BMW X4 Luxury Sports Activity Coupè Delivers On All Counts.
BMW labels its X4 a Sports Activity Coupè as opposed to an SUV, which most people would consider the X range are. After driving the M40d model for a week, I can undoubtedly say the X4 lives up to its tag.
When the stunning Blue X4 M40d arrived outside my house, it drew attention right from the off. People were admiring it and asking me questions.
The X4 has a low silhouette, unlike previous large SUVs. Its competitors, such as the Mercedes GLC Coupè and Porsche Macan, have gone the same design route. It is a reaction to the negativity bulky and high SUVs were getting.
You have a great viewing position in the sumptuous driver’s seat and have all the controls easily to hand. The cockpit and whole interior look and feel quality, so you and your passengers will enjoy every trip in comfort. The space inside is vast, yet you don’t get the impression that the car is large when driving.
As you would expect with a car costing over fifty thousand pounds, it is full of technology. Driver aids and impressive infotainment ensure the highest possible safety for you and your passengers whilst also providing comfort. I will touch on a few of the long list of safety features, starting with the superb rear parking monitor system. Engaged when reverse gear is selected, the display appears on the car’s central infotainment screen. Coloured lines appear on the screen, which helps you manoeuvre at the right angles, whilst you can also clearly see if any obstacles are around.
The HUD Heads Up Display is technology taken from aviation enabling the driver to see important information in the screen directly ahead of them. Allowing for focus on the road ahead while still taking in speed, navigation instructions and more as needed. A magnificent system that all cars should introduce.
Other aids within the Driving Assist Plus package include Stop-Start, where the engine turns off at traffic lights and when in queues—saving on fuel and benefitting the environment. Lane departure warning if you are straying over the road without indicating, the system warns you and then tries to correct your position. The last one I will mention is Active Cruise Control, which adapts the cars speed to the traffic ahead of it. It maintains a set distance to the vehicle in front.
Going back to the Infotainment system, the touchscreen is 10.25”, so everything is easy to read. The well-designed cockpit display is 12.3” and has adaptive mood settings, so all information is visible in any lighting conditions.
The exterior of the X4 also features plenty of technology, including 3D, LED rear lights, and Adaptive LED Headlights with beam control. The twin exhaust pipes sit on either side of the rear apron and look impressive. Connect your X4 via BMW ConnectedDrive, and you get real-time traffic updates and much more.
The car benefits from its low centre of gravity which increases stability and therefore handling. You don’t feel body-roll when turning into tight corners at speed, and the X4 grips the road superbly. Even the poor British roads are handled by the suspension, which soaks up the bumps and potholes. Coping well with sportier driving or cruising along in comfort, the X4 takes it in its stride.
The X4 is cavernous inside, swallowing cargo, be it luggage, DIY or the weekly shop. I did not forget the passengers, the most crucial factor in any safety or space provision. As I mentioned, all three passengers in the rear seat have ample space, so they are not on top of each other. That was always my issue when crammed into cars, and even short journeys were an ordeal as a child.
The week I spent with the X4 was lovely; it involved plenty of excellent country roads through beautiful villages. These tested the handling and performance of the car, and it coped superbly. It is a big car but drives like a smaller sporty one which you can push along. On motorways, you enjoy the luxury interior with lush, comfortable seating that hugs in all the right places, and we need good hugs now. The X4 is a family car that drivers will love as it performs like a two-seater Coupè.
I drove the M40d model starting at £58685. In the range, the Sport model starts at £46000 through to the M models starting at £58685.
FUEL TYPE Diesel
PERFORMANCe. 340hp
Fuel MPG (COMBINED) 40.9 − 43.5 mpg
Sport 8-speed Automatic Transmission with Gearshift Paddles.