2020 BMW X4 M Review

How Does It Drive?

If you've never thought about taking an SUV to a racetrack for some lapping sessions, the 2020 X4 M Competition is out to change your mind. It's also out to change the mind of sports-car drivers. And judging by the way it accumulates speed over any good road or track, we think it's going to make quick work of preconceptions.

That, in large part, is thanks to the nearly all-new twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine. In this Competition spec, it takes the standard X3 M's 473 horsepower and digs up an additional 30 horses for a faintly ridiculous 503 hp. There's also the not-so-small matter of 442 lb-ft of torque, which is available from as little as 2,600 rpm. Perhaps even more impressive is how smoothly and readily this engine makes power. It's mostly free of turbo lag and absolutely devoid of power spikes all the way up to its 7,200 rpm redline.

Of course, it's one thing to demolish straightaways and quite another to make it around the next bend. But the X4 M Competition has that covered, too.

Taking a step back from the performance side of things and ... well, there's really no way to do that in this vehicle. The X4 M Competition is simply in attack mode at all times. The ride, even in the poorly named Comfort setting, is fairly stiff. And when the various engine, suspension and transmission settings have been cranked up, the X4 M is intense, bordering on insane.

We had a chance to sample the X4 M on both road and track and were almost always in a state of disbelief. Traction, aided by the M Active Differential, is excellent, and X4 M will even allow for a little powersliding out of slower corners. The shifts from the eight-speed gearbox are quick and authoritative. Capability like that comes as no surprise since a lot of the hardware is largely lifted straight from the monstrous M5. But the X4 M Competition isn't just a parts car. There's a multitude of specific chassis stiffening, bearings, bushings, suspension parts and even a special, more aggressive alignment to get this SUV to do what it does.

But this mini monster can be driven more sedately and credit must go to the customizability of the X4 M Competition. Rather than simply grouping suspension settings, steering weight, ride and shift quality into singular modes, every parameter can be adjusted separately to suit the personality of the driver and the road. After which, two of those settings can be saved and called into immediate use by one of two M buttons on the stering wheel.

There's also the now de rigueur exhaust button for the Competition-specific muffler. From the outside, the exhaust sounds much more like an older, non-turbocharged BMW six-cylinder engine. That exhaust can drone a bit on the highway, so it's great to have the option to quiet everything down.

What's the Interior Like?

The standard X4 is already a fairly nice place to be, and the X4 M Competition adds suitably sporty touches to match with the exterior styling. The rear seats are essentially the same ones fitted to other X4s, but front-seat passengers get to enjoy specific full leather Competition seats with deeper bolstering and perforated leather for improved breathability. There's even an illuminated M logo at the base of the headrest. Further interior options are available through the BMW Individual line.

In front of the driver is a thick steering wheel, which will be familiar to many BMW owners. But this one has two red preset buttons labeled M1 and M2 for quick access to preselected driving modes. There's also an X4 M-specific digital gauge cluster, but it's not the same one available in the new X5 or 3 Series. We're happy to see it has more traditional round dials, even if they are virtual.

The gear selector is also special to the X4 M Competition, and it's the same one from the monstrous BMW M5. Atop that lever is a rocker switch for selecting various transmission settings, while alongside the lever are the buttons for selectable modes for suspension, engine response and steering weight.

How Practical Is It?

As much as the performance has changed, it hasn't come at the expense of cargo space, which remains at 18.5 cubic feet of capacity. That's still considerably less than its X3 M sibling but so is the visibility. That's the price you pay for that rakish and sloping roofline. The X4 M Competition still gets 40/20/40-split folding rear seats, and the cargo area has handy sliding tie-downs for your stuff, which will inevitably get tossed around once you start driving. There's a useful amount of small-item storage as well, with bins deep enough to keep things in place during spirited driving.

What Else Should I Know?

This X4 is likely not the only BMW we're going to see using this engine (it's known internally as the S58) in the future, so it's been designed and engineered from the get-go for some fairly extreme duty. The engine block uses what's called a closed-deck design to ensure extremely high levels of rigidity and the ability to handle more power in future applications. All of the big internal parts, such as the pistons and the crankshaft, are forged for added strength. The cooling and oil supply systems have been tried and tested in some of BMW's racing efforts, with a lot of effort going into the oil pan to ensure the engine never runs out of oil even if you find yourself on, say, the N¨rburgring. Hey, it could happen ...

