BMW iX2

Electric coupé SUV promises up to 279 miles of range and will be joined by a new petrol-engined X2 On sale March 2024 Price from £56,540

- Darren Moss

THE BMW iX2 is here to prove that shrinking something can make it more visually appealing; just as the iPod Nano and Infant Nike trainers are cuter versions of their full-size counterparts, the iX2 is the Mini-Me of the BMW X4 and X6 coupé SUVs. But unlike its larger siblings, the iX2 is electric; BMW will also offer a closely related petrol car, called the X2.

The iX2 xDrive30 (the sole model available at launch) has two electric motors for 309bhp in total, split between all four wheels. This set-up takes the iX2 from 0-62mph in 5.6sec, before continuing on to a limited top speed of 112mph. As for range, the xDrive30 can officially cover up to 279 miles on a full charge; that's not as far as equivalent versions of the rival Audi Q4 Sport back e-tron, Genesis GV60 and Volvo C40 Recharge can manage, but it should still fit with most families' routines.

As for charging, the iX2's 64.8kWh (usable capacity) battery can be topped up at speeds of up to 130kW; that means a 10-80% boost will take around half an hour if you use a suitably powerful charge point.