BMW X4 F26: history, engines, X4 M40i and used buying guide

The BMW X4 F26 is the first-generation BMW X4, a coupé-shaped SUV based on the second-generation X3 and built mainly at BMW's Spartanburg plant in South Carolina from March 2014 to March 2018. It has a lower, sloping roof over the X3's mechanicals, with xDrive four-wheel drive on every car; UK buyers got three diesels, the xDrive20d, xDrive30d and xDrive35d, while petrol versions up to the 360hp X4 M40i were sold elsewhere. BMW built more than 200,000 of them, and a used one in the UK is now advertised for between about £6,000 and £20,000.

History of the BMW X4 F26

The X4 was BMW's second "Sports Activity Coupé" after the X6: it took the formula the X6 had applied to the X5 and applied it to the X3, which had just been facelifted. BMW previewed the BMW X4 F26 with a concept car in April 2013, published the production car's details in March 2014 and put it on sale in July 2014.

The concept car at Auto Shanghai, 2013

BMW's X4 concept car had its world premiere at Auto Shanghai in April 2013. BMW's show release described it as combining "the rugged looks of a BMW X model with the emotional and sporting aura of one of the brand's Coupes", and as bringing the Sports Activity Coupé concept "so successfully coined by the BMW X6 to another new class".

The 2014 reveal and the New York debut

BMW released the production car's details in March 2014, the week of the Geneva motor show, ahead of its public debut at the New York International Auto Show in April. BMW's March 2014 press kit called it "the first Sports Activity Coupe in the premium mid-size segment" and noted that the X6 had by then sold 250,000. A SkiddMark report of 21 March 2014 recorded that the X4 would reach the UK in July and that UK customers could not order the three petrol engines offered in other markets.

Production at Spartanburg

X4 production began at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, in March 2014. The start was celebrated on 28 March 2014 at the plant's 20th-anniversary event, where BMW chairman Norbert Reithofer announced a further $1 billion of investment by 2016 to raise the plant's capacity from 300,000 to 450,000 vehicles a year, according to BMW's press release of that day. Spartanburg built the X3, X5 and X6 as well, and BMW's 2016 annual report lists the X4 among the models also built at Araquari in Brazil, Rayong in Thailand, Kulim in Malaysia, Kaliningrad in Russia and Cairo in Egypt.

UK launch in July 2014

The X4 went on sale in the UK from 12 July 2014, SkiddMark reported, priced from £36,590 for the xDrive20d SE. BMW UK's July 2014 dealer presentation, published on its press site, set a slightly different list (£36,595 for the xDrive20d SE) and forecast UK sales of about 5,500 X4s over a four-year life, with a peak of 2,000 in 2015. It expected the X4 to take 28 per cent of combined X3 and X4 sales.

When did the X4 F26 end?

F26 production ended as planned in March 2018. The 200,000th X4, an xDrive20d in Alpine White for a customer in Asia, left the Spartanburg line in January 2018, BMW Austria announced on 14 February 2018. Its successor, the G02, had its world premiere at the Geneva motor show in March 2018, where BMW's show release said that more than 200,000 of the first generation had been sold worldwide.

How is the BMW X4 F26 different from the X3?

The X4 F26 has the facelifted X3's platform, wheelbase, engines and four-wheel drive under a body that is 36mm lower and slightly longer, with a sloping roof, lower seats, a smaller boot and more standard equipment. BMW's press contact for the X4, Christophe Koenig, told SkiddMark in March 2014: "The X4 has another suspension set up as the X3 and comes with standard Variable Sport steering, Performance Control and 8 Gear Automatic Sport Steptronic. All in one, makes the car more dynamic, and a bit faster than the X3 with same engines."

Exterior, dimensions and boot space

BMW's press kit gives the X4 as 4,671mm long, 1,881mm wide and 1,624mm high on a 2,810mm wheelbase, with 1,616mm front and 1,632mm rear tracks, 204mm of ground clearance, an 11.9m turning circle and a 67-litre fuel tank. That makes it 36mm lower than the X3 and, by the kit's count, 14mm longer (BMW UK's presentation says 16mm). Koenig put the lower height down to the roof: "The 36mm less are mainly due to the Coupé shaped roof."

