Upgraded BMW X3, X4: Higher prices, no mild-hybrid

The BMW X3 and BMW X4 will receive a significant overhaul in a matter of months, ushering in fresh styling updates and a new plug-in hybrid variant.

As we reported last month, the BMW X3 and its coupe-like X4 sibling will touch down in Australia in the fourth quarter of this year bearing substantial midlife upgrades comprising slightly more power, more equipment and over-the-air software updates.

However, Australian cars will not receive the mild-hybrid technology included as standard on X3 and X4 models abroad because “there hasn’t been any local allocation at this stage,” according to BMW Australia.

BMW Australia has now revealed a base price increase of $2000 for the X3 sDrive20i ($73,990 plus on-road costs) and $2000 for the BMW X4 xDrive20i ($85,900 plus ORCs).

The German brand justifies the price increase with the introduction of more standard specification for MY22, including adaptive LED headlights with automatic high beam, comfort access, galvanic interior finishes, remote software update functionality, reversing assistant and Sensatec perforated upholstery in place of cloth/leather upholstery.

Those items come on top of the following standard equipment in entry guise: 19-inch alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, powered tail-gate, 12-3-inch screen with BMW Live Cockpit Professional, Connected Package professional, digital radio, electric seat adjustment, head-up display, sat-nav, reversing camera, leather steering wheel, wireless phone charging and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The six-variant 2022 BMW X3 line-up will now top-out at $115,900 plus ORCs for the flagship X3 M40i – a $2000 increase – and now includes the additional X3 xDrive30e plug-in hybrid variant, which sits second from the top at $104,900 (plus on-road costs).

Meanwhile, the three-variant X4 line-up tops out at $123,900 plus ORCs for the X4 M40i and does not include the plug-in hybrid model.

BMW says X4 models justify their $12,000 higher positioning with the standard inclusion of an M Sport package, Parking assistant plus and an XDrive all-wheel drive system on entry models.

Already Australia’s top-selling mid-size luxury SUV, the BMW X3 and its sportier SUV sibling introduce new headlights, tail-lights and front-end designs for 2022.

The headlights are 10mm thinner than those originally designed for the X3 by Australian BMW design guru Calvin Luk, and they’re shared with the X4 as well.

Both body styles offer laser headlights as an option, lending 650 metres of night range. The 2022 BMW X4 also gets its own grille mesh to distinguish it.

The new LED tail-lights now boast a 3D design, with what BMW calls a “flush-fitting, free-form tailpipe trim” low on the bumper valance.

It’s not only the exterior that has been upgraded, but the cabin, too. Whereas other markets make do with 10.25-inch multimedia touch-screen in the centre console, Australian models will sport a 12.3-inch screen and a head-up display.

The navigation system upgrades to a cloud-based set-up and the BMW Operating System 7 brings X3 and X4 owners access to over-the-air (OTA) updates for non-critical software. Tesla has been offering similar updates for close to a decade.

The standard air-conditioning set-up has three zones to work with, but BMW has shrunk the available options and equipment lines by 30 per cent to reduce complexity and build times.

In Australia, buyers have a choice of two optional packages available on both X3 and X4 variants.

A $5400 Visibility Package adds metallic paint, panoramic glass sunroof and BMW Laserlight headlights, while a $1200 Comfort Package brings heated front seats, driver lumbar support and heated steering wheel for $1200.

BMW X3 buyers have the option of an additional Rear Seat Comfort Package, which bundles tinted windows, a roller sunshade, backrest adjustment, front and rear heated seats and a luggage net.

X3 20i, 20d, 30i and 30d buyers will need to pay $2700 for the privilege, while 30e and M40i buyers need to pony up an additional $2000.

There’s also an Executive Package available that varies in price and extent depending on which X3 or X4 model you’re applying it to.

Across all models, the X3 and X4 debut a new centre console with ‘floating’ gear selector area, and new seat trim materials to go with the 11 exterior colours.

There are changes to the engines to deliver more economy and more power – at least sometimes – and both X3 and X4 variants using the same powerplants are lineball on weight, performance and fuel economy.

In some countries, all facelifted BMW X3 and X4 models will now use 48-volt mild-hybrid boosting technology, which was previously only standard on the diesel versions. Australia will do without either for the foreseeable future, a spokesman said.

Built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, the upgraded third-generation X3 will offer powertrain outputs ranging from 135kW to 265kW of power, and from 300Nm to 700Nm of torque.

The official power figure for the four-cylinder petrol engine in the X3 xDrive30i actually drops by 5kW to 180kW, while its torque figure remains at 350Nm.

Elsewhere in the petrol range, the four-cylinder 20i version retains 135kW of power but gains 10Nm of torque to hit 300Nm.

The 40i six-cylinder remains at 265kW of power and 500Nm of torque.

In terms of diesel power, the 20d delivers the same 140kW and 400Nm as before, though the 30d lifts its power output by 15kW to 210kW and its torque peak by 30Nm to 650Nm.

The big-boy M40d adds 15kW to reach 250kW, while its torque peak rises 20Nm to 700Nm.

The BMW X3 30e plug-in hybrid combines the 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine of the 20i, and adds an 80kW/300Nm electric motor inside the eight-speed transmission to deliver a surge in performance and the ability to run as a pure electric vehicle for up to 50km.

The two power options usually combine for 215kW of power, but they can surge that up by another 30kW for short bursts.

It weighs in with a WLTP fuel consumption figure of between 2.0 and 2.6L/100km (depending on specifications), and CO2 emissions of 45-59g/km.

The 30e also weighs 190kg more than the xDrive20i it is based on, which is a huge amount of weight for 50km of EV range, on a good day.

Economy isn’t much different to the outgoing X3 and X4 models, either, with the M40i delivering 8.8L/100km in its best WLTP performance, while the X3 M40d lowers that to 6.6L/100km.

The 1800kg entry xDrive20i runs to 100km/h in 8.4 seconds with a 215km/h top speed, but its WLTP consumption and emissions figures are 7.6L/100km and 172g/km.

The 20d is both quicker to 100km/h (7.9sec) and more economical (5.8L/100km).

The xDrive30i is only 10kg heavier than the 20i (which shares the same engine), but manages to hit 100km/h in 6.6 seconds and uses a similar amount of fuel.

Consumption leaps with the xDrive40i, which rips to 100km/h in 4.9 seconds, has a 250km/h top speed, consumes 8.8L/100km and emits 199g/km.

It also lifts the standard 18-inch wheel size up to 20 inches, though M Sport packages increase the wheel sizes of four-cylinder models to 19 inches.

The diesel economy stakes are led by the xDrive20d. The 1840kg SUV powers to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds but uses only 5.8L/100km and emits just 151g/km.

The 30d has a six-cylinder engine that lifts the weight to 1935kg, but shrinks the 0-100km/h acceleration time to 5.7 seconds. It uses 6.2L/100km and emits 162g/km.

The heavy-hitting M40d weighs 2005kg, runs 20-inch tyres and dips just below the five-second barrier to 100km/h, at 4.9 seconds. It offers surprising efficiency, at 6.6L/100km and 173g/km.

There’s no word yet on local pricing or specs for the similarly facelifted BMW X3 M and X4 M, which are also due to arrive Down Under by the end of this year.

How much does the 2022 BMW X3 cost?
sDrive20i – $73,900
xDrive20d – $76,900
xDrive30i – $87,900
xDrive30d – $94,900
xDrive30e – $104,900
M40i – $115,900

How much does the 2022 BMW X4 cost?
sDrive20i – $85,900
xDrive30i – $95,900
M40i – $123,900

* All prices exclude on-road costs