Item: BMW X4 M Competition
Rating: 3
Author: What Car? Team

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Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

If you’re considering buying an X4 M Competition, or indeed any of its rivals, it’s unlikely that you have inexpensive, economical motoring in mind. Still, the X4 actually costs slightly less than the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/glc/estate/review/n19548">Mercedes-AMG GLC 63S</a> coupé&nbsp;to buy outright, although the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a> is cheaper than both.&nbsp;

Even so, a basic X4 M is still around twice the price of a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/cupra/ateca/estate/review/n17969">Cupra Ateca</a>. The X4 M’s equipment levels are a match for rivals’, but a quick stroll down the options list can see the price rapidly escalating. Be prepared, too, for fuel economy that hovers around 25mpg – hardly parsimonious but broadly in line with that of direct rivals.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/euro-ncap-safety-ratings-2019-%E2%80%93-how-safe-is-your-car/n17044">Euro NCAP</a> awarded the X4 five stars for safety, with strong scores for both adult and child occupancy protection. <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-is-aeb-and-how-does-it-work/n3283">Automatic emergency braking (AEB)</a> is standard, as is traffic sign recognition (this uses a camera to read road signs and display the prevailing speed limit on the dashboard), while <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-new-car-technology-that-could-save-your-life/n17548">lane-keeping assistance</a> is optional.

The X4 didn’t feature in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2019-what-car-reliability-survey-large-suvs/n20066">2019 What Car? Reliability Survey</a>, but the X3 in which it’s based didn’t fare particularly well, while BMW finished above Alfa Romeo and Mercedes but below Porsche in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-uks-most-and-least-reliable-car-makes/n20069">overall manufacturer standings</a>. You get a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty as standard.

If you’re a self-confessed BMW M car fanatic, you’ll probably know that the 3.0-litre straight-six under this X4’s bonnet is a true M division-fettled engine that shares very little with the 3.0-litre engine in the cheaper X4&nbsp;M40i. It churns out 503bhp – exactly the same as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/macan/4x4/review/n52">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/glc/estate/review/n19548">Mercedes-AMG GLC 63S</a>&nbsp;coupé .

However, and slightly disappointingly, the X4 M’s engine is the least savage of all these. It doesn’t have the bombastic soundtrack of the GLC, nor does it offer quite the alert accelerator response of the Stelvio. It still makes the X4 M mighty fast, though, pulling from low in the rev range all the way up to its 7200rpm redline, and its six-cylinder howl is anything but unpleasant.

The eight-speed automatic gearbox fitted to the X4 M Competition hesitates very slightly when you go to pull away, but it's still much better than the frustrating <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jaguar/f-pace/estate/review/n19273">F-Pace SVR</a> in this respect. Once on the move, it shuffles gears almost imperceptibly when left in its default Efficiency mode.&nbsp;

We actually wish there was more ferocity to the gearshifts in the more aggressive driving modes; this would better suit the engine’s crazy power output. Still, using the launch control function, the X4 M will dismiss the 0-62mph sprint in 4.1sec, a time broadly in line with what the competition can achieve.&nbsp;

As well as adjusting the speed of shifts and the weight of the steering, you can also change the stiffness of the X4 M’s suspension. Unfortunately, even in the most comfortable setting, it fidgets almost continuously over craggy roads and you’re bounced around in your seat over larger intrusions. If you want a sports SUV that keeps one eye on comfort, you’d be better off with a Macan or Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

The X4 M isn’t the quietest of cruisers, either. Its door mirrors whip up considerable wind noise on the motorway, and the standard-fit 21in wheels kick up quite a racket as their wide tyres pummel the road surface. The Macan is a generally more refined sports SUV.

The M car fanatics we acknowledged earlier may willingly put these flaws aside for the promise of sublime handling, but there’s mixed news on this front, too. Despite BMW’s claims that it should feel just like a performance saloon, the X4 M just can’t conceal its two-tonne weight and higher centre of gravity. Yes, it does resist leaning over well for something this tall, but it never feels as agile as a Stelvio in the bends, or as involving.&nbsp;

Sure, the steering is precise and well weighted (as long as you avoid Sport Plus mode) but you don’t get a huge amount of feedback filtering up to your fingertips. Once settled into a fast corner, though, the X4 M can carry a surprising amount of speed through it thanks to having loads of grip.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

xDrive X4

xdrive-x4

The BMW X4 M Competition is a coupé-inspired take on the boxier and slightly cheaper <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n20299">X3 M Competition</a>.

Both cars sit right at the top of their respective ranges and pack more than 500bhp, have extra body bracing to help them stay more upright and stable through corners, and get bigger brakes designed to cope even with race track abuse.

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A 500bhp SUV might sounds pretty bonkers, but it’s far from a novel concept these days. Indeed, the X4 M Competition competes against the similarly power-crazed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/glc/estate/review/n19548">Mercedes-AMG&nbsp;GLC 63S&nbsp;</a>Coupé&nbsp;and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/alfa-romeo/stelvio/estate/review/n18177">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a>, as well as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/macan/4x4/review/n52">Porsche Macan</a> Turbo.&nbsp;

Indeed, BMW reckons the X4 M Competition should feel more like a sporty saloon than a hefty SUV, and to help achieve that it actually borrows its&nbsp;four-wheel drive system from the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/m5/saloon/review/n184">M5 saloon</a>, with a limited-slip differential that boosts traction on the way out of corners.&nbsp;

Has all this worked, though? Have BMW’s M division engineers managed to avoid the usual <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/sports-suv">sports SUV</a> pitfalls, such as an overly firm ride and unrewarding handling? Over the next few pages, you’ll find the answer to all these questions and more.

