Four Is More

Many cars under one roof. X4 is the all-rounder

- John Paige

BMW’s X-family has grown year on year. Besides matching an SUV across the same broad range as their hatchbacks and sedans (that’s now numbers 1 through to 7) BMW Xs sell much faster. The X4 is placed somewhere in the middle of this, and with the coupe roofline it’s not an easy car to typecast. We joined BMW on a recent launch event to South Africa to gain a better understanding.

BMW refers to the X4 as a Sports Activity Coupe which after a few kilometres proved an apt description. While it has undertones of lifestyle, at its heart this remains a sporty drive with a visually dynamic side profile. BMW has tinkered with the size making it a little longer and wider. The front kidney grilles flare out and the rear window dips down more steeply than before. Add in ‘three-dimensional shaping’ around the lights plus a number of other subtle creases and the X4 delivers on its many expectations.

Besides the larger interior (and boot), the X4 manages its space a little differently compared to its siblings. The driving position is a bit lower and tucked closer to the road without compromising the view ahead while the controls are aimed a few degrees towards the driver because of the X4’s sportier designation.

Some options worth checking out would be the 3D parking cameras with panorama view (including the function of viewing your car and its location from your phone), head-up display, wireless charging and active cruise control. You can really get carried away however; take the BMW Connected+ as case in point which even allows cloud-based services where you can edit emails and access other personal data on the move. And turning up the volume or answering a call using natural hand gestures in mid-air is intuitive and fun.