From X3 M To XM: Ranking BMW’s Fiercest M SUVs

It’s not likely that the Motorsport division of BMW ever planned or intended to lend its name and engineering know-how to develop the most rambunctious SUVs on the planet. But it’s nearly 2025, and now the BMW M lineup consists of several different M-branded SUV models. Today, the lineup is more competitive than ever. So, how do they stack up?

BMW X3 M

It’s on the way out, but you can still pick up a new X3 M. As of this writing, AutoTrader shows 19 remaining new X3 M SUVs on dealer lots. Get it while you can, because the X3 M is a one-and-done generation that won’t come back with the new G45 X3. With just-right sizing and the powerful S58 engine under the hood, it’s the perfect representation of what BMW’s “Sports Activity Vehicles” should be.

With all-wheel drive and up to 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque, it scrambles from zero to 60 mph in under three and a half seconds. It’s still conventionally pretty, too, offering classically styled kidney grilles and headlights. It won’t ever win an award for “most comfortable-riding SUV,” but dynamically, the X3 M is delightful. It was also the first vehicle to tout the S58 engine, which you can now find under the hood of the iconic M2, M3, and M4. We think the X3 M is the best blend of performance and utility in the current M SUV lineup, offering a little bit of everything and few real drawbacks.

BMW X4 M

The X4 M is more readily available than the X3 M, since it’s still in production, but otherwise the SUV is identical in most respects. The fastback design gives it a “sportier” look, but I personally prefer the boxed look of the X3 M more. The X3 M is also ever-so-slightly more practical, granting more second-row headroom and cargo space.

Still, dynamically, the X4 M is hard to beat. It gets all the same M bits that the X3 M does, and weighs marginally less (we’re talking like, 20 pounds; 4597 pounds vs. 4610 pounds). The only real drawbacks are some minor aesthetics and a small price premium over the X3 M. That said, the X4 M still looks considerably better than some of the newer creations rolling out of the BMW plant. Like the X3 M, the X4 M will be limited to just one generation – so if you want a new one, now is the time.

BMW X5 M

The best of the V8-powered M SUVs is hands-down the X5 M. It’s the best looking in our estimation, and $5,000 cheaper than the mechanically identical X6 M. Don’t get us started on the $35,000 upcharge that the XM requests of you. While earlier models were stuck with the S63 engine, new X5 M models benefit from the S68, which brings mild hybrid power and consummate bumps to efficiency while still providing the same 617 horsepower and 553 pound-feet of torque. Both units displace 4.4 liters and utilize twin turbochargers.

Having driven an X5 M or two on the track, I can personally attest to the SUV’s physics-defying dynamics. It’s way too big to move with the agility it does, but then over 600 horsepower will do that – even to a nearly 5,500-pound tank. Zero to 60 mph occurs in roughly the same 3.5 seconds, and at speed it feels quicker than the littler M SUVs but, still, its extra size and heft is noticeable behind the wheel, and it’s still significantly more expensive. Most of the choice comes down to preference: if you need the agility, the X3 M is the way to go. If you just care about raw acceleration and speed, the X5 M is preferable.

BMW X6 M

The slope-roofed counterpart to the X5 M suffers from the same downsides as the smaller X4 M. So, expect slight compromises in cargo and head room areas in order to look “sportier.” The X6 M’s more polarizing appearance, combined with a higher MSRP, makes it just a close second between the mostly-the-same X5 M. The driving thrills remain intact from its more traditionally shaped X5 counterpart.

BMW XM

Well, we have to talk about it. The good news is that the BMW XM Label is technically still the most powerful M vehicle in production, offering 738 horsepower from a hybrid setup comprising a 4.4-liter V8 and a 25.7 kWh battery pack. Unfortunately, BMW forgot to design the vehicle, and so we’re stuck with an unfortunate confluence of seemingly random body lines, angles, and grilles that make the XM not undriveable, but far from pleasant to look at.

Between a sky-high MSRP of $159,000 and jaw-dropping, head-scratching aesthetics, it’