The roof reaches its highest point above the driver and runs down to the trailing edge of the tailgate. BMW split the usual swage line along the flanks into two for the first time, one rising from the front wheel arch to the rear door handle and the other running over the rear wing, and gave the X4 its own L-shaped LED tail lights. The boot holds 500 litres with the rear seats up and 1,400 litres with them folded, 50 and 200 litres less than the X3, according to BMW UK; the 40:20:40 split rear backrest and a powered tailgate are standard.

Interior and seating

The driver and front passenger sit 20mm lower than in the X3 and the rear passengers 28mm lower, BMW's kit says, and rear headroom is 44mm less, according to BMW UK. The rear bench is shaped like two individual seats at the sides but has a belt for a third passenger in the middle; Auto Trader's review called BMW's claim that the X4 is a full five-seater "very optimistic", since the centre seat is narrow. The dashboard is the X3's, with iDrive and a 6.5-inch screen as standard on UK cars.

Chassis: Variable Sport Steering and Performance Control

Every X4 has a sportier suspension set-up than the X3, Variable Sport Steering and Performance Control as standard; on the X3 the last two were options. The steering ratio is 16.4:1, against 17.8:1 for the X3, Koenig told SkiddMark, and the X4's body is stiffer than the X3's, "which allows for an even sportier set up". Performance Control brakes the inside rear wheel to send more drive to the outside one: "an electronically steered Torque Vectoring system which works together with DTC and DSC," in Koenig's words, unlike the mechanical Dynamic Performance Control differential of the X5 and X6. The 2014 SkiddMark report recorded that the X4's system also works on the overrun, giving a little lift-off oversteer at the limit.

Suspension is a double-joint spring-strut axle at the front and a five-link axle at the rear, both in steel, and Auto Trader lists Variable Damper Control among the options. xDrive splits drive between the axles and can send almost all of it to either one, reacting to a change in grip in 0.1 seconds, BMW UK said.

Engines, specs and performance of the BMW X4 F26

The BMW X4 F26's engine range had three diesels and three petrol engines at launch, from the 184hp xDrive20i to the 313hp xDrive35d, and gained the 360hp M40i petrol in 2016; UK cars were all diesel. Every engine met the Euro 6 emissions standard, BMW's press kit says.

Power is BMW's metric horsepower (PS); in brake horsepower the three UK diesels make about 187, 254 and 309bhp. Fuel figures are on the old NEDC test with standard tyres. Unladen weights to DIN run from 1,730kg (xDrive20d manual) to 1,860kg (xDrive35d), or 1,805kg to 1,935kg on the EU measure, which adds a driver and luggage.

Diesel engines

The xDrive20d had BMW's new-generation 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel, all aluminium, with 2,000-bar common-rail injection, the press kit says. This is the B47, which replaced the N47 in the X3 at its 2014 facelift and met Euro 6, BMWBlog reported in February 2014; the X4 never had the N47. The xDrive30d and xDrive35d share a 3.0-litre straight-six diesel, the 35d tuned to 313hp with Launch Control as standard. SkiddMark noted in 2014 that the X4 weighed the same as the X3 with each engine.

Petrol engines

Outside the UK, the X4 had a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol in two tunes (xDrive20i and xDrive28i) and a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight-six (xDrive35i), all with direct injection, Double-Vanos and Valvetronic, according to BMW. No petrol X4 F26 was sold new in the UK, PistonHeads noted in 2016. A handful of xDrive28i and xDrive35i cars have since been imported and appear in UK adverts.

Gearbox, transmission and drivetrain

Every X4 F26 has the same drivetrain layout, with xDrive taking drive to all four wheels. Only the xDrive20d could be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox; the automatic xDrive20d and the xDrive20i have the eight-speed Steptronic, and the xDrive28i, xDrive35i, xDrive30d and xDrive35d the eight-speed Steptronic Sport as standard. Every automatic has paddles on the steering wheel. The automatic xDrive20d is also the more economical, at 54.3mpg against 52.3mpg for the manual.

How much can a BMW X4 F26 tow?

The xDrive20d manual can tow 2,000kg braked; every automatic X4, the xDrive20d included, can tow 2,400kg braked, and every version 750kg unbraked, with a 100kg towbar download, according to BMW's March 2014 specification tables.

