2024 BMW XM SUV

　　

2024 BMW XM Review

byMark TakahashiCorrespondent

　　Mark Takahashi has worked in the automotive industry since 2001. He has written thousands of car-related articles and tested and reviewed hundreds of vehicles over the course of his career. Mark has also contributed to Motor Trend, Auto Aficionado, Chevy High Performance and several motorcycle magazines in various roles. Mark is also a juror on the North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Awards and can be seen regularly on the zzdcar YouTube channel and sometimes representing the company in media interviews.

　　Last year, BMW debuted perhaps its most polarizing vehicle to date: the XM. This big, blocky SUV is larger than the X5 but smaller than the X7 in BMW's lineup, and it's the only vehicle to be offered exclusively as a high-performance M division version. For its sophomore year, we get a new and more powerful XM Label Red model with a stunning 738-horsepower V8. Whether you love or hate it, the XM is an impressive engineering feat, but we suggest you check out our Expert Rating to see where it may come up short.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below

　　

BMW XM PHEV Insights

Trim:XM Base

　　4dr SUV AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) (Most Popular) - $159,000 MSRPLabel Red 4dr SUV AWD (4.4L 8cyl Turbo gas/electric plug-in hybrid 8A) - $185,000 MSRP

　　

All Electric Range

　　EPA Estimated Range not available

　　Estimated range mapThis map is a visual representation of the possible one-way and round-trips by this vehicle (on a full charge) from the geometric center of Rutland, North Dakota. The depicted ranges are based on the estimated new vehicle range value provided by the EPA, rounded down to miles for one-way and miles for round-trip. Actual range will vary depending on the condition of this vehicle’s battery pack, how you drive, driving conditions and other factors.Map display generated using: © openrouteservice.org by HeiGIT | Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors | OpenStreetMap

　　from 58067

　　

EV Battery Warranty

　　No battery warranty information available

　　

Charging at Home

　　7 hours

　　Total Charging Time (240V outlet)

　　

EV Tax Credits & Rebates

　　$400

　　Available Rebates. Restrictions apply.

　　Utility EV Charger Offer

　　$400

　　Restrictions: Otter Tail Power offers EV owners a rebate of up to $400 towards the installation of a Level 2 charging station. To qualify for this rebate, the customer and/or charging station must meet the following requirements: Receive electricity from Otter Tail Power.

　　To learn more, visit OpenStreetMap

　　See All PHEV incentives

　　

Cost to Drive

　　Not Available

　　XM

　　vs

　　$229/mo

　　SUV Avg.

　　Monthly estimates based on costs in North Dakota

　　See All PHEV Insights

　　

zzdcar spotlight: Plug-in hybrid performance vs. efficiency

The XM isn't your typical plug-in hybrid. Rather than focus on ultimate fuel efficiency, this powertrain devotes itself to performance. With between 644 horsepower and 738 hp, we can't imagine anyone wanting more. The XM can travel about 30 miles on electricity alone, which could conceivably save you a ton of money in the daily commute. Once the battery is depleted, the XM is only estimated to return 14 mpg in combined city/highway miles, which is even lower than some non-hybrid rivals.

　　

Competitors to consider

BMW's usual Audi and Mercedes foes line up against the XM, as well as a few you may not expect. From Audi, we'd consider the RS Q8 and SQ7, while the AMG GLE 63 S represents Mercedes-Benz. None of them is as raucous as the XM, but they're also more comfortable and significantly lighter. We'd also cross-shop it with any of the Porsche Cayenne models, BMW's own Alpina XB7 and the Cadillac Escalade V. If you're looking to go full electric, try the BMW iX or Mercedes EQE SUV.

　　zzdcar Expert Rating

　　Our VerdictThe zzdcar Vehicle Testing Team evaluates a fresh batch of vehicles every week, pairing objective assessments at our test track with real-world driving on city streets, freeways and winding roads. The data we gather results in our Expert Ratings. They’re based on 30-plus scores that cover every aspect of the automotive experience.

　　Good

　　7.7

　　out of 10

　　zzdcar TESTED

　　Rated for you by America's best test team.

　　

Performance

8.0/10

　　How does the XM drive? Sticking an M badge on a BMW gives the vehicle a mountain of expectations to overcome. To some extent, the XM scales that mountain thanks in no large part to some impressive and hardworking engineering. The XM manages to overcome its surprising three-ton curb weight by sprinting to 60 mph in 4 seconds flat and dashing through the quarter mile in 12.1 seconds at over 114 mph. But those numbers, as well as the 0.98 g we recorded on our skidpad and the 104-foot stopping distance from 60 mph, fall short of what you can achieve in a BMW X5 M. The XM's massive weight represents its biggest and most disappointing drawback.

　　As a plug-in hybrid, the XM can at times provide smooth application of both its electrical and internal combustion power. We found the transitions between the two systems to be smoothest once up to speed but a bit too unrefined at lower speeds, especially when pulling away from a stop. Even with all of its impressive engineering, the XM seems to have narrow operating windows in which everything feels pretty good.

　　

Comfort

6.5/10

　　How comfortable is the XM? The sporting intentions of the XM conspire to nearly do in any attempt at being a luxury SUV. The steel springs used by BMW M performance engineers are so stiff as to absolutely ruin ride quality on anything other than a perfectly smooth surface. Things improve quite a bit at highway speeds, but the XM feels compromised because its massive weight requires a hard-riding suspension to keep body motions in check. Interior noise levels are also borderline unacceptable for a luxury SUV, with near constant tire roar and high levels of ambient road noise.

　　The front seats go a long way toward taking the edge off the XM's rigid ride. While they offer a wide range of adjustability and plush padding, they don't look or feel particularly special. Despite its length, the XM is only a two-row SUV. The rear seats sure look the part of a luxury SUV but lack any adjustability or meaningful support. Thankfully, the XM's climate control system has absolute control over the interior temperature, and the front seats offer massage, heating and ventilation functions. Massaging and ventilation features are conspicuously absent for the rear seats given the XM's luxury SUV aspirations.

　　Continue reading zzdcar Expert Rating below