BMW X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition 2019 Review

Until recently, BMW had seemingly left no stone unturned with its SUV arsenal both here in Australia and abroad.

It made popular the luxury SUV trend started by Range Rover in 1970 with the original BMW X5 in 1999, then cashed in on the small SUV obsession with the X1, helped invent the ‘coupe-SUV’ genre with the original X6, followed by the X2 and X4, and finally added the X7 uber-crossover.

But for two generations of the X3 and a generation of X4, BMW has had no answer for Porsche, Mercedes-AMG, Audi, Jaguar or Alfa Romeo, all of which have developed a hot-rod, mid-size premium SUV for the masses.

Enter the BMW X3 M and X4 M. Arriving in Australian showrooms from September, the newest M models bolster the performance ranks for BMW’s high-riding set.

And in Australia, specifically, they do so solely in ‘Competition’ guise, the BMW X3 M Competition starting at $157,900 (plus on-road costs) and the BMW X4 M Competition from $164,900 (plus on-road costs).

The headline act for either SUV is a largely new 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six-cylinder petrol engine, designated ‘B58’ and likely to power the next-gen BMW M3 and M4.

Bringing 375kW of power at 6250rpm and 600Nm of torque over 2500-5950pm – lineball with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q – the inline six hauls the 1970kg X3 M and X4 M to 100km/h from rest in 4.1 seconds.

Given we’re dabbling in a slightly gimmicky performance genre here – honestly, super sports SUVs? – that key 0-100km/h time is down on key competitors.

The competing Alfa and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S claim 3.8-second sprints, while the Lamborghini Urus does so in 3.7 seconds and the all-conquering Tesla Model X in 3.1 seconds.

But the new M pairing redeems itself with a four-wheel drive system bringing different modes including a 4WD Sport setting that apportions most (but not all) of the car’s drive to the rear Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber via a limited-slip rear diff. An eight-speed torque converter automatic is another boon for the X3 M and X4 M, as we’ll come to learn shortly.

Complementing the driveline’s surfeit of riches are dynamic tweaks designed to stiffen the X3/X4 underpinnings, including M-specific suspension with electronically controlled dampers, additional reinforcement for the progressive rear suspension and strut braces including beefy units in the engine bay.

The BMW X3 M and X4 M boast variable-ratio speed-sensitive steering racks along with mammoth 395mm steel disc brakes up front clamped by four-piston brakes, and 370mm rear units held by single-piston floating callipers.

Big wheels are de rigueur for this end of the performance landscape, and the new M pairing follows the trend by employing 21-inch alloys that aren’t without their shortcomings…

A sports exhaust is standard fare in Australia, while the regular safety suite is extensive, comprising automated emergency braking, active cruise control, steering and lane control assistant, cross traffic warning front and rear, lane change warning, lane departure warning and rear collision prevention – plus much more.

What isn’t standard fare beyond the first year is Apple CarPlay, which simply ludicrous at this price point.

Each vehicle is backed by a three-year/100,000km warranty, and is offered with service-inclusive packages. Over five years/80,000km, the ‘Basic’ pack costs $3685, and the ‘Plus’ pack $8173 (the latter including brake pads and discs front and rear and wiper blade rubbers).

A sporty theme manifests in the BMW X3 M and X4 M’s interiors, with splashes of carbon-fibre dotted throughout the cabin, deep buckets and a plethora of sporty buttons denoting the car’s configurable driver settings.

These buttons include red ‘M1’ and ‘M2’ dynamic modes that short-cut your way to pre-configured go-fast settings.

The cabin is not at all far from the donor models, which means excellent incidental storage, lush materials and, further back, ISOFIX anchorage points for the rear outboard pews and a 550-litre boot, reducing to 525 litres in the case of the X4 M Competition.

The driving position is low slung enough in the cabin to cultivate a nice feeling for the driver, yet perched to afford a raised view of the road – notwithstanding the bulky A-pillars.

Elsewhere, there’s a new head-up display that incorporates sat-nav, tachometer, speed and sign recognition, and changes its focus depending on drive mode, while the seats get Merino leather upholstery, an illuminated M logos and, up front, lumbar adjustment and heating.

