2018 BMW X4

BMW’s released official photos and details of the new X4 SUV – essentially a coupe version of the X3. This sporty alternative to the likes of the Mercedes GLC Coupe will come with a choice of seven engines and a slick new interior when it goes on sale in July 2018.

Styling

From the front, the all-new X4 looks pretty much identical to the latest X3. Its more-rounded headlights and slightly fiddly air intake details all look like they’ve been lifted straight from its more practical sibling, while its taller kidney-shaped grilles make it look sportier than the outgoing X4. Thankfully, it looks much more aggressive than the boxy X3 from the side. Its sloping roofline and kinked wide windows look more like they belong on a low-slung coupe than a high-riding SUV. At the back, you’ll find a pair of thinner, broader brake lights than on the old X4 to help this new model look lower, wider and much sportier than before. Fast M40i and M40d models also get a contrasting black rear diffuser, a couple of large square exhaust tips and a set of bigger alloy wheels.

Interior

The new X4’s interior comes with bucketloads of high-tech features, all wrapped up in the same slick cabin design as the latest X3. All cars come with a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment screen while the upgraded professional system gets a larger 10.25-inch display. You also get some neat gesture control features (borrowed from the 5 Series and X3) that let you answer calls and tweak the stereo volume just by waving your hand, and the icing on the cake is a digital driver’s display instead of conventional analogue dials. Space in the back seats isn’t quite as generous as in the boxier X3, but there’s still enough space for adults to get comfy. Boot space grows by 25 litres over the old 500-litre X4 with the back seats up, but you can flip them down to open up a 1,430-litre load bay – that’s 30 litres more than in both the old car and in the current Mercedes GLC Coupe.

Engines and driving

The new X4 comes with a choice of seven engines – three petrol and four diesels – and all come with four-wheel drive and an automatic gearbox as standard. The 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol will be best for pottering around town while there’s a 3.0-litre six-cylinder diesel that’ll be happier on long motorway journeys. Fancy something a bit sportier? There’s a pair of high-performance M40i petrol and M40d diesel models with 270kw and 243kw respectively that’ll both sprint from 0-100km/h in less than five seconds – that’s faster than most hot hatches. These models also get special M Sport adaptive suspension that’ll help soften the blow of large bumps at low speeds and keep the X4’s body in check in tight corners.

Price and release date

BMW hasn’t announced how much the new X4 will cost, but when it goes on sale in July 2018 expect to hand over from around R750 000 to park one on your drive. Top-spec M40i models could set you back close to R1 100 000 however.