The chassis and suspension are also upgraded. The M gets redesigned underhood bracing, a new strut tower bar, and additional bracing that's been baked into the firewall itself. And if you needed more proof this isn't some casual hop-up, the rear suspension's lower control arms have also been redesigned, as have the front and rear stabilizer bars, all of which are specific to the Competition model. There's also a multitude of redesigned bushings and swivel joints to improve steering feel as well as a more aggressive alignment for this model.

If you're not familiar with this category, it might seem unbelievable to learn this 503-horsepower SUV actually has competition. The Mercedes-Benz AMG GLC 63 S Coupe matches the power of the BMW but offers a more stylish interior. And though it's not yet been officially announced, a Porsche Macan Turbo should be out before the end of 2019 and should be priced and powered competitively.

Edmunds Says

Luxury automakers are seeking out every niche they can find, and the latest niche is the high-performance small SUV. BMW is joining the party with its new 2020 X4 M. This new M vehicle sets a high bar for what a small SUV is capable of.

There's no doubt that decades from now, when the majority of new cars are powered by electricity, we'll look back at today as the peak of the internal combustion engine. How else to describe a time when the new 2020 BMW X4 M could exist? The X4 is already kind of an odd duck — it's mechanically the same as the X3 compact crossover but with an aggressively chopped roof that reduces rear passenger headroom and cargo room. Add the X4 M's turbocharged six-cylinder, which can produce more than 500 horsepower, and you have a recipe for one of the most confounding SUVs yet. It almost makes you want to throw up your hands and embrace the madness.

Too Much Is Never Enough

The X4 currently comes with two turbocharged engines that are, respectively, perfectly adequate for most people (the standard turbocharged four-cylinder) and silly powerful (the optional turbo inline-six, with 355 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque). The X4 M dials up performance even further, increasing the six-cylinder's output to 473 hp and 442 lb-ft. If that still doesn't satisfy your seemingly unquenchable thirst for power, the available Competition package bumps it up again, to 503 hp. It also shortens the X4 M's 0-60 mph time from a lethargic 4.1 seconds to a blistering 4 seconds flat.

A number of under-the-skin improvements should make the X4 M handle better, too. The standard xDrive all-wheel-drive system keeps power at the rear wheels, routing it partially to the fronts only when the car needs extra grip. As with other high-performance BMWs, the rear Active M Differential transfers power to the wheel with the most traction for more sure-footed performance. There are also improvements to the suspension components — including unique anti-roll bars — while a strut brace under the hood helps keep the body rigid. (A lighter, carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic brace will join the options list later this year.) Finally, adaptive dampers give the driver the option to switch between comfort- and sport-oriented setups, although we're not sure if the standard 20-inch wheels will ever provide a truly pleasant ride.

X4 M drivers won't always have the opportunity to smoke X4 owners at the local drag strip or racetrack, but there are functional appearance upgrades that set the X4 M apart from its lesser siblings. An active exhaust system with quad tailpipes lets the twin-turbo inline-six sing, a sound which is further enhanced by the Competition package's M Sport exhaust system. The front valance is slightly larger for better airflow, while the rear diffuser gives the back end a more aggressive look.

Sporty Seats and a Dash of Color

Plush thrones don't exactly fit into the dynamic theme of the X4 M, so sport seats with plenty of lateral support are standard (the excellent M Sport seats come on Competition models and are optional on the "normal" X4 M). You also get leather upholstery in a variety of blacks and grays, with some red trim throughout to break up the monotony. There are even red programmable buttons on the steering wheel that let drivers store their favorite settings for throttle response, steering response, shift speed, exhaust sound and damper firmness. And if there weren't already enough M badges sprinkled throughout the interior, there's red and blue stitching on the seat belts to reinforce the fact that you are driving a car sweetened by BMW's M division.

While the X4 M is all about putting the driver first, it comes with several advanced safety features that are optional on other X4 trims. These include forward collision warning, front and rear parking sensors, pedestrian detection, and automatic emergency braking at low speeds. Other features that are standard on a Kia Optima — including blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane departure warning and lane keeping assist — are optional here.

Pricing and Release Date

Production of the 2020 BMW X4 M begins in April, with deliveries likely to follow in early summer. Pricing has not yet been announced, but expect a hefty premium over the X4 M40i's starting price of $61,445.