Battery size: 83 - 109 kWh
WLTP range: 396 - 514 miles
Max charge rate: 300 - 400kW
Introduction - 2027 BMW iX4
Welcome to the sportier-looking version of the BMW iX3 - the BMW iX4! Yes, this is the sports-coupe version of our favourite executive SUV, so it gets the sleek roofline, and also improved aerodynamics for a WLTP range of up to 514 miles. That's some 14 miles more than the range you get in the boxier BMW iX3 and 11 miles more than Volvo EX60. And way more than the range you get in the Porsche Macan, Audi Q6 e-tron or Polestar 4 that could also be considered key rivals for the BMW iX4.
The new BMW iX4 shares its electric underpinnings with the iX3, of course, but it does trade some family-friendly squareness for a sleeker silhouette. The catch? You pay more for less room. The boot is smaller, the sloping rear end is less useful for bulky loads and there is no rear wiper. Boo.
The iX4 does look good, doesn’t it? It’s angular but sleek, which is a clever trick. I can’t tell you what it’s like to drive as I’ve only been able to see the iX4 static in the studio, so the big question for now is whether that extra range and sleeker shape are worth the compromises. You’ll just have to wait for driving impressions!
Range, battery and charging
The 40 xDrive starts the range off with an 82.6kWh battery and up to 396 miles of WLTP range. That’s hardly a ‘short-range’ option, is it? In fact, that’s pretty close to the maximum range that you get in a lot of those rivals I’ve already mentioned. Its maximum DC charging rate is 300kW, with BMW quoting up to 187 miles added in ten minutes. Not bad, is it?
Step up to the 50 xDrive and the battery grows to 108.7kWh, unlocking that headline 514-mile maximum. Charging peaks at 400kW, with up to 240 miles of range added in ten minutes. Ginny’s living with a BMW iX3 xDrive50 at the moment, and she’s found the real-world range to be around 400 miles if you’re on mostly motorway in mild weather – it’ll be a bit less than that in winter. Obviously, you can expect much the same, maybe even a tiny bit more, from the iX4 50 xDrive! She’s also found real-world charging speeds to be super impressive, which is arguably more important when you’ve got a range like this, isn’t it?!
The iX4 also has vehicle-to-load (V2L) but you’ll have to pay a little extra to get the adaptor that you have to plug into the car’s external socket before you can plug in any of your gadgets (e-bike, hair drier, strimmer (don’t get those mixed up…). There’s also a standard heat pump, which helps with cold weather efficiency and range.
Practicality and boot space
Okay, so it won’t come as any surprise that the iX4 has a slightly smaller boot than the iX3. It’s lost a bit of depth in favour of that sleek roofline, so it’s got 490 litres of boot space with the seats up and 1,600 litres with them folded. That’s 30- and 150 litres less respectively than the iX3. I can still fit in it, though, so it’s still a pretty decent boot isn’t it?!
The shape of the boot matters as much – if not more - as the numbers, and while you won’t get a wardrobe in there I reckon a bike would be fine with the seats down. And you’ll definitely get a couple of sets of golf clubs. Although I don’t play golf, so I suppose I am guessing a bit! It’s the height of the boot that you’ve lost with the iX4, so you’ve still got a really good amount of floor-space, but anyone with a really big dog should try the car out first to see if the sloping rear window is going to be a problem.
Rear passenger space is good! I was pleasantly surprised. The iX4 has a panoramic roof as standard on every model, and that frees up a bit of extra headroom so a couple of adults have plenty of head- and legroom. Where you really notice the coupe-ness is in the access, as you have to duck really noticeably to avoid bashing your head. That might be annoying if you’re going to be spending a lot of time leaning into the back seats to deal with car seats and kids.
D’you know what isn’t practical about the iX4? It’s got no rear wiper! I know the aero on the car means that the wind will clear the rain off the rear window, but it’ll still get really grubby quickly enough. And then you’re going to want a rear windscreen wiper, aren’t you?
Interior, styling and technology
If you’ve seen the new iX3’s cabin, this is all going to be familiar. Sorry, did I say familiar? I meant ‘the same’. It’s the same! And that’s no bad thing, because the iX3’s interior is brilliant. BMW’s Panoramic iDrive setup combines a display across the base of the windscreen with a 17.9-inch central touchscreen and the fancy, blingy steering wheel (a more ordinary wheel is available if you’d prefer it). It is a striking alternative to simply putting a conventional instrument binnacle behind the wheel.
There’s also an optional head-up display, which you get if you add the Technology Plus pack that also includes three-zone climate control and Harman Kardon audio.
M Sport gets 20-inch alloys, heated front seats, ‘Veganza’ upholstery, keyless entry, parking camera and, of course, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
M Sport Pro adds adaptive LED headlights, red brake callipers, illuminated kidneys and upgraded M Sport seats with massage. Sign me up to that, I love a massage seat. And I really loved the grey-green upholstery of the high-spec iX4 that I had a look around, so that’d definitely be on my dream iX4.
Motors and performance
From launch, the BMW iX4 is only available with all-wheel drive from a dual motor setup. The 40 xDrive manages 374hp and reaches 62mph in 5.6 seconds, while the 50 xDrive gets 469hp and cuts that to 4.9 seconds.
A 612hp M60 xDrive is arriving later in 2027, promising 0 - 62mph in 3.9 seconds, but it’s the xDrive 40 and 50 that will arrive first. Orders are already open, and deliveries will start in the UK in early 2027.
I haven’t driven the BMW iX4 yet so we’ll have to wait and see what it’s like to drive. I mean… I imagine it’s quite like the BMW iX3! We do know that the iX4 isn’t currently being offered with adaptive dampers, which is a shame as I do think the iX3 and iX4 would benefit from the option of slightly softer suspension. Rumour has it that adaptive suspension might become optional in the near future, so here’s hoping. Even without it, the iX3 is great to drive so I’m sure the iX4 will be much the same.
Pricing and on sale date
Prices start at £60,170 for the iX4 40 xDrive, which gets a slightly shorter range and less power, while the iX4 50 xDrive that I saw (in Eucalyptus Green, in case you’re wondering) in the studio, starts at £66,075. There’ll be a high performance iX4 M60 arriving in the near future, too.
That's quite a chunk more than the equivalent BMW iX3, but you do get a standard panoramic roof in the iX4 - which costs extra in the iX3, so the difference in price isn't quite what it looks on the surface of it.
BMW offers a three-year, unlimited-mileage warranty, while the battery is covered for eight years and 100,000 miles.
Verdict
It’s not unusual for a coupe variant to cost more than the sensible SUV equivalent, but it does annoy me a bit. At least the iX4’s more slippery shape increases the range a bit, but most important is that it looks cool. Cool enough to justify the premium? Maybe. That’s up to you, I guess!
8