Trim levels, variants and UK prices of the BMW X4 F26

UK X4s came in SE, xLine and M Sport trims, and each cost £3,600 more than the X3 with the same engine and trim in July 2014, according to BMW UK. BMW UK valued the X4's extra standard equipment at £2,180: xenon headlights, 18-inch alloy wheels instead of 17s, 40:20:40 rear seats, Performance Control, Variable Sport Steering, a sports leather steering wheel and, on the xDrive30d xLine, the Sport automatic gearbox in place of the X3's plain automatic. Leather upholstery, two-zone climate control, BMW's Business Media package with navigation, heated front seats, DAB radio, cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and the powered tailgate came over from the X3's standard list.

xLine cost £1,500 more than SE and M Sport £3,000 more, and not every engine came with every trim: SE was only offered with the xDrive20d and the xDrive35d only as an M Sport, Auto Trader's review noted. M Sport added the M aerodynamic kit, Shadow Line trim, sports suspension, sports seats and M wheels of 18, 19 or 20 inches. Options in 2014 included Professional Media navigation at £900, a head-up display at £935 and Surround View cameras at £530. By January 2016 the xDrive35d M Sport listed at £49,295, Autocar reported.

BMW X4 M40i

The X4 M40i was the F26's fastest version, a 360hp petrol M Performance model that went on sale in February 2016 and was never sold in the UK. It made its world debut at the Detroit motor show on 11 January 2016 alongside the M2, according to BMW of North America's release, which gave it 355hp (US measure), 0–60mph in 4.7 seconds and a US price of $57,800.

BMW's release on the M40i called its 3.0-litre straight-six newly developed, with 360hp between 5,800 and 6,000rpm and 465Nm, enough for 0–100km/h (62mph) in under five seconds and a limited 250km/h (155mph); PistonHeads' review reported that the engine was a reworked version of the M135i's 3.0-litre, not BMW's new modular straight-six. It also lists stronger springs and anti-roll bars, more negative camber at the front, adaptive dampers tuned by M, a sports exhaust with flaps, Ferric Grey mirror caps and 20-inch M wheels. PistonHeads adds a more rear-biased xDrive, bigger front brakes and a weight of 1,915kg, and quotes BMW's 0–62mph figure of 4.9 seconds.

Was the X4 M40i sold in the UK?

No. When it was revealed, Autocar reported that the M40i would go on sale in the UK in the first quarter of 2016, priced above the xDrive35d M Sport. BMW then decided against it: Auto Express's 2016 review said BMW would not offer it because petrol SUVs were not popular in the UK, and that the xDrive35d returned over 10mpg more and sat four tax bands lower. PistonHeads listed it as "not for UK sale".

How many BMW X4 F26s were made?

BMW built 200,000 X4 F26s by January 2018, and production went on until March. Its annual reports for 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 give sales by year; every X4 sold from 2014 to 2017 was an F26, 186,960 in all.

In each full year the X4 sold between 36 and 40 per cent as many as the X3: 55,050 against 137,810 in 2015, for example. It was outsold by the X6 in 2014 (30,244) but ahead of it in 2015 and 2016, when the X6 sold 46,305 and 43,323.

What is a BMW X4 F26 worth today?

Most used X4 F26s in the UK are advertised at between £10,000 and £17,000. On 28 October 2026 we collected 56 of the 68 adverts for 2014–2017 X4s listed on PistonHeads; prices ran from £5,990 to £19,999 with a median of £12,995 and a median mileage of 83,718.

Of the 56, 33 were xDrive20d (median £12,595), 18 xDrive30d (median £13,497) and one xDrive35d at £16,995; the other four were imported petrol cars, two xDrive28i and two xDrive35i. 48 of the 56 were M Sports. The five cheapest cars had all covered more than 100,000 miles. In a PistonHeads sample of X3 F25s taken the same day (see our BMW X3 F25 guide), a 2016 X3 had a median of £11,990 against £13,323 for a 2016 X4.

Buying a used BMW X4 F26

The X4 F26 shares its engines, gearbox and suspension with the facelifted X3, so it has the same faults: the EGR coolers on the diesels, which are covered by recalls, and worn suspension arms and joints. auto motor und sport's used guide to the X3 F25 says the X4 is identical apart from the roofline, the lower body and some styling, and is usually better equipped.

Is the BMW X4 F26 reliable?

