The infotainment system takes a while to learn, but overall we're impressed with the operation of BMW's newest iDrive system. BMW's optional Highway Assistant even allows for some hands-free operation at low speeds when conditions permit. BMW's suite of advanced driver aids can be hit-or-miss in how they perform, but they're a hit here. How’s the tech? The XM showcases some of the latest BMW innovations, and they're pretty impressive. Our only gripe regarding outward visibility are the exterior mirrors, which are too small for such a large SUV. It's more upright and elevated than you might expect, but the XM manages to look and feel smaller than it is once you're on the move. The driving position is something else the XM shares with the X7. The rear seats are set very far back, so there's plenty of room to almost walk into the XM before turning around and dropping into the steeply raked seat. The XM's doors open wide and the seats offer no impediment to access. It may take a while to fully master, but most basic functions are easy to find.Īnother similarity to the X7 is the ease of getting in and out. It is brimming with information and adjustability. Thankfully, the XM gets BMW's newest iDrive system, which features a new menu structure and easy-to-read graphics. That overlap certainly helps improve the learning curve, but it also makes the XM feel a bit less special given its pricey nature. How’s the interior? Any buyer familiar with the interior of a modern BMW, especially the X7, will notice many similarities in the XM. Massaging and ventilation features are conspicuously absent for the rear seats given the XM's luxury SUV aspirations. Thankfully, the XM's climate control system has absolute control over the interior temperature, and the front seats offer massage, heating and ventilation functions. The rear seats sure look the part of a luxury SUV but lack any adjustability or meaningful support. Despite its length the XM is only a two-row SUV. While they offer a wide range of adjustability and plush padding, they don't look or feel particularly special. The front seats go a long way toward taking the edge off the XM's rigid ride. Interior noise levels are also borderline unacceptable for a luxury SUV, with near constant tire roar and high levels of ambient road noise. 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. 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. How comfortable is the XM? The sporting intentions of the XM conspire to nearly do in any attempt at being a luxury SUV. Even with all of its impressive engineering, the XM seems to have narrow operating windows in which everything feels pretty good. 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. The XM's massive weight represents its biggest and most disappointing drawback.Īs a plug-in hybrid, the XM can at times provide smooth application of both its electrical and internal combustion power. 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 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. To some extent, the XM scales that mountain thanks in no large part to some impressive and hardworking engineering. How does the XM drive? Sticking an M badge on a BMW gives the vehicle a mountain of expectations to overcome.
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