Skip advert
Advertisement
In-depth reviews

BMW X4 SUV review

"The stylish BMW X4 is a fun drive, but sporty looks compromise its practicality"

Carbuyer Rating

3.6 out of 5

Owners Rating
Be the first to review

Pros

  • Individual style
  • Powerful engines
  • Excellent handling

Cons

  • High starting price
  • Long options list
  • Less versatile than X3

How do you create a car more fashionable than an SUV? It seems the current answer is the coupe SUV, which combines the high ground clearance with a sleeker design. The BMW X4 faces a growing number of rivals, including the Audi Q5 Sportback and Mercedes GLC Coupe, while even mainstream cars like the Citroen C4 and Renault Arkana are trying to capitalise on this expanding part of the market.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Cars like the BMW X3, Mercedes GLC and Audi Q5 are among the most popular upmarket SUV models, with many buyers abandoning saloons and estates, such as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4, in their favour. But buyers also want sporty looks, which is where the new wave of coupe SUVs like the BMW X4 come in.

Under the skin, the X4 is essentially the same car as the X3. However, having swapped the boxy, utilitarian body for a rakish fastback design, the X4 looks more sporty.  Like the rival Mercedes GLC Coupe, it's a concept that puts style and driving fun ahead of family-focused practicality while retaining the commanding driving height and large dimensions of an SUV. 

The best 4x4s and SUVs 2023 heroTop 10 best 4x4s and SUVs

Making a four-door coupe out of a boxy SUV is a tricky task for automotive designers, and the X4 was never going to look as sleek as the relatively low-slung BMW 4 Series. Some like the slightly caricatured effect of a swoopy roofline tacked onto the top of a bulky SUV body, while others may find the design oddly proportioned.

There’s little wrong with the way the X4 looks from the front, with an identical design to the X3. The rear view is pretty bluff though, thanks to the high rear end and a cliff-like tailgate that sports a large BMW badge. The letterbox-like rear window is a bit of a compromise too.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

More reviews

In-depth reviews

The X4 doesn't want for showroom appeal, though – the trademark 'double kidney' grille is more pronounced than ever, and the standard Active LED headlamps catch the eye.

Huge wheelarches offer space for big alloy wheels to fill, and that provides further clues that sportiness and aggression are key to the X4's appeal. Indeed, a look at the price list reveals two M Performance models that make their first appearance in the latest X4 range – a petrol X4 M40i and diesel M40d. xDrive20d and xDrive30d models make up the rest of the range, which means only one petrol is offered against three diesels. All versions have BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system and an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard.

A flagship performance X4 M Competition model is offered too, offering considerable performance from a 503bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre straight-six petrol engine. It shares its powertrain with the X3 M Competition SUV and both cars are capable of surging from 0-62mph in 4.1 seconds and on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

Compared to the first-generation X4, the latest is a little larger – 81mm longer and 37mm wider, to be precise. As well as allowing a slightly longer, lower look, the greater distance between front and rear axles is said to free up some interior space.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The X4's interior design is nothing like as divisive as its exterior, with a classy dashboard that's almost the same as the X3's – no bad thing, as the latter is very well made and easy to use. It feels sporty, too, and that's before you hit the road. On the move, it transpires that BMW's claim that the X4 "will out-handle the Porsche Macan" is entirely believable.

It responds with the kind of immediacy that used to be an SUV impossibility, yet proves comfortable on broken road surfaces, despite the huge wheels and tyres fitted on most models. However, the more conventional X3 offers a combination of ride and handling that's very nearly as impressive, and does so while offering more interior headroom and a bigger, more practical boot.

It's unlikely that Euro NCAP will crash-test the X4 individually – the X3 is so similar that its five-star rating effectively applies to the X4, too. Both cars have a suite of safety features that includes autonomous emergency braking and can be upgraded to include an active cruise control system, which can bring the car to a halt and then set off again in heavy traffic.

Occupying 21st place (out of 29 brands) in our 2021 Driver Power survey, BMW's record for owner satisfaction isn't entirely blemish-free. The roundel badge remains desirable, though, and the X4 certainly stands out from the SUV crowd.

However, the X4 is more expensive than the X3 and that extra cost is unlikely to be reflected in increased residual values. That means it's a pricier ownership proposition than its sister model, without having any significant advantages elsewhere. If you love the style and want the best-driving BMW SUV, though, look no further.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand
Jaguar Type 00
News
3 Dec 2024

Jaguar Type 00 concept revealed: a bold electric future for the British brand

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV
Skoda Elroq
In-depth reviews
9 Dec 2024

Skoda Elroq review – a great-value compact electric SUV

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers
Carbuyer best new car deals hero
Deals
6 Dec 2024

Best new car deals 2024: this week’s top car offers

More on X4

Show me:
Your complete BMW car configurator guide
BMW M4 configurator
Tips and advice
8 Sep 2021

Your complete BMW car configurator guide

Your complete guide to the official online BMW car configurator and the process of building your new BMW car
Facelifted BMW X4 gets sharp new look
2021 BMW X4 SUV
News
8 Jun 2021

Facelifted BMW X4 gets sharp new look

The BMW X4 coupe-SUV gets a new look inside and out and starts at £49,010
New BMW X3M and X4M performance SUVs arrive
News
12 Feb 2019

New BMW X3M and X4M performance SUVs arrive

The X3M and X4M Competition will rock the SUV establishment with 506bhp
New 2019 BMW X3M and X4M teased ahead of full reveal
News
10 Sep 2018

New 2019 BMW X3M and X4M teased ahead of full reveal

2019 BMW X3M and X4M performance SUVs revealed; six-cylinder petrol power to feature
BMW X4 SUV (2014-2018)
In-depth reviews
27 Feb 2018

BMW X4 SUV (2014-2018)

“The BMW X4 is a compromised SUV that places more emphasis on style than versatility”
Fresh-faced BMW X4 unveiled
BMW X4 driving
News
14 Feb 2018

Fresh-faced BMW X4 unveiled

Sharper styling and powerful M Sport models confirmed for sleeker SUV
Volvo S60 and V60 Cross Country - full details
News
24 Apr 2015

Volvo S60 and V60 Cross Country - full details

Volvo adds four-wheel drive and raised suspension to its mid-sized saloon and estate models

Tips & advice

View All
Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?
Car dashboard symbols and meanings
Tips and advice
21 Oct 2024

Car dashboard warning lights: what does each symbol mean?

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps
Charging station
Tips and advice
23 Jul 2024

Electric car charging stations: public networks, charger types, apps and maps

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?
PCP vs HP
Tips and advice
17 May 2022

PCP vs HP – which type of car finance is right for you?

Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Average speed cameras: how do they work?
Tips and advice
21 Mar 2024

Average speed cameras: how do they work?

Best cars

View All
Top 10 best car interiors
Peugeot 208 hatchback
Best cars
25 Jun 2021

Top 10 best car interiors

Top 10 best electric cars 2024
Best electric cars
Best cars
16 May 2024

Top 10 best electric cars 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024
The best cheap-to-run cars 2023
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

Top 10 best cheap-to-run cars 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024
Fastest hot hatchbacks hero
Best cars
2 Jan 2024

The UK's top 10 fastest hot hatchbacks 2024