2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 Lockhart TX

2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6 By Alison Lakin, Associate Editor

DriverSide Overview
Few ideas make less sense than combining a hybrid drivetrain with a 5,688-lb, V-8-powered SUV. Yet here we are, with the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid X6. BMW says it chose the X6 platform as its first full hybrid to maximize fuel economy gain (they’ve reduced consumption by 20 percent). Yet the ActiveHybrid X6 is the most powerful hybrid ever made, with a 400 horsepower twin-turbocharged engine and electric motors combining to produce 480 horsepower and 575 lb-ft of torque. It can race to 60 mph in 5.4 seconds – just 0.1 second slower than the X6 xDrive50i on which it’s based – and delivers power to the four wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission. It is, in short, a monster. But it feels like a Frankenstein; the individual bits are first-rate, but the result is faulty. The drive, while stellar is certain areas, is compromised because of the hybrid system, and all that power equates to a miniscule bump in fuel economy. Certainly it’s not enough to warrant the $22,000 premium over the X6 xDrive50i. Granted, there are a slew of standard features that range from butter-soft leather seats to a stunningly powerful surround-sound audio system, and the luscious color combination of Bluewater exterior paint and cream/black two-toned interior is exclusive to the hybrid, but it’s just not enough. If the point of creating hybrids is to make the future a better place, then BMW just took us two steps into the past.








What's to Like
The engine, the main reason for liking the original X6, is superb, and driving dynamics remain on top form despite the weight of the vehicle (400 pounds heavier with the hybrid components). The interior stands as one of the best SUV interiors we’ve ever seen, with soft leathers, ergonomically perfect seats and an elegant instrument panel to enjoy at your leisure. Trunk space hasn’t been compromised in the least by the large battery.

What's Not to Like
The starting price – and ending price given its all-inclusive nature – is severely prohibitive. Few people will want to throw down this kind of money for the minor fuel consumption reduction the ActiveHybrid X6 delivers. The hybrid system interferes with some of the fine drive qualities, especially the regenerative brakes and sluggish switchover from electric to combustion engine power.

The Drive:
DriverSide Driving Impressions
The two-mode hybrid system allows the X6 to cruise up to 37 mph on electric power alone, only switching to engine power if the driver depresses the throttle forcefully. We noticed sluggish response when attempting to accelerate rapidly, as if the system was having trouble coordinating all the components, and the regenerative brakes feel as though you’re trying to reach the engagement point through a large, gooey marshmallow. Nevertheless, handl...

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