2022 BMW X4 M Competition Review Made for Masochists

2022 BMW X4 M Competition Review: Made for Masochists

2022 bmw x4m competition review made for masochists there’s a lot to love about bmw’s red hot x4 but compromises in ride comfort make it a difficult crossover to live with i’ll say it up front the 2022 bmw x4m competition is not my cup of tea but if you’ve got a bit of a masochistic streak it could be yours there are parts of this package that i like the monstrous

Turbocharged powertrain and bmw’s excellent cabin tech come to mind but the experience is spoiled by massive compromises in ride comfort and cabin capacity in the name of bringing m-level performance and a sport coupe aesthetic to a tall suv chassis bmw’s 3.0 liter m twin power turbo inline six is the standard x4m’s beating heart pouring 473 horsepower and 457

Pound-feet of torque through a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and x-drive all-wheel drive with a performance-oriented m-sport rear differential the addition of this model 000 competition package brings 30 more ponies to the party peak torque also climbs to 479 pounds to foot so equipped bmw’s suv will launch from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a factory

Estimated 3.7 seconds only two tenths of a tick quicker than the standard x4 m’s 3.9 second sprint but also a good deal louder thanks to a valve m sport exhaust that opens up in its sport mode the x4m stops as good as it goes thanks to bmw m brakes which can be head with black red or blue calipers the four piston front units and single piston rears grab their

Respective rotors with grippy and compound pads shaving off speed quickly and consistently while also being easy to modulate my example is also equipped with the m drivers package which raises the x4 m’s top speed from 155 miles per hour to 177 miles per hour something you’d only really be able to take advantage of on the track the m drivers package includes a

One-day high-performance driving class at a bmw performance center to help get drivers safely started down that road this 2 500 upgrade is probably the most easily skippable option the x4m certainly has race track chops at least by suv standards but most drivers probably aren’t shopping in this class for something to track regularly on the road the epa estimates this

Low slung suv will cruise at 15 miles per gallon city 20 miles per gallon highway and 17 miles per gallon combined with a light right foot spending most of my testing on curvy hilly northern california roads left my average near the low end of that spectrum finishing at 15.5 miles per gallon for the week not especially impressive but fuel economy probably isn’t

Near the top of a 500 horsepower suv shoppers hierarchy of needs too firm too complex the x4m rides on bmw’s adaptive m suspension which allows drivers to adjust ride firmness with the touch of a button in practice however the stiff suspension settings required to make a top-heavy suv handle like a true sports car mean that the ride is ridiculously firm it’s too

Firm in fact occasionally skipping over with corner bumps often found on remote twisty roads in a manner that’s not just uncomfortable but also just a touch scary the various traction control and m sport diff like the rest of the current crop of m cars the x4 amp features multiple drive modes that adjust the performance of the suspension throttle all-wheel drive

Parameters and transmission and also like its siblings it has just too many overlapping modes to choose from which leads to confusion when trying to dial in the settings you need fortunately the x4m also features m1 and m2 paddles on the steering wheel that can be customized while parked to quickly toggle to your specific favorite presets while driving even at

Its softest street setting however the x4m is punishing over bumps and potholes jostling passengers in their seats and delivering a generally unpleasant experience even the m4 competition coupe and convertible are more compliant and comfortable around town the competition spec replaces the exterior chrome brightwork with dark shadow line trim for the badges and

Grille and also up sizes from the x4m standard 20-inch wheels to larger 21-inch and double-spoke wheels shot with two 25-40 cr-21 michelin pilot sport 4s performance tires up front and wider 265-40 zr21s at the rear the larger rim and shorter sidewalls boost the suv’s agility at the notable expensive ride quality sports activity coupe the x4m scoop-like roofline

Eats into cabin and cargo space there’s about an inch less backseat headroom when compared with the near identical more upright x3m and strangely legroom is down to 35.5 inches versus 36.4 inches despite an identical 112.8 inch wheelbase my guess is that bmw’s engineers adjusted the angle of the x-force rear seat to compensate somewhat for the roofline at the

