodied sibling of the iX1, and no matter which way you look at it, the iX2 is undoubtedly a good-looking car, particular in the colour you see here, which BMW aptly calls Fire Red.

The iX2 is available in a single variant and the model we reviewed comes with BMW’s M Sport Package. The package adds a touch of aggression to an already good-looking car, it includes sportier front and rear bumpers, gorgeous 20-inch bi-coloured alloy wheels, M high-gloss Shadowline content that gives you a radiator grille, tailgate logo and mirror caps in black.

But that’s not all, you also get BMW’s iconic glow illuminated front grille (which is not as obnoxious as the ones on the i7), M sport brakes finished in metallic dark blue, adaptive M suspension, acoustic comfort glazing and adaptive LED headlamps round off the package.

Combined, all of this makes the car stand out in a sea of BYD’s, Tesla’s, GWM’s and MG’s.

Step inside, and it is typically BMW. But before we get to that, let’s just talk about the interior design for starters, because the thing about EV’s is that once you have sat in a car of a particular brand, you would have sat in them all. And it is the same for BMW as well.

Across the BMW range you get the same, or similar chunky steering wheel, curved digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen, same buttons and gear knob.

This is not something that is unique to BMW’s though, you see the same with Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Audi as well.

In fact, the EV’s from China are equally as guilty of having unimaginative interiors. Almost all of them have the same templated interior with a gargantuan infotainment screen, tiny-ish digital instrument cluster, steering column mounted gear selector and almost all of them will come with a huge panoramic roof and some form of seat ventilation.

But if I had to credit any of the Chinese companies for having a decent interior, it would likely be BYD with its rotating screens, aircraft industry inspired gear knob and air-conditioning vents. I am not entirely a fan of their interiors, particularly the electronically controlled air vents and guitar string door pockets, but they are the least templated, and that I like.

Anyway, the BMW iX2 on the other hand has plenty to offer as far as the interior goes. The curves screens mentioned earlier measure in at over 20-inches combined and are segmented into the infotainment unit and the meter cluster. Credit is due where it is deserved, and besides the fact that the screen is bigger than some people’s computers screens, it also offers a contrast-rich and crisp display of everything from navigation to music.

The other thing that I really like about BMW’s infotainment system is the ease in which you navigate through the menu layers. Everything feels properly laid out and interaction is quick and to the point without too much clutter, which is what you want when you are driving and need to adjust something.

As far as interior appointment goes, quality feels top notch while everything is wrapped in synthetic leather upholstery. But you also get a choice of specifying your iX2 with some Alcantara leather as well.

Besides that, the sports seats deserve a special mention as they don’t only look good but also hugs your body in all the right areas. Which is perfect for when you want to show others who’s boss on the road.

And judging by what’s available under your right foot, you might be able to have some fun as long as you don’t come by a smart Brabus, Tesla Model 3 Performance or a Volvo EX30.

You see, the iX2 is nice and fun, but for its price it offers 313PS and 494Nm of torque. This lets you see off the sprint to 100kmh in 5.6 seconds and tops out at 180km/h. This is undeniably quick, but there are EV’s that are a lot faster, and cheaper. So, you might want to watch out for who you pick a fight with, because when it comes to the traffic light drag wars, the badge on the bonnet rarely matters.

But when it comes to driving feel, it is impossible for any of the aforementioned brands to hold a candle against BMW in that department. The iX2 may be small but it weighs in at over two tonnes thanks to the dual motor powertrain, but it attacks corners like a proper lightweight hot hatch with masses of grip to save you when you run out of talent.

And thanks to the adaptive suspension, you can simply switch drive modes to have better feel for the steering and the road while the suspension reacts to your every input. And just for the record, adaptive suspension is quite rare among the cheaper EV’s. If you like adjusting the suspension to match your mood, then the iX2 might just do it for you.

No review of an EV can be complete without mentioning charge time, and on that front the iX2 is capable of taking 130kW of DC charging and 11kW of AC charging. Powering its dual motors is a 64.8kWh lithium-ion battery that will take about 30 mins to charge from 10-80% on a DC charger, and about four hours to charge from 0-100% on an AC charger.

BMW claims a WLTP range of 449km, but we saw a real-world range of 395km at 95% state of charge.

There is plenty to love about the BMW iX2, especially how easy it is to live with. The interior is undeniably comfortable, while the 12-speaker Harmon Kardon sound system will bring out the best in all your favourite tracks.

It also has an impressive array of safety systems that include seven individual systems that make up the Driving Assistant Plus package, which is basically BMW lingo for Advanced Driver Aid Systems (ADAS).

But when compared against the competition, the iX2 is difficult to justify because there are EV’s that are faster, go further, charge quicker, have more to offer and for a lot cheaper.

But you would be missing the point of this BMW if you are looking at it from a price point alone, because you are buying more than just an EV, you are buying a BMW and there is decades of engineering prowess, race wins and illustrious history that comes with it. And that is something money can’t buy; in fact, you can’t put a price on that. And until the competition from China can match that, brands like BMW will always have a place in the world of EV’s, because to some, like me, that matters.

Specifications:
Motors: Dual Motors (AWD)
Power: 313PS
Torque: 494Nm
Battery: 66.5kWh Lithium-Ion
Acceleration (0-100kmh): 5.6 seconds
Top speed: 180km/h
Range: 449km
Charging: 130kW (DC) 11kW (AC)

We like: Good looks, interior features, handling
We don’t like: Expensive