2019 BMW X4 revealed with a fresh design

KUALA LUMPUR: Hot on the trails of BMW X7, the newest entry in the luxury SUV market, comes the new and redesigned X4. Since its launch 4 years ago, this smaller and sportier cousin of the X3 has been trying to woo the driver who is more biased towards the sports aspect of this “Sports Activity Coupe”. The new retouches only try to make its sporty intentions even more apparent.

This second generation has gone for a sleeker appearance than before. The front gets a wider grille, angrier headlights and loses the third grille that previously occupied the center of the fascia. Also noticeable are the now rectangular fog lights which are now more integrated with the much more aggressive bumpers.

The side profile reveals that the cars have grown 3 inches (76.2 mm) while the wheelbase has expanded by 2.1 inches (53.3 mm) making the crossover sleeker and dare I say, a little less ungainly than before. It has also benefitted the highly controversial sloping roofline in the rear, making it look more aerodynamic. The rear thankfully gets narrower LED taillights and a much flatter and cleaner look than the ghastly outgoing model, making it probably the most attractive profile for the whole car.

The side profile gets more sculpted and deeper creases, going nicely with its low profile tires. For a crossover, whose main USP lay in its coupe-like design, it does put in a valiant attempt to look like one.

The X3 inspired interiors, however, seem to have missed the memo. While the steering becomes less cluttered and sportier and the infotainment screen floats above the center stack - putting it directly in the line of sight of the driver – the rest of the center console looks like a luxurious jumble of vents.

BMW has currently offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with 248 horsepower and 350 Nm of torque and a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six with 355 horsepower and 495 Nm of torque. More engine options, including diesel and a possible hybrid options, should follow once the crossover is officially launched.