As we found at the media launch’s lone driving exercise – on an epic clay pan located in the Flinders Ranges -- it’s fair to say the front buckets of the BMW X3 M and X4 M are built for speed rather than outright comfort.

The original location for sampling the BMW X3 M and X4 M in Australia was a slightly left-field one: a deserted clay pan located half an hour’s drive from Parachilna in South Australia.

There, BMW officials and minders set up a makeshift rally stage for us to play on, dubbed ‘M Town’. The circuit featured 25 corners of varying sharpness and speed, the middle section covered by a back straight about 300 metres in length.

The exercise was laugh-out loud fun, the X3 M Competition and X4 Competition enamouring with their ability to drift through the thin dust, leaving an almost ethereal cloud of orange mist to float into the sky.

Our limited impression highlighted one of the engine’s redeeming features: it likes to rev. In the right gear, the B58 stretches its legs willingly and rather quickly to the 7200pm cut-out, and has plenty to give right up to the top-end of the dial.

On the aforementioned back straight, the engine has no troubles mustering speed, reaching 150km/h before it’s time to bury the brake pedal and allow the SUV to sashay its way into the corner.

Weight transitions happen almost balletically for a two-tonne SUV. Scandinavian flick, you ask? Coming right up…

There were no wheel twirling exploits needed here either; the X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition’s servotronic steering boasts a turning ratio of two turns lock-to-lock. It meant that only small, measured inputs, along with a healthy degree of throttle steer, were required to conquer the small but addictive course.

The matching eight-speed automatic was constantly set to manual mode, bringing smooth, well-timed shifts that felt more cohesive than dual-clutch units of the past.

The hope was that the dust storm antics would be followed by a solid stint on the road to learn what the X3 M and X4 M Competition are actually like to drive in the real world.

But that wasn’t meant to be; the closest road was 30 minutes away via a bulldust-ridden, bumpy track, and a gourmet lunch was about to be served. As it turned out, M Town stood for Marketing Town…

Of course, creating dust storms on an outback claypan bears little resemblance to what most Australians will subject their X3 Ms and X4 Ms to: driving them on public roads.

That opportunity arrived a couple of weeks later, back in NSW, when we were tossed the keys to a BMW X3 M Competition for a more thorough road assessment.

The road test reveals in the first 100 metres what the clay pan exercise did not: the X3 M’s stiff ride. It is unapologetically firm and at-times unrelenting. Jiggly low speed progress parlays into noisy, booming thuds over road joins and cat’s eyes, giving rise to a busy, firm passage punctuated by tyre noise on the open road.

This should come as little surprise given the BMW X3 M Competition’s sporty bent (and the punishing ride of its most direct rival in the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63), but it may prove a deal-breaker for some buyers – even in the softest Comfort setting. Our advice: take one for a drive around the block first.

Other than some occasional throttle tip-in hesitation, the X3 M feels docile and easy to use despite its noteworthy performance credentials. The engine develops torque early in its rev range, making light work of daily conveyance. Equally, the gearbox is ultra-smooth and well timed with its shifts, holding a lowly 1500rpm at highway speeds.

But despite their harmony in sport and regular settings, the engine-gearbox combination struggles to promote fuel efficiency. We average 12.0L/100km in a mix of conditions including lengthy freeway stints on premium unleaded. With the occasional back-road jaunt, expect higher again.

All told, when a twisting bit of road arrives, the X3 M turns up the performance factor. It feels well at home in a faster apex, hunkering down tenaciously, controlling its weight and shaking off mid-corner imperfections with aplomb. The engine comes to life as well to offer explosive mid-range reserves and a true proficiency at all ends of the dial.

To that end, the new BMW X3 M Competition and X4 M Competition do what they say on the box, and deserve to wear the car-maker’s storied M badge.

The catch is that enthusiasts who desire M-car virtues in a mid-size BMW SUV will need to sacrifice comfort.

How much is the 2019 X3 and X4 M Competition?
Price: $157,900 and 164,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo-petrol
Output: 375kW/600Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 10.6L/100km (Euro WLTP)
CO2: 244g/km (Euro WLTP)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP