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2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i Luxury SUV Review

Benjamin Hunting
by Benjamin Hunting
September 18, 2014
6 min. Reading Time
2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i ・  Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i ・ Photo by Benjamin Hunting

You might not even be aware of it, but right now as you sit there reading this review your buying habits and consumer preferences are being carefully analyzed by legions of industry apparatchiks in virtually every sector of the economy.  It's this kind of regimented research that leads to the creation of vehicles like the 2015 BMW X4, an SUV that strays from the practical focus that has traditionally been the province of such automobiles and instead caters to the fashions of the day - namely, adopting a design motif that, while eye-catching, actively works against the utility of the model.

The automotive landscape has always had a place for nameplates that favor style over substance, but it's been a relative rarity in the SUV space where typically, one is purchasing with a specific need for the cargo and carrying capacity promised by this class of vehicle.  By accenting looks and de-emphasizing usefulness, the 2015 BMW X4 - like the X6 that came before it - aims to eliminate the first word of the 'active lifestyle' cliché that so often describes sport-utes and makes a plea to the right-brain, rather than the left.

Models and Prices

The 2015 BMW X4 starts out in xDrive28i trim (MSRP $44,700) which includes features such as standard all-wheel drive, 18-inch wheels and tires, variable effort steering, adaptive LED brake lights, HID headlights, LED fog lights, tinted glass, power folding mirrors (that are also heated), power adjustable front seats wrapped in genuine imitation leather, a moonroof, rain-sensitive windshield wipers, power windows and door locks, a power tailgate, parking assistance, the iDrive vehicle interface, automatic climate control, dynamic cruise control, a CD player, and HD radio.  Stepping up to the xDrive35i edition of the X4 (MSRP $48,000) introduces a larger motor as well as 19-inch rims.

The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i that I drove was also equipped with the M Sport line (M steering wheel, door sill plates, unique rims, aerodynamic body kit), Glacier Silver Metallic paint, Black Nevada Leather, the Driver Assistance package (rearview camera with parking distance control), the Driver Assistance Plus and ACC Stop & Go + Active Driving Assistant package (blind spot monitoring, surround view camera, lane departure warning, stop-and-go cruise control), and a navigation system.  The total price of the vehicle I tested came to $57,850.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Design

  • The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive 35i adopts the slope-roofed exterior styling first seen on the BMW X6.
  • The X4's interior trim and design are lifted directly from the X3 SUV.

The 2015 BMW X4 - from the windshield-forward - is a carbon copy of the BMW X3, the automaker's well-received compact SUV.  This is no coincidence, as the X4 rides on the same platform as its showroom sibling, which means that the X4 xDrive35i's M Line-inspired air intakes and brash front bumper will be familiar to anyone who has driven past a BMW dealership in the last couple of years.  The differences between the X3 and the X4 will also ring a bell, given that the latter's sloping roofline and raise rear haunches are a reflection of the similarly-proportioned BMW X6.  Although still somewhat abrupt, the dramatic hatch looks better on the smaller chassis than it does with the full-size version of BMW 'sport-utility coupe.'  There's still a certain bigness of the butt associated with such a tall tailgate and short rear deck, but that can't be helped when dealing with the X4's shape.

There are no surprises to be found within the interior of the 2015 BMW X4, as the vehicle's switchgear and styling are identical to those of the X3.  This is a mark in the X4's favor, as despite a somewhat monochromatic presentation BMW has done a good job of choosing soft-touch materials and pleasant plastics for the buttons, steering wheel, and dashboard.  Keep in mind that ordering the 'M Line' version of the X4 also forces you to pay for real leather upholstery.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i Review: Comfort and Cargo

  • The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i is an all-new model.

The 2015 BMW X4's Achilles' heel is the significant handicap imposed on its passenger and cargo room by its 'hatchback' shape.  You lose nearly two inches of headroom in the back of the vehicle compared to the similarly-sized X3, which means taller riders are immediately uncomfortable even trying to get into the SUV's smaller rear door openings.  Compounding the problem is the fact that BMW has dropped the back seat height by another full inch in an attempt to compensate for the problem, a decision that is felt not just by the loss of two inches of legroom as compared to its line-up mate, but also by the fact that the arm rests and window controls are now out of comfortable reach (because the X4's door panels have not been reconfigured to accommodate the new seating position).  The front seats have also been mounted lower, but the loss of headroom isn't nearly as problematic as it is out back.

Problems continue should you attempt to haul more than human cargo.  There's a small hatch opening at the back of the BMW X4 that feeds a narrow 17.7 cubic foot trunk - only four cubic feet more than what you would find in a standard 3 Series sedan.  In fact, I could stuff as many tires behind the X4's rear seat as I could a 335i xDrive that I tested late last year.  Folding down that rear row gives you 49.4 cubes of total space, which trails both the X3 (63.3 cubic feet) and several other competitors by a wide margin.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Features and Controls

  • The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i does not introduce any new features or controls.

