BMW iX EV achieves five-star ANCAP crash score

The newly arrived BMW iX electric luxury SUV achieved the maximum ANCAP crash score against the most stringent 2020-22 protocols, and based on Euro NCAP data.

The BMW iX serves as a competitor to the Audi E-Tron and Mercedes-Benz EQC.

The iX managed 91 per cent for adult occupant protection, 88 per cent for child occupant protection, 73 per cent for vulnerable road user protection, and 78 per cent for safety assist.

The BMW scored highly across the range of occupant protection, and in the side impact test and more severe oblique pole tests, while the AEB car-to-car and vulnerable road user scenarios saw collisions avoided or mitigated “in almost all scenarios across a range of speeds”.

The iX also performed well in the far side impact tests, with full points awarded for the prevention of excursion (movement towards the other side of the vehicle) in both the vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-pole scenarios.

In the assessment of child occupant protection, the BMW iX scored full points in both the front and side impact tests.

ANCAP said the iX did, however, present a higher risk to the occupants of an oncoming vehicle in the frontal offset test, and the maximum penalty was applied.

“ANCAP has now rated 19 fully-electric vehicles, and the BMW iX is the second fully-electric vehicle in the Medium SUV segment to be tested under ANCAP’s 2020-2022 protocols, our most stringent criteria to date,” said ANCAP chief executive Carla Hoorweg.

“BMW have again placed safety as a high priority in their vehicle design and specifications, and the iX results show BMW aren’t willing to compromise on safety for an alternative-powered vehicle.”

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