Mechanically the F26 is a facelifted X3, which auto motor und sport says "ist lange haltbar" (lasts a long time). Every UK X4 has the B47 or the six-cylinder diesel, not the early N47 four-cylinder whose undersized timing chain that magazine warns about in the pre-facelift X3, and it says that apart from occasionally coked and sticking EGR valves the engines are trouble-free. It names worn track-rod ends from wide tyres and, rarely, electric power steering faults, and advises regular oil changes for the gearbox as well as the engine.

Auto Trader found the view through the rear window and over the driver's shoulder "very restricted" by the roofline, and the low roof limits the height of what fits in the boot, so test the rear seats and the load space with what you carry.

UK recalls for the BMW X4 F26

DVSA's vehicle recalls file, downloaded on 28 October 2026, lists 12 recalls covering X4s built between 2014 and early 2018; six are for the diesel exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler or module, which can leak coolant that, with soot and oil, forms deposits that can catch fire. Ask a BMW dealer to check the car's VIN for outstanding work before buying.

Safety: how safe is the BMW X4 F26?

Euro NCAP did not crash-test the X4 F26, Auto Trader's review noted, pointing instead to the X3's five-star result of 2011. In the United States, NHTSA's ratings list the 2016 and 2017 X4 as "Not Rated". Standard safety equipment on every X4 included front, side and curtain airbags, stability control with Hill Descent Control and BMW's Intelligent Emergency Call, which sends the car's position to a BMW call centre when an airbag fires.

Running costs: tax, fuel and ULEZ

An X4 F26 registered before 1 April 2017 is taxed on its CO2 figure. At GOV.UK's rates checked on 27 October 2026, a 12-month payment is £200 for the automatic xDrive20d (138g/km, band E), £225 for the manual (143g/km, band F) and £275 for the xDrive30d and xDrive35d (156–157g/km, band G). A car first registered from 1 April 2017 pays the standard rate of £200; the supplement for cars listed above £40,000 lasts only five years, so no F26 pays it now.

Every X4 F26 engine was built to Euro 6, which is the standard a diesel car must meet to drive in London's Ultra Low Emission Zone without a charge, according to Transport for London; check the individual car on TfL's checker.

Which BMW X4 F26 should you buy?

For most buyers the best X4 F26 is an automatic xDrive20d M Sport: it was by far the most common car for sale in the PistonHeads sample, the xDrive20d's median asking price was £12,595, and its 2,400kg towing limit matches the six-cylinders'. An xDrive30d costs a median of about £900 more and gives the smoother six-cylinder and 5.8-second performance, for £75 a year more in tax on a pre-April 2017 car.

Rivals of the BMW X4 F26

At launch the X4's closest rival was the Porsche Macan, which went on sale in the UK in November 2013; the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupé was revealed in 2016. The 2014 SkiddMark report compared the X4 with the Macan and found them very close in size, with the Macan wider and heavier.

The Macan offered air suspension that lowered it by 15mm, and its own torque-vectoring system, Porsche Torque Vectoring Plus, the SkiddMark report said; the Macan Turbo weighed 1,925kg to the xDrive35d's 1,860kg but had 85bhp more, giving 205bhp per tonne against 166, while the BMW had 80Nm more torque (630Nm against 550Nm). Porsche had sold its first year's allocation of 50,000 Macans by March 2014, according to the same report. Carbuyer's November 2013 launch report put the Macan S at £43,200, a £100 difference from the SkiddMark figure. Mercedes revealed the GLC Coupé at the New York show in March 2016 with eight engines, four diesel and four petrol, and claimed "the biggest luggage space in its class", according to its show release. BMW's own alternatives were the larger X6 E71 and the X3, which had the same engines and cost £3,600 less.

What did reviewers say about the BMW X4 F26?

Auto Trader liked the way the X4 drove and its six-cylinder diesels, and questioned paying more than for an X3 for less room. Its review called it "an unashamedly niche product", found that it turned into corners sharply with little body roll in Sport mode but was not as agile as the Macan, and thought it "quite difficult to argue a rational case for the X4 over the X3". It recommended stretching to the xDrive30d, for "easy, but strong, performance".

The 2014 SkiddMark report found that Performance Control "virtually eliminates understeer under normal conditions" and made the 1.8-tonne car feel sporty. Of the M40i, Auto Express wrote in 2016 that it was "almost as fun to drive as the Porsche Macan GTS", while PistonHeads found the steering "very artificially weighted" next to the M2's and the damping sometimes caught out by bumps. auto motor und sport later called the X4 as talented as the X3 and "stilistisch etwas ausgefallener" (a little more unusual in style).

