Distance: 1,495 km
Location: Illinois, Iowa
Dates: 31 Aug – 2 Sep, 2024
Up front: The layout and size is largely familiar to the X3, with which it shares a platform. Heated seats and a heads-up display are optional, but Apple CarPlay comes standard. As usual, I have only had a few problems pairing my iPhone to the system. The base audio is tuned more for bass-heavy hits than classical string, a common complaint of mine as I have non-mainstream tastes.
All the materials feel premium even though the only leather is on the steering wheel and gear shifter. The control surfaces are nice to touch and buttons and stalks provide adequately firm tactile feedback. I like that BMW has kept touch screen and capacitive touch surfaces to a minimum.
The seat, however, is very uncomfortable. There’s not enough shoulder support and the side bolsters are so large they prevent front seat occupants from just resting their arms by their side. I drove slightly hunched over, causing discomfort in my back on trips longer than 30 minutes. I don’t know why a family crossover needs seat bolsters, nobody is driving this around a curve fast enough to fall out of their seat.
In the back: This jacked up 3-Series is supposed to look stylish like a sedan and also have the ride height of a crossover, but does neither job well. I don’t know who this appeals to.
The panoramic sunroof is a treat for the back seat occupants as it makes the cabin appear more spacious. Legroom is generous and thigh support is adequate for a car of its class. However, the sloping roofline makes the rear windows very small and children may get motion sickness from not being able to look outside. Two rear-facing child safety seats will fit in the back row with plenty of space left for the front row.
While the rear arch opens up to a boot that can fit just as much as a 3-Series, it’s not as practical as the upright X3. The sloping roofline makes it impossible to stack luggage more than one layer high. A standard bicycle will fit easily, but you won’t have space for much more. I recommend the X3 for more storage practicality.
Driving: The wide crossover isn’t easy to manoeuvre around town. It’s hard to see out of the small windows, the suspension wallows around when turning, and the pillars are so thick it feels like a jail cell. BMW has partially remedied this with a button to show the 360-degree view cameras, but that takes the GPS away. Good luck trying not to curb your wheel in a tight roundabout and remember which exit to take.
The car is firm and competent on the highway as a cruiser. It’s analogous to the Audi Q5 where the driver just encouraged to coast in the middle lane with cruise control on. Unlike annoying Stellantis, BMW puts the driver in control without annoying bings and bongs from lane keeping assist or automatically slowing down to maintain a safe following distance. Good BMW.
The X4 has the same powertrain as the base model 3-Series with just 248 horsepower from a turbo four-cylinder. The X4 is much heavier, so acceleration, top speed, and fuel economy all take a hit for the vanity of having ride height. Logically, turbo lag is more noticeable on the X4 than the 3-Series when pushed to perform a high acceleration overtake.
The owner’s manual said you can put regular petrol in the car to avoid premium’s price, but performance will take a hit. The mild hybrid makes up for it by providing excellent fuel economy. One can squeeze almost 1,000 km of range from a single tank if they’re content at 100 km/h behind a Walmart truck.
0 Comments