BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Rating:

BMW launched the X4 a couple of years back in the Indian market. The SUV had a coupe-like design, the flowing lines, coupled with the chrome kidney grille up front and the wide, muscular haunches at the rear makes the design of the X4 very pleasing. Over the last decade, more than half a million units of the X6 (the elder sibling) and the X4 have been sold globally clearly indicating that people have accepted SUV-coupes.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

We got our hands on the facelifted X4 for a couple of days. We took the SUV for a spin in the city and on the highway and yes the car surprised up at a lot of places. Read more to find out how the X4 drives, performs and handles the different terrain that our country has to offer.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Exterior & Design

From a distance, at first glance, you will definitely confuse the X4 for the X6 SUV. The X4 looks very similar to the X6 but is smaller in size. At the front, the SUV gets the BMW LED adaptive headlight units that are extremely bright and get the same set of LED DRLs that are seen in the other models. The SUV also gets a set of fog lights that are LED and are extremely bright.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Now the grille of the vehicle is massive and features active vents. What are the active vents? They open and close whenever more air is required in the engine bay. Once they are shut they provide better aerodynamics and it is a cool feature. The SUV gets an aggressive bumper at the front, that has vents at the side and yes the bumper makes the X4 look really muscular.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Moving on to the side, the first thing that will catch your attention is the small M badge on the fender. Then the 19-inch multispoke alloy wheels are from the M division and are finished in single-tone colour. Right below the M badge that is on the fender, is a vent. However, it is fake and is there just to improve the car's aesthetics.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

You also get silver cladding all around the SUV that makes it look even more muscular from a distance. You do not get chrome on the sides either, instead, the garnishing around the window is finished in brushed aluminium but one can misinterpret it from chrome. You also get a big panoramic sunroof and a shark-fin antenna on the roof. Also, the X4 does not feature aggressive body lines and creases on the side.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Moving on to the rear, the X4 SUV gets a pair of sleek-looking LED taillights and from the rear, you will be able to guess that this is a powerhouse because of the xDrive badge and the twin exhaust setup. It also gets a reverse parking camera with active guidelines that will help you park in tight spaces easily and yes the image quality from the camera is extremely good.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

To open the boot there is no dedicated button, instead, you will have to press the BMW logo behind and on doing so the boot will open up on its own since the X4 features an electronic boot release and closing also. Speaking about the boot, the SUV gets a massive 525-litre of boot space and if there is more space required then you also get a 60:40 split for the second row that will make room for more luggage.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Interior & Features

The cabin of the BMW X4 is finished in dual-tone (black & baige). There is a lot of soft-touch material present on the door panels and on the dashboard. Speaking about the dash, the centre stage is taken by the 10.25-inch infotainment system that features Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The touch is really sensitive and does not have any lag. There are gesture controls also through which you increase and decrease the volume and play, pause and change the songs.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

The instrument cluster is now fully digital and features a 12.3-inch screen and looks extremely fascinating. However, the displays on the screen do change on changing the modes of the car. The cluster can also be configured according to the driver's needs. Sadly, the X4 does not get a heads-up display.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

The steering wheel also gets the M badge and is wrapped in leather and has a fantastic grip to it. However, the SUV does not get a flat-bottom steering wheel, but the steering mounted controls are placed nicely and one can toggle through the instrument cluster and the infotainment system through them while keeping their focus on the road.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Now, speaking about the seats, the front seats are wrapped in leather and are very comfortable. They can be adjusted electrically but only the driver's side gets the seat memory function. However, the seats are comfortable and hold the driver in place. You also get an adjustable button for the side bolsters.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Coming to the rear seats, they offer good under-thigh support and the row is much more comfortable. You also get a centre armrest with two cup holders. The rear has a display for the third climate control and two type-C charging sockets. However, there is a place for three passengers to fit in the rear, but the transmission tunnel will be an obstruction for the person who is sitting in the middle.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Engine & Handling

Under the hood, the BMW X4 gets a 3-litre, six-cylinder, diesel engine (on the one we were driving, the xDrive30d variant). The oil burner pumps out 261bhp of power and a maximum torque of 620Nm between 2,000 - 2,500 rpm. The engine is mated to an 8-speed gearbox and the power is sent to all the wheels. The car accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in just 6 seconds!

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

There are four driving modes on offer: Eco Pro, Comfort, Sport and Adaptive. In the Eco Pro mode, the steering becomes light and the throttle response becomes very laggy but saves fuel. In the Comfort mode, the steering and the throttle response improves a little and this is the mode that we will recommend buyers to drive in around the city. In The sport mode, the throttle response becomes sharp and the steering stiffens up and one can use the maximum potential of the car in this mode.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

The power delivery is linear, but there is a sudden boost in power if you floor the car that will throw you back to your seat. Yes, when you want the car to be pretty fast. However, the paddle shifters are useful and they come in handy when you have to downshift suddenly in manual mode.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

The suspension setup on the BMW X4 is slightly on the softer side and this is because the company wanted to offer a comfortable ride. The suspension setup is not bad, it absorbs all the bumps and potholes easily and very less is felt inside. Also the NVH and insulation level is excellent and when you are inside with all the windows shut, it just cuts you from the outside world.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

Since the car has an all-wheel-drive setup, it handles well. Show the X4 some corners and it will cut through them like a hot knife through butter. There is so much grip on offer and it is extremely difficult to lose traction. You will be impressed by how well the SUV can tackle corners at high speeds.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

On the safety front, the X4 comes loaded with features such as six airbags, ABS, Traction Control, Attentiveness Assistance, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) including Cornering Brake Control (CBC), electric parking brake with auto hold, side-impact protection, electronic vehicle immobiliser and crash sensors. ISOFIX child seat mounts are also present.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

As far as the mileage is concerned, the X4 thought being an SUV left us impressed. In the city, we managed to pull out a mileage between 7 to 10 km/l depending on the city traffic condition. On that note, the SUV also gets an automatic start/stop button that shuts the engine down when the car comes to a halt and starts back on when you hit the accelerator. This helps save around 15 to 20 percent of fuel according to the company. Highway figures were between 11 to 14km/l, again depending on the speed.

BMW X4 xDrive30d Review (Road Test): Is It The Best Looking Practical SUV Around?

DriveSpark Thinks!

The BMW X4 xDrive30d carries a price tag of Rs 68.88 Lakh ex-showroom. The car offers the right blend of elegant styling and luxurious features. With the overall interior and exterior tweaks, the SUV looks really amazing and feels good to drive. The BMW X4 has no direct competitor in the Indian market. Some things that we wished the car had was a heads-up-display, slightly more comfortable front seats and different colour upholstery.

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Read more on: #review #bmw
Article Published On: Wednesday, March 17, 2021, 16:01 [IST]
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