2015 BMW X4 xDrive35i: Slave To Fashion

We suffer for style.  We squeeze ourselves into shoes that are too pointy, or shirts that are too tight around the neck, or wear the sheerest of fabrics that offer little or no protection from the elements, all in the name of capturing that look, that attitude that will set us apart from the rest of the pack.  It's no different when we shop for cars: do we pick the little sports car with the sexy, svelte lines and no back seat, or the practical sedan that has enough room in the trunk for more than just an overnight bag?

BMW would like you to think you can have both - or at least, a reasonable facsimile thereof.  The 2015 BMW X4 is a new addition to the automaker's SUV family, a vehicle that takes everything that is useful about the compact X3 platform that it is based on and then puts it in a panini press, smooshing it down until its rear end is more fastback than hatch and its profile suitable for masquerading as a coupe.

• Also: BMW X3 And X4 M?

Does the X4's slavery to fashion introduce any compromises?  You bet it does.

Like An X3, Only Less Practical

Facing both the 2015 BMW X4 and its X3 sibling head-on reveals few, if any differences between the sheet metal of the two automobiles.  It's only when the fraternal twin SUVs are rotated through a plane that one encounters their dramatically divergent profiles.  Where the X3 is upright and capacious the X4 is pinched and sloped, with its roofline plunging towards the rear deck like the Dow Jones circa 2008.  The effect creates a muscled, bulging look at the back of the X4, but it also suggests that perhaps there's not nearly as much room inside the newer sport-utility vehicle as compared to its progenitor.

That would be an accurate assessment of the BMW X4's cabin.  While space for one's head and legs is perfectly adequate in its first two seating positions, the SUV is definitely cramped in the second row, made worse by a lowered bench that doesn't mesh well with the ergonomics of an interior lifted straight out of the X3.  Cargo space suffers to an even greater degree, with only 500 litres of storage room available between the seatback and hatch - 200 litres less than found in its line-up mate.  There's 1415 total litres available if you fold down the rear row, but in addition to this number not being all that competitive in its class, access to the cargo area is complicated by the narrow access of the tailgate opening.

Modern Features, Well-Presented

It's too bad, really, that the 2015 BMW X4's passenger compartment is compromised to such a degree, because the rest of the setup - including the iDrive system, HVAC controls, head-up display providing full navigation integration, and gauge cluster - is well-executed.  Front seats on the M Line edition of the xDrive35i model I drove were surprisingly grippy around my thorax, and while I would have preferred a less aggressive setup, they were decently comfortable over the long term.

Safety technology is also highlighted by the X4 in the form of the blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, and frontal collision warning systems that were installed on my tester.  The lane departure feature vibrated the steering wheel to let me know when I was straying from the straight and narrow, while the blind spot system made use of illuminated triangles on the inside of the mirror mounts whenever an unseen automobile lurked on either side of the SUV.

Ferociously Quick

The 2015 BMW X4 borrows both of the X3's available drivetrains, which means it benefits from a base 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder unit making 240 horsepower as well as an optional 3.0-litre turbocharged six-cylinder mill good for 300 horses and 300 lb-ft of torque.  All-wheel drive is standard across the board, as is an eight-speed automatic transmission.

The X4 has gained a small amount of weight as compared to the more svelte X3, but there's no way you'd ever pick up on that after hammering the xDrive35i's throttle with the vehicle set to Sport+ mode.  The turbocharger under the hood of the BMW makes a hellacious sound as it sucks in seemingly all of the air within a 10 metre radius, stuffing it down the throat of the inline six with alarming rapidity only to have the resulting combustion hurtle the SUV forward at a startling rate of speed.  I don't believe for a second that there are only 300 lb-ft of twist lurking inside this 3.0-litre monster, as the X4 was simply too quick on its feet for those figures to even approach reality.

Available with an Active Damping System on the options sheet, the 2015 BMW X4 is positioned to out-handle many other luxury SUVs in its class.  It's a better ride than the X3 when examined from a performance perspective, but with such a tall center of gravity (not to mention hefty weight), the X4 lags behind both the 3 Series sedan and touring models when pushed through a corner.  Most sport-utility buyers won't care about how the BMW handles at the limit, as turning laps behind the wheel of a model like the X4 is rarely ever done outside of a video game.

Why Pay More?

If you elect to pursue style over substance with the 2015 BMW X4, it's not just your friends who are going to suffer riding in the back seat - your wallet's going to feel the pain as well.  You'll have to fork out $3,000 more as compared to an entry-level X3 to enjoy the X4's shrunken interior and reduced trunk space ($46,300 starting MSRP).  This price gap jumps to $6,000 when comparing the six-cylinder editions of either vehicle.  It simply doesn't make sense to me to shell out so much more for so much less.  Unless you are completely smitten by the X4's looks, the mechanically-identical X3 is an all-around better buy.