BMW X3 vs BMW X4

Since its inception in 2003, the BMW X3 has grown to become one of the brand’s top sellers. And starting with its second generation (circa 2010), the luxury compact crossover has been built at BMW Spartanburg—the automaker’s only United States manufacturing facility. Incidentally, because Spartanburg is the global producer of every gas-powered BMW crossover besides the X1 and X2, the plant also boasts the highest production numbers of any BMW plant worldwide. One can speculate that the popular X3 has a lot to do with that.

Last redesigned for 2018, the X3 receives a rather hefty mid-cycle refresh for 2022. Although the xDrive30e plug-in hybrid has been dropped from the lineup, updates to the remaining models include design tweaks, new engines, more technology, and an expanded suite of safety features.

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?