2023 BMW X4

The BMW X4 xDrive20i features:

• M Sport package
• Adaptive suspension
• Parking Assistant Plus with surround-view camera, semi-autonomous parking assist
• 19-inch alloy wheels
• Tri-zone climate control
• Power tailgate
• 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster
• 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• Wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
• Wireless charging
• Connected Package Professional
• DAB digital radio
• Driving Assistant
• Ambient lighting
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Six-speaker sound system
• Power front seats with driver memory
• Sport leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Adaptive LED headlights
• Comfort Access
• Sensatec (perforated) leatherette trim

The BMW X4 xDrive30i adds the following:

• Backrest width adjust, driver
• 20-inch alloy wheels
• Vernasca leather upholstery
• Ambient lighting
• 12-speaker HiFi loudspeaker audio system
• Driving Assistant Professional^

^Driving Assistant temporarily replaces Driving Assistant Professional due to the current semiconductor supply shortage. A $2500 reduction is applied to the listed RRP in light of the change

The BMW X4 M40i adds the following:

• 21-inch M Sport alloy wheels
• M Sport differential
• Adaptive M suspension
• Sensatec-wrapped instrument panel
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• Heated front seats
• Lumbar support for driver
• harman/kardon 16-speaker surround sound system
• BMW Laserlight
• Driving Assistant Professional
• Head-up display

The BMW X4 M Competition includes BMW's M xDrive system.

If the X4 isn’t the prettiest car on the outside, then it makes up for that on the inside.

We’d say that this is a better cabin than that of the facelifted Audi Q5, and it’ll be familiar to anybody who has driven a new 3 Series or, naturally, an X3.

New to the X4 for 2022 is the centre console between the front seats, which now has a smaller, chunkier gear selector for the standard-fit eight-speed automatic gearbox, along with buttons for the engine stop-start, driving mode selection and the round click-wheel controller for the iDrive system.

The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system is well-sized, though it runs on iDrive version 7.0 unlike the iDrive 8-equipped iX and i4.

Tied into the software you’ll find apps such as Amazon Alexa and Spotify, as well as closer integration with the BMW phone app. The latter allows you to do things like send navigation instructions to the car from your phone, as well as use your phone as an electronic key.

You can use gesture control, but it’s still just a gimmick, and if you like having shouting arguments with your dashboard, the ‘Hey, BMW’ digital voice assistant can now do more things, such as opening or closing the windows or changing the air conditioning or driving modes.

In front of the driver is BMW’s large 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which features neat graphics and the ability to view maps.

The available head-up display is excellent, able to show full mapping instructions for the navigation, as well as sports displays when you dial up the racier driving modes.

There’s no shortage of connections for electronics in the X4’s cabin, with plenty of USB ports front and rear.

Even the base xDrive20i has the sporty-looking M Sport package plus 19-inch alloy wheels.

The xDrive30i wears 20-inch alloys, while the M40i and M Competition upgrade to 21-inch alloys.

Alpine White is the standard paint colour, with the following metallic finishes optional on the core X4 range:

• M Carbon Black
• Black Sapphire
• Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect
• Piemont Red
• Phytonic Blue
• M Brooklyn Grey
• BMW Individual Tanzanite Blue

The palette is slightly different on the M Competition, with the following finishes a no-cost option:

• Alpine White
• Sao Paulo Yellow
• M Carbon Black
• Black Sapphire
• Sophisto Grey Brilliant Effect
• M Marina Bay Blue
• M Toronto Red
• M Brooklyn Grey

Servicing can be taken care of as you go or through a pre-paid service plan.

The Basic five-year, 80,000km plan in the core X4 line-up costs $2010 while the Plus plan costs $5500.

The X4 drives like the X3 it's based on, which is no bad thing given the mid-sized Bimmer is one of the more athletic vehicles in this class.

Even with the 21-inch alloy wheels of the M40i and M Competition, the X4 boasts comfortable ride quality.

The ZF-sourced eight-speed torque-converter automatic shifts smoothly, and is almost as rapid between ratios on the move as a DCT.

The X4’s best aspect might just be its steering, which manages a good balance between high-speed stability and low-speed response.

There’s surprisingly good feel and feedback for a relatively large SUV with electric power steering, and a meaty weight at the wheel rim that feels reassuring.

With standard xDrive four-wheel drive, you’re not going to run out of traction in anything but the most demanding conditions.

Performance varies markedly – the xDrive20i takes 8.3 seconds to do the 0-100km/h sprint, while the M Competition does the sprint in just 3.8 seconds.

The current, second-generation X4 was launched in 2018 and was facelifted for 2022.

The following option packages are available:

Visibility Package (xDrive20i, xDrive30i)

• Metallic paint
• Panoramic glass sunroof
• BMW Laserlight headlights

Comfort Package (xDrive20i, xDrive30i)

• Heated front seats
• Heated steering wheel
• Drive lumbar support

Rear Seat Comfort Package (X4 M)

• Sun protection glazing
• Heated seats, front and second row
• Luggage compartment net

Innovations Package (X4 M)

• Remote Engine Start
• Gesture Control
• BMW Driver Recorder

M Carbon Package (X4 M)

• M Carbon precision strut
• M Carbon mirror caps
• M Carbon rear spoiler

There's also an Executive Package available across the range, which varies in equipment and price depending on the variant. The full complement of features includes:

• Remote start
• Tyre pressure monitoring
• Acoustic glazing
• Sun protection glazing
• Gesture control
• BMW Drive Recorder
• Heated steering wheel (M40i, X4 M)
• Ventilated front seats (X4 M)
• Heated front and rear seats (xDrive30i, M40i)
• Sensatec-wrapped instrument panel (xDrive20i, xDrive30i)
• Harmon Kardon sound system (xDrive30i)
• 12-speaker sound system (xDrive20i)

BMW Australia covers its line-up with a three-year, unlimited-kilometre warranty.

Boot space is rated at 525L with the second row upright, expanding to 1430L with them folded.

In 2021, BMW sold 984 X4s, narrowly ahead of the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe (771) but far behind the more practical GLC wagon (3435) and BMW X3 (4242).

You pay thousands more for a BMW X4 than the related X3, but you get less in the way of practicality.

You'd have to be in love with the X4's looks to want to shell out the extra coin, but at least if you do you you'll enjoy all the basic goodness of the X3.

BMW invented the modern 'coupe SUV' with the X5-based X6 in 2008, though it took six years to follow it up with the X3-based X4.