BMW X4 M Competition 2019 first drive

This is the other new M Division performance SUV – except that BMW prefers to describe the X4 M Competition as a ‘sports activity coupé’. In this case, that means it retains a five-seat interior but has a plunging roofline that trades passenger space for perceived exterior style and gives up a little bit of boot volume to the equivalent X3 M Competition.

The X4 M uses the same brand new turbocharged 3.0-litre six-cylinder engine as the X3 M and has a near-identical drivetrain and suspension specification but for a slightly wider rear track. It's marginally lower and longer in the rear overhang than the X3 M, but it has the same claimed kerb weight and performance.

BMW UK will charge a premium of just under £3000 for the X4 M, with the only material differences between it and the X3 M, aside from the ones we’ve already covered, concerning colour and optional equipment. You can add a load retention net for the boot, backrest angle adjustment for the rear seats and rear sunblinds on the X3 M but not here, however.

On the basis of what back-to-back testing was possible on the international press launch, the X4 M is all but indistinguishable to drive from the X3 M. As you may have already read, that means a strong, super-flexible straight six, a usefully configurable four-wheel drive system and impressively taut, precise and even slightly throttle-adjustable handling are all strong selling points. Meanwhile, a noisy, fidgety ride over rougher roads, a shortage of the dynamic versatility you get from rival fast SUVs and a certain reservedness of character compared with some opponents are there to be seized upon by critics.

The interior of the X4 M remains inviting, luxurious and decently practical, even though it’s not quite as spacious as the X3 M. Adults can sit comfortably in the back row provided they’re no taller than 6ft, and long-distance touring comfort is good thanks to sports seats that are discreetly supportive but still soft and easy to berth in and out of. In that respect, the car certainly offers better occupant space than the Porsche Macan and a very similar amount to the Mercedes-AMG GLC Coupé.

Like the X3 M, the X4 M has BMW’s last-generation iDrive multimedia system and digital instruments, the latter being more readable than the newer set-up you’ll find in the new 3 Series. BMW’s palette of materials, meanwhile, includes a two-tone orange-on-grey-leather option that's smart and would look like it belonged in any modern M car.