Questions

What does F26 mean on a BMW X4?

F26 is BMW's model code for the first-generation X4, built from 2014 to 2018. The X3 it is based on is the F25, and the second-generation X4 of 2018 is the G02.

What years was the BMW X4 F26 made?

Production began at Spartanburg in March 2014 and ended in March 2018. UK sales ran from July 2014, so UK cars carry registrations from 2014 to 2018.

Is the BMW X4 F26 four-wheel drive?

Yes. Every X4 F26 has BMW's xDrive four-wheel drive, which can send almost all the drive to either axle; there was no rear-wheel-drive version.

How big is the boot of a BMW X4 F26?

The boot holds 500 litres with the rear seats up and 1,400 litres with them folded, according to BMW. That is 50 and 200 litres less than the X3.

Is the BMW X4 bigger than the X3?

It is slightly longer (4,671mm, 14mm more than the facelifted X3 by BMW's figures) and 36mm lower, on the same 2,810mm wheelbase. Inside it has less rear headroom and a smaller boot.

Where was the BMW X4 F26 built?

Mainly at BMW's plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina. BMW's 2016 annual report also lists the X4 at its plants or partners in Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia, Russia and Egypt.

How fast is the BMW X4 xDrive35d?

BMW quoted 0–62mph in 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 153mph for the 313hp xDrive35d, the fastest X4 F26 sold new in the UK.

How many seats does a BMW X4 F26 have?

Five, on a rear bench split 40:20:40. The rear bench is shaped like two individual seats, and Auto Trader found the middle place narrow.

Sources

• BMW Group, BMW at Auto Shanghai 2013, April 2013: the Concept X4.
• BMW Group, The new BMW X4, press kit, March 2014 (pages 2–15): design, engines, specifications, dimensions, weights, towing.
• BMW Group, The new BMW X4, press release, 2014: engine range and outputs.
• BMW Group, BMW Group erweitert US-Werk in South Carolina, 28 March 2014: start of X4 production at Spartanburg.
• BMW UK, The new BMW X3 and BMW X4, July 2014: UK prices, equipment, dimensions against the X3, sales forecast.
• BMW Group, The new BMW X4 M40i, press release: M40i engine and chassis.
• BMW of North America, The 2016 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, 11 January 2016: M40i debut, US price and on-sale date.
• BMW Austria, Der erste BMW X4 verabschiedet sich mit einem Jubiläum, 14 February 2018: the 200,000th X4 and the end of production.
• BMW Group, BMW at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show 2018, March 2018: the G02 successor.
• BMW Group, annual reports 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, sales volume by model variant and plant list: X4, X3 and X6 sales; assembly plants.
• SkiddMark, "BMW X4, better than an X3 or a compromise too far?", 21 March 2014: UK prices and on-sale date, Christophe Koenig's answers, steering ratio, Porsche Macan comparison.
• BMWBlog, Next generation BMW B-code engines, 7 February 2014: the B47 diesel.
• Auto Trader, BMW X4 (2014) expert review: trims, practicality, driving, safety.
• Autocar, High-performance BMW X4 M40i revealed at Detroit motor show, January 2016: planned UK sale, xDrive35d M Sport price.
• Auto Express, BMW X4 M40i 2016 review: M40i not sold in the UK, verdict.
• PistonHeads, BMW X4 M40i: review, 2016: M40i chassis, weight, verdict; no petrol X4s in the UK.
• auto motor und sport, Gebraucht-Tipp BMW X3 F25, 2023: reliability of the shared mechanicals; the X4 compared.
• Carbuyer, Porsche Macan revealed, November 2013: Macan UK prices and figures.
• Mercedes-Benz, Mercedes-Benz at the 2016 New York International Auto Show, March 2016: the GLC Coupé.
• DVSA, vehicle recalls file, downloaded 28 October 2026: UK recalls.
• NHTSA, 5-Star Safety Ratings, 2016 BMW X4 and 2017 BMW X4, checked 28 October 2026: not rated.
• GOV.UK, vehicle tax rates for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 and for cars registered from 1 April 2017, checked 27 October 2026.
• Transport for London, ULEZ standards for cars: Euro 6 for diesels.
• PistonHeads, BMW X4 adverts, 2014–2017 registrations, collected 28 October 2026: asking prices.