BMW X3 vs BMW X4

BMW offers the 2026 X3 in two flavors: 30 xDrive and M50. The latter is tuned for performance, but the base X3 30 xDrive is so good that you might be happy trading the M50’s outright speed and sheer capability for significant savings. BMW redesigned this compact luxury crossover in 2025, and the only tweaks for 2026 make the base model look and feel a little more upscale inside.

Verdict: For this review, we evaluated the BMW X3 M50. It was terrific, but with a sticker price more than $15,000 higher than the rewarding X3 30 xDrive, it’s hard to justify the extra money.

From fastback sedans to coupe-inspired crossovers like the BMW X4, automakers have spent the last decade forging new ground with “in-between” vehicle segments.

BMW classifies the X4 (and the larger X6, for that matter) as a Sport Activity Coupe. If you are up on your corporate jargon, that might seem like a sly rebranding of Sport Utility Vehicle, but minus the Utility. That's not a coincidence. BMW came up with this terminology when it introduced the X6 for the 2008 model year. It hints at "SUV," but doesn’t commit to the utility, so BMW can suggest versatility without actually delivering on that promise.

The first-generation X4 was introduced for the 2014 model year. And despite my derision of the SUV-coupe idea, BMW would not have introduced the second generation this year if it were not popular. It will compete with a similar fastback SUV, the Mercedes-Benz GLC-Coupe, but in a broader sense, the X4 has very tight competition. Other popular compact luxury SUVs include the all-new 2019 Acura RDX, Audi Q5, Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace, and Lexus NX. The X4 even has a competitor in its own lineup—the similarly sized X3.

But the 2019 BMW X4 is slightly longer, taller, and wider than the model it replaces. BMW hopes this will result in a bit more cabin space and an actually usable rear seat. Will it be enough to make buyers choose the X4 over its competition, even from within its own lineup?