Easy to operate iDrive

Then there's the iDrive.

After testing a series of BMW's this year, I am starting to take a more German approach to the iDrive. Americans are just stupid.

Please don't be offended by that if you are not the brightest LED in the headlamp, but there's an owner's manual in the glove box and not everything good in life needs to be figured out in three minutes with the lights off. The iDrive provides lots of function. It's easy to operate and lets you keep your hand on the wheel while you're doing it.

If you get stumped, look it up. BMW writes one in English.

There are, of course, all of the premium features you'd expect on the X6 M: The standard glass roof, the dual climate zones in front -- and you can get dual climate zones in the second row too.

There's a heads-up display that includes navigation guidance, cruise control settings and, of course, your speed. There are automatic high beams that adjust to oncoming traffic.

Then there is the back-up camera system. This provides a bird's eye view of the vehicle and everything around it. It comes on automatically when you put the vehicle in reverse and can be turned on when you select the parking distance control button. It's excellent for seeing what's right in front of you as well, such as pulling into a tight space or a garage.

    See also:

    X3 in the Market
    The compact luxury crossover segment has undergone a revolution since the first-generation X3 debuted. Both the Q5 and GLK-Class have become popular sellers, while X3 sales have lagged behind. T ...

    Advanced BMW EfficientDynamics technology puts the new BMW 1-Series in a class of its own
    Back in 2007, the BMW 1-Series set a new global benchmark, with a unique range of technologies to reduce fuel consumption and emissions being included as standard. Today, the new BMW 1-Series exte ...

    Priority options
    The driver has priority The source selected via iDrive in the front is output on the vehicle loudspeakers and can be selected but not operated from the rear. Other audio or video sources ...