BMW X4 Driving Review
I made it quite clear that I was more than impressed by the Porsche Macan early this year. It has been one of my favourite cars this year so far. So when I attended the BMW X4 launch this week, I really didn’t think too much of it as I didn’t think it would come close to the Macan. How wrong I was.
BMW has introduced this unique Sports Activity Coupe concept to the premium mid-size segment. The X4 is based on the X3, but displays a sporting character very much its own and takes dynamics to new level. The new BMW X4 is underlined by a wide range of cutting-edge high-performance engines, the xDrive all-wheel-drive system and an exclusive spread of standard equipment features such as variable sport steering, Performance Control and a sports leather steering wheel with gearshift paddles.
Buyers will be able to choose from three petrol engines and two diesel units from the BMW engine family, whose output ranges from 135 kW to 225 kW.
I drove the xDrive 35i with it’s 3,0 litre turbo and the best word I can use to describe driving this beauty is “effortless”. It didn’t feel like I was driving a ‘bigger’ car. It handles corners like a compact hatch! No matter how aggressively you turn the nose in, the front end grips the road and you sail round even the tightest corners. The steering could do with a bit more feel but it is precise and sharp.
The interior is pretty much X3 all the way. You will automatically sense the BMW design cues, especially the rotary dial that operates the onscreen menu. The boot, even with the sloping roofline, is only 50 dm3 smaller than the X3’s, which, ok, isn’t exactly big, but it will do.
This car isn’t for the practical buying kind. The X4 is aimed at people who want a sportier ride but with the quality of an on-road vehicle that can explore dainty bush trails. It might not be ideal if you have kids, I would say the X3 would be the more practical choice then. But like the X6, which was launched a few years ago, this is a car for those who are image conscious, who want a car that stands out. It’s a buy that others might not understand. But that is the thing with buyer’s choice, you don’t have to justify why you came to your decision.
I don’t have children, so for me, this car would be perfect. I love the look, I love how it drives and I love how effortless it is. It is small enough to not be intimidating but big enough to feel like a compact SUV with a higher ground clearance. I am not concerned about my passengers at the rear for the only reason that, well, I don’t tend to have many passengers in the back of my car. The X4 would make buying sense to me, even if it doesn’t to you. Which, I guess, is one of the reasons a lot of people will in fact buy it! This is fighting for my first place at the moment, it is a tough call to say whether I prefer the X4 over the Macan. So I am just going to say that I love them both and I would be happy if someone bought me either one…or both!
The pricing of the new BMW X4 starts at R647 500 and all new BMWs sold in South Africa include a 5 year/100 000 km motorplan maintenance contract.