And remember, if you want to buy any sports SUV, be sure to head over to our <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/category/sports-suv">New Car Buying</a> pages to find out how much you could save.

With plenty of adjustment to the seat and steering wheel, it’s easy to find a decent driving position in the X4 M Competition. Thanks to heavy bolstering, the seats also do a fine job of holding you in place during spirited cornering, their illuminated M headrest badges being a neat touch.&nbsp;

All-round visibility is good, too, and, just to make your life easier, front and rear parking sensors and a reversing camera are included as standard.&nbsp; You also get clever LED headlights, which allow you to drive with your headlights on full beam without dazzling other road users.

Interior build quality is great: with high-quality materials in abundance, the X4 M is light years ahead of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/porsche/macan/4x4/review/n52">Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio</a> in this regard. If you want, you can upgrade the slabs of piano black interior trim to real carbonfibre at extra cost.

The controls for most of the main function are within easy reach and a 10.3in touchscreen infotainment system is standard. We rate this system highly for its ease of use; it trumps rival systems by giving you a physical rotary controller interface located between the front seats; using this on the move is far less distracting&nbsp;than stabbing away at the touchscreen.

Estate

Munich-based BMW is most famous for its sports saloons, in particular the 3 Series and 5 Series. However, it actually builds almost every type of car imaginable: everything from two-seat convertibles to seven-seat MPVs.

The cheapest model in the BMW range is the 1 Series hatchback, which is a rival to the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Volkswagen Golf. Meanwhile, at the other extreme is the i8 plug-in hybrid sports car, which costs more than £100,000.

BMW was also quick to capitalise on the rise of the SUV and now has six in its range: the X1, X2, X3, X4, X5 and X6.

All of this makes it one of the big three German prestige brands, along with Audi and Mercedes-Benz.

X4 M

Tremendously fast and grippy,&nbsp;Stelvio QF and Macan are more fun

BMW X4 M Competition 

There’s loads of space in the front, while rear leg room also impresses. However, the X4 M’s plunging, coupé-style roofline forces six-footers to slouch in the rear seats or sit with their heads brushing up against the rooflining.

At the same time, a narrow central rear seat makes it a squeeze to get three people in the back. And the rear door openings are a little on the small side, so getting in and out could be easier.&nbsp;

On the other hand, the well-shaped boot is big enough to swallow several large suitcases with ease, while the rear seats lie flat when folded down to make it easy to load longer items. The fact that those rear seatbacks split in a 40/20/40 configuration adds to&nbsp;versatility, too.&nbsp;

That said, if you need to put people in the back on a regular basis and carry lots of luggage, we’d look at the boxier <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n20299">X3 M Competition</a>.

M Competition

m-competition

The X4 M Competition is a completely different animal to the regular BMW X4. It’s tremendously fast and grippy through the corners, but if you want a sports SUV that’ll really put a smile on your face, we’d look at the Alfa Stelvio QF or Porsche Macan

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Strong performance</li> <li>Precise, feelsome steering</li> <li>Agile, entertaining handling</li> <li>Reasonable ride comfort</li> <li>Smart and practical interior</li></ul>

Needing a&nbsp;practical load-lugger doesn't mean you need to scrimp on power and sporting prowess. In fact, most sporty manufacturers now have dedicated sports SUVs in their line-up with 0-62mph times to rival cars half their size.&nbsp;

Porsche, for example, offers two:&nbsp;the Macan and the Cayenne, both of which offer rapid performance and seriously impressive handling, as well as providing enough space for five people and a boot capable of fitting more than seven carry-on suitcases.&nbsp;

But even&nbsp;manufacturers not usually focused on track times are getting involved in this market. The Volkswagen T-Roc R is one of our favourites, too, with a 0-62mph time of 4.8sec&nbsp;and&nbsp;fuel economy of 31.5mpg. A sports SUV&nbsp;should satisfy anyone who doesn't want to trade speed for space.&nbsp;

Sports SUV

BMW X4 M Competition review

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Buying advice for the BMW X4 M Competition covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

If you’re considering buying an X4 M Competition, or indeed any of its rivals, it’s unlikely that you have inexpensive, economical motoring in mind. Still, the X4 actually costs slightly less than the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63S coupé to buy outright, although the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is cheaper than both. ,Even so, a basic X4 M is still around twice the price of a Cupra Ateca. The X4 M’s equipment levels are a match for rivals’, but a quick stroll down the options list can see the price rapidly escalating. Be prepared, too, for fuel economy that hovers around 25mpg – hardly parsimonious but broadly in line with that of direct rivals.,Euro NCAP awarded the X4 five stars for safety, with strong scores for both adult and child occupancy protection. Automatic emergency braking (AEB) is standard, as is traffic sign recognition (this uses a camera to read road signs and display the prevailing speed limit on the dashboard), while lane-keeping assistance is optional.The X4 didn’t feature in the 2019 What Car? Reliability Survey, but the X3 in which it’s based didn’t fare particularly well, while BMW finished above Alfa Romeo and Mercedes but below Porsche in the overall manufacturer standings. You get a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty as standard.,,

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