BMW X4 review

The engines are as per the X3 and other BMWs, so we'll start with the chassis which is differently tuned.

Principles and basic components are standard new-generation BMW stuff: sophisticated and lightweight multi-link axles, and four-wheel drive with variable torque split, biased rearward unless there's good reason to send it forward. But the X4 gets as standard a stiffer setup than the X3.

The result is grippy as anything. Underneath the test car is a second grade of suspension, called M Sport suspension and with adaptive dampers too. In the dry it just rattles round a corner, clinging with grim determination, with hardly any body-roll. Grim? Well, you don't get much of a sense of humour. The steering is quite heavy but wants for feedback. Mash the accelerator and you feel the torque moving rearwards, especially in sport mode.

But really it's rather dull, and banged about by mid-corner bumps, especially if you have the optional adaptive dampers set to sport. Perhaps it'd be more fun in the wet.

The Porsche, Jaguar and Alfa all feel more interactive in forceful cornering. And if you're on a lumpy B-road the X3 – being more relaxed and fluent – is the more enjoyable of BMW pair. The X4's straight-line ride isn't harsh, but you do feel the heaviness of the big wheels as they thump up and down. It settles on motorways, though.

Engines, then – diesels are BMW's ubiquitous four-cylinder 20d at 190bhp, and six-cylinders are the 30d at 265bhp and 40d at 326bhp.

Petrols are 20i and 40i, but they don't arrive until later. The 40d and 40i are 'M Performance' models with their own suspension settings, and bigger brakes. All X4s have an eight-speed automatic gearbox as standard, and 4WD.

Those powertrains are very fine motivation. The 20d will be the big seller, and it operates over a comparatively wide rev range while sounding far less dieselly in tone and volume than Jaguar's or Alfa's.

But its best trick is the utterly superb mating to the transmission, which always seems to find the right ratio, and finds it with silky discretion. That's a really slick trick to pull off – as shown by the indecision and occasionally harsh shifts of the very same transmission in a Jaguar installation, the F-Pace.

Six-cylinder units propel you along on a vast wave of torque (the diesels) and lovely singing high-rev power (petrol). The 40i hurls itself to 62mph in 4.8sec. Yes please.

Engine noise at a motorway cruise is fairly low but not inaudible, even above the background roar of the tyres. Wind noise on the other hand is impressively muted.

Tick the driver assist option and the steering will nudge you towards the centre of the lane and follow the car in front from stop-start to autobahn speeds.