BMW X4 xDrive30i review: an X3 in a dinner jacket, for buyers who prioritise looks
MotorsSouq Editorial Team
Buy the X4 if the roofline is the reason you are cross-shopping it against an X3 in the first place; the driving experience, running costs and reliability profile are close enough to be a rounding error. If rear headroom, boot space or three child seats across the back matter to your household, save the premium and buy the X3 instead — you lose nothing that actually affects daily life in Bahrain.
Pros
- Distinctive coupe-SUV styling within a well-proven X3 platform
- Responsive 2.0-litre turbo four with xDrive traction for wet or sandy road surfaces
- Service network and parts availability track the mainstream X3 closely
- Composed at causeway speeds and quiet on the highway
Cons
- Rear headroom noticeably tighter than the X3 for taller passengers
- Boot space loses meaningful litres to the sloped rear glass
- Commands a real price premium over the X3 for styling alone
- Wider rear pillars hurt over-the-shoulder visibility when reversing without the camera
BMW built the X4 for one reason: some buyers will pay extra for a coupe roofline on an SUV, and enough of them exist to justify the model. Underneath, it shares its platform, engines and cabin architecture with the X3, which means the driving experience in Bahrain is essentially identical — the xDrive30i's 2.0-litre turbo four is responsive around town and settled at highway speed on the Bahrain-Saudi causeway.
What the sloped roof actually costs you
Rear headroom is the honest casualty. Adults over roughly 180 cm will notice their head brushing the headliner in the back seat, and the boot loses meaningful volume compared to the X3 despite near-identical exterior length. For a couple, or a family with young children in forward-facing seats, none of this matters day to day. For anyone regularly carrying three adults or fitting bulky rear-facing car seats, it is worth a test sit before signing anything.
Running it in Bahrain
Service costs, parts availability and the used-market reputation track the X3 closely, which is reassuring — this is a well-understood platform for BMW's Bahrain dealer network and independent specialists alike. Fuel consumption in mixed Manama driving with the air conditioning working hard sits comfortably in the mid-single digits above the official combined figure, which is normal for the segment.