A year on from the debut of the Neue Klasse-based iX3, BMW has pulled the covers off its slinkier sibling, the first-ever iX4. The coupé-style SUV will come with a hotter M Performance model, the M60 xDrive, joining the i3 and iX3 versions.
The differences vis-à-vis the iX3 are mostly visual. The iX4’s front end is identical, but the roof has been chopped some 40 mm, resulting in a sleeker look and an overall height of 1,595 mm. The low-slung glasshouse is complemented by a window line that sweeps steeply upwards, giving the car a bit of a first-generation X6 air to it.
Further back, the fast-raked rear windscreen leads towards a short deck with a subtle built-in spoiler and an additional lip extension that incorporates the third brake light; the “valley” housing the propeller roundel remains, forming a hexagon. One major change is that the M Sport package is standard here, giving the iX4 a sportier, meaner look from the get-go.
The interior, meanwhile, has been carried over pretty much wholesale from the iX3, still with the Panoramic iDrive display concept with a 17.9-inch parallelogram infotainment touchscreen and the headlining full-width 43.3-inch Panoramic Vision projection display. And yes, you still get an oddball steering wheel with centre upper and lower spokes, although a more conventional M Sport ‘wheel with bottom spokes can of course be optioned.
As for cabin space, BMW claims that the iX4 offers “abundant headroom” despite the lower roofline, no doubt helped by the fact that a panoramic glass roof (without a built-in powered sunshade, mind) comes as standard. One casualty is boot space, which is now 30 litres smaller than the iX3’s at 490 litres (expandable to 1,600 litres with the 40:20:40-split rear seats folded, 150 litres less), although you still get a 58 litre front boot.
From its March 2027 market launch, the iX4 will be offered in two variants, both dual-motor all-wheel-drive models carried over from the iX3. The 40 xDrive makes 374 PS (275 kW) and 520 Nm of torque and gets from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds, while the 50 xDrive pushes out 469 PS (345 kW) and 645 Nm and completes the century sprint in 4.9 seconds.
Both utilise the same NMC batteries as the iX3 – 82.6 kWh for the 40 xDrive and 108.7 kWh for the 50 xDrive (both usable figures). Despite this, the lower drag coefficient of 0.23 (iX3 0.24) boosts WLTP-rated range to 638 km (+17 km) and 828 km (+23 km) respectively. With an 800-volt electrical architecture, the iX4 can be charged at 300 kW for the 40 xDrive and 400 kW for the 50 xDrive; both can be topped up from 10 to 80% in 21 minutes.
The aforementioned M60 xDrive will join the lineup soon after. There’s no playing around with this one – outputs are up to a whopping 612 PS (450 kW) and 875 Nm of torque, getting the car from zero to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 240 km/h. Despite the boatload of extra performance and the same 108.7 kWh pack as the 50 xDrive, it still delivers an impressive range of up to 777 km.
On the outside, the M60 xDrive is set apart through a unique linear graphic along the bottom edge of the dual front panels, which come as standard here with Iconic Glow illumination. The diagonal daytime running lights also incorporate the M Yellow Lights that were previously exclusive to BMW M’s hardcore CS models, while the wide taillights feature a smoked finish and new light guides that wrap around the outer edges.
This being an M Performance model, you also get a more pronounced rear spoiler and bespoke door mirrors with the M tricolour. Inside, you get standard M Sport seats and the M Sport steering wheel, here coming with a red 12 o’clock marker and Boost and M Mode buttons; the latter hints that some of the powertrain and chassis customisation of the full-fat M cars will be extended to the halfway-house M Performance variants.
To keep the extra performance in check, the M60 xDrive receives standard adaptive dampers and variable-ratio sport steering, in addition to revised spring and damper tuning and new anti-roll bar links. Notably, the regular iX4 models can be fitted with the adaptive dampers and sport steering as an option, which is not the case with the iX3.
As per the iX3, the iX4 will come with a basic driver assistance as standard, such as autonomous emergency braking, evasive steering assist, lane keeping assist, blind spot monitoring with collision avoidance and rear cross traffic alert with auto brake. Driving Assistant Plus adds Level 2 semi-autonomous driving functionality, with BMW Symbiotic Driving allowing for manual steering and even mild braking inputs without disabling assistance.
Starting next year, the iX4 will also come with the optional Highway and City Assistant, allowing for hands-free driving in 21 countries and counting. All iX4s will come with all the hardware and software needed for the system from the factory, so users can activate the functionality later on (through a paid subscription, obviously).