The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i does not deviate from the standard BMW playbook when it comes to feature content, and the SUV comes with a healthy list of standard features that add to the premium image portrayed by the brand.  The vehicle's dashboard provided easy, at-a-glance readouts for engine and vehicle speed, fuel economy, and trip information, and the head-up display bundled with my tester also offered navigation integration in the form of detailed map and turning instructions projected out over the X4's hood - a very useful feature.  I don't like that BMW forces you to pay extra for satellite radio, even on a high-trim model like the xDrive35i, but the Bluetooth streaming feature that transported music from my phone to the SUV's stereo worked flawlessly.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Safety and Ratings

  • The 2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i introduces stop-and-go cruise control with forward collision warning.
  • It also brings a blind spot monitoring system to the table.

The 2015 BMW X4 does more than just ape the X3 when it comes to safety gear.  Yes, you get the dual forward airbags, side-impact airbags up front, and side curtain airbags, along with multi-stage electronic traction control and stability control.  However, the X4 also adds the option of a blind spot monitoring system as well as a lane departure warning feature and full-speed stop-and-go adaptive cruise control with a forward collision warning system.

The BMW X4 has yet to be crash tested by either the NHTSA or the IIHS.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Engines and Fuel Economy

  • The 2015 BMW X4 carries over the X3's two gasoline engine options.
  • All-wheel drive is standard with the X4.

The 2015 BMW X4 doesn't make any changes to the two gasoline drivetrain choices previously found with the X3, although it does eliminate the availability of rear-wheel drive in favor of standard all-wheel drive.  The X4 also removes the X3's turbodiesel option.

Under the hood of the base xDrive28i model the X4 features a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 240 horses and 258 lb-ft of torque.  The xDrive35i model that I drove upgrades to the automaker's venerable 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder motor that pushes out 300 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of twist.  An eight-speed automatic transmission handles the gear shifting duties for each, and fuel mileage for the pair is remarkably similar: the 19-mpg city and 27-mpg highway rating of the more robust model checks in at only one mile per gallon less for each respective measure.  I saw 19-mpg overall, with a lot of highway cruising factored into my test cycle.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Driving Impressions

The 2015 BMW xDrive35i presents something of a contradiction out on the road: too big to really feel sporty, but blessed with a motor that makes up for a lot of the issues associated with jacking such a heavy vehicle up on a tall suspension system.  What I mean is, the turbocharged six that comes with the xDrive35i is explosively powerful, summoning gale force winds while it extracts oxygen from the immediate vicinity with a banshee full throttle wail.  Hammer it hard and it punches through the atmosphere like a large caliber bullet, scattering pedestrians as it thunders down the boulevard.

Make sure you let off the throttle before you ask it to make a sharp turn, however, as the BMW X4 handles best once it has shed as much kinetic energy as possible.  The chassis is willing underneath this compact crossover, and the vehicle's all-wheel drive system maintains a tenacious grip on the tarmac below at all times, but there's definite body lean even on highway on-ramps and off-ramps combined with a lack of feedback from the steering or suspension that makes it somewhat of a guessing game when plotting one's next maneuver at speed.  In a straight line, however, the X4 is hard to beat in its class, and there's no question in my mind that the six-cylinder version of the SUV is the one to pay a premium for.  The turbo four offered by the base X4 simply isn't up to the task of carting around the vehicle's bulk.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Final Thoughts

There's really no reason to choose the 2015 BMW X4 over the BMW X3 unless you are absolutely infatuated with the 'four-door coupe's' styling.  The X3 is more affordable, offers exactly the same power from a broader range of engines, provides almost identical handling, and features utility that's uncompromised by the whims of its cousin's design cues.  The BMW X4 is the ultimate niche vehicle, one that seems destined to sell in small numbers in the same way that BMW typically moves nearly seven times as many X5s as X6s in a given year.  I would not be surprised if a similar ratio between the X3 and the X4 emerged once the initial hype surrounding this model has died down.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Very fast when equipped with six-cylinder motor
  • Standard all-wheel drive
  • Comfortable in the front seats
  • Good list of available luxury features
  • Strong array of safety equipment.

Cons:

  • Rear seat cramped due to roof design
  • Cargo area much smaller than comparably-sized BMW X3 - or indeed, several other competitive models
  • More expensive, yet less practical, than the BMW X3
  • Removes the 'utility' from the SUV equation

BMW Canada supplied the vehicle for this review.

 Photo by Benjamin Hunting

Photo by Benjamin Hunting


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