Hello, and welcome to the second generation of the BMW X4. The G02 (the X4’s new internal code) is now approximately 3 inches longer than the outgoing model, with the wheelbase receiving more than 2 extra inches. The X4 is now 1.4 inches wider, too. This all combines to give the X4 what BMW calls “dynamically stretched proportions” which we’ll take to mean it looks sportier.
And to that end, the X4 does boast a balanced 50:50 weight distribution, so at least on paper, it’s sporty. On paper. BMW does refer to the X4 as a “Sports Activity Coupe”, after all. We can understand if BMW doesn't like to shorten that one.
The X4 comes in two flavors: The xDrive30i, and the M40i. The xDrive30i is propelled by a four-cylinder engine providing 248 horsepower. The M40i gets an inline-six cylinder with 355 horsepower. Both models use the same eight-speed transmission and are only offered with all-wheel drive. The base price on the xDrive30i starts at $50,450, while the M40i starts at $60,450.
Other staff views
JG Pasterjak
Production/Art Director
This is the athlete of the SUV bunch, sitting taut over its 20-inch wheels, chugging energy drinks and claiming to anyone who would listen that it was just happy to be here and was ready to give 110% percent to put on a show for the fans. It drove for all the world like a sporty sedan except… it wasn’t.
It was a great chassis betrayed by its own architecture. Well-designed and responsive, but ultimately too big and tall to be a true driver’s car.
If it suffered from anything, it suffered from taking the “sport” part of Sport Utility Vehicle too seriously. It’s hard to come out and admit that a chassis is too responsive or too sporty, but the things that made the X4 great as a driver’s car kind of hurt it as a utility vehicle.
Behind the wheel it was fine, but the unnecessarily sporty chassis made for a bit of a too-extreme ride for passengers, and the low rear roofline made ingress into the rear seats tricky for some.
The X4 would be a great sedan, were it shaped like a sedan. But it’s shaped like an SUV that’s trying to pretend it’s not an SUV and trying to split that difference it winds up serving no true master.
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