The BMW XM is about as opinion-splitting as it gets this side of a Tesla Cybertruck. On a recent trip to South Carolina, BMW was gracious enough to give us the keys to both versions of the polarizing SUV – the standard variant, if you can even call it that, and the high-performance Label edition. We drove it, reviewed it, and asked you what you wanted to know about it. These are your answers.
As a quick reminder, the XM is BMW’s latest flagship SUV and it’s pretty bold. It kicks off at $159,000, features a look that most of you seem to hate, and makes 644 hp (480 kW) in base configuration. The XM Label, representing the top-tier trim, cranks out a whopping 738 hp (550 kW). It might not be a slinky supercar, but it makes supercar power, don’t you worry. With that knowledge, here are your best questions.
Why does it exist?
This question was asked twice but this was the nicer of the two phrasings so we’ll go with it. We answered this somewhat in the main review but the reality is that the XM is a modern-day performance flagship in the most popular category on the market – SUVs. To put it succinctly, whereas the original M1 was the natural lovechild of BMW’s motorsport division, the XM seems to be the artificial child of the marketing division. Both divisions start with M, but the similarities end there.
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Nevertheless, setting rants aside, real customers these days don’t actually want a race car for the road but lots and lots of people will likely buy the XM either new or used in hopes of making their own statement. What it says about them might not be what they hoped though.
Does the grille have its own gravitational pull because that thing is massive?
Honestly, it almost seems like it does considering the rest of the car follows after it so quickly when you put the go pedal down. It’s brutal and aggressive and doesn’t apologize for its looks or its hardcore performance.
Between this and the Fiat Multipla which is uglier?
Having driven both I can fully confirm that it’s the Multipla. At the same time, the Fiat proves that a brand doesn’t have to make a car wildly expensive or hard to obtain to also make it ugly. Just like the Multipla though, some will find the XM really endearing over time I bet. In person, the XM looks so much better than it does in photos and, thankfully, you can’t see the gargantuan grille from most angles.
How’s the driving?
Here’s the next question that we certainly answered in our full review but we’ll provide a quick reminder. The XM and the XM Label are both very capable SUVs. They’re quick, they respond well to prodding, and they handle as one would expect from a vehicle that starts at $159,000. They’re both heavy though so they’re still not as fast as the quickest super SUVs on the planet like the Lamborghini Urus.