Cost of space for knees the x4m also measures 1.5 inches longer from nose to tail thanks to a slightly longer rear overhang yet it comes up a whopping 10 cubic feet short 18.5 cubes versus 28.7 compared with the x3m that rear capacity grows to 50.5 cubic feet with the rear seats folded in its defense x4m drivers can brag that their 4597 pound suv is 13 pounds

Lighter than the 4610 pound x3m this crossover also boasts a slightly lower center of mass and according to bmw a perfect 50 50 front to rear weight distribution that’s slightly better than the x3m 50.1 49.9 not that any of that makes a measurable difference on the road visibility only suffers a bit at the rear corners due to the x4 m’s thicker d pillars which

Is somewhat compensated for with the standard blind spot monitoring an optional upgraded camera system meanwhile the forward view is still excellent and mostly identical to the x3s of course the x4 exists to court suv shoppers willing to sacrifice a bit of utility for coupe inspired style customers i should add who almost certainly don’t care about a little

Less room in the back seat but even that’s a tough pill for me to swallow considering the m3 sedan has a second row with comparable head and legroom in a trunk that’s still plenty capacious at 13 cubic feet it’s more agile and comfortable to boot bmw live cockpit pro and i drive 7 infotainment a 12.3 inch live cockpit pro digital instrument cluster in a 12.3

Inch touchscreen infotainment system running bmw’s latest idrive 7 software share display duties on the x4ms dashboard onboard navigation is standard but drivers can also cast their navigation app of choice to the main screen via standard android auto and apple carplay with wireless or usb a connectivity there are also usb type-c ports for charging located in the

Center console and on the second row the most natural way to navigate the infotainment menus is with the physical i drive controller on the center console but you can also interact via touch screen gestures or voice commands with hey bmw hot word detection whatever the method the system is a delight to use with logically organized menus and snappy performance the

X4m also comes standard with bmw’s connected drive services and the connected package pro which adds subscription-based telematics features like wi-fi hotspot connectivity concierge and emergency driver a tech there are no surprises in the safety tech department with the x4m rolling out with a solid suite of standard driver aid technologies that are in line with

What you get elsewhere in bmw’s lineup this includes bmw’s active driving assistant forward collision warning tech blind spot monitoring and lane departure warning in addition to the federally mandated standard rear camera this example’s 2 250 executive package upgrades the camera to a 360 degree surround view system and adds a head-up display that projects speed

Navigation and other helpful information onto the windshield as tested i did not have the 1700 driving assistance professional package that enhances the driver 8 suite with active intervention capabilities including lane centering steering assist lane change assist automatic emergency braking and evasive steering assist many of these features now come standard on

Vehicles that are much less expensive so it’s a bit of a bummer to have to pay extra for them but nickel and dime options are sort of par for this european luxury course the driving assistance pro package also adds bmw’s extended traffic jam assistant a partially automated steering assist technology that permits hands-free operation on specific approved highways at

Speeds below 40 miles per hour price and competition the 2022 bmw pricing competition the 2022 bmw x4 m starts at 74 395 including the requisite 995 destination charge loaded up with the competition executive and m drivers package upgrades as well as 4 500 for bmw individual malachite green metallic paint and tartufo extended merino leather interior my example

Has a 90 645 dollar price tag shoppers planning to spend more time on public roads than closed racing courses would get more use out of checking the box for driving assistance professional rather than the m drivers package they’d also probably be better served by stepping down to the x4 and 40i which still boasts plenty of power 382 horsepower and a much more

Comfortable ride while also being around twenty thousand dollars less expensive fully loaded audi’s sk5 sportback and the mercedes-amg glc 43 coupe are also compelling alternatives stepping down a performance and price tier while being much easier to live with daily if you’re into coupe over style the x4m is a handsome set of wheels and bmw’s cabin and safety tech

Is perhaps the best it’s ever been plus it’s darn impressive that bmw has imbued this chunky suv with the sole and agility of a proper m car there’s a good deal to like about the 2022 bmw x4m competition but thanks to its abusive relationship with my spine i don’t love it

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2022 BMW X4 M Competition Review Made for Masochists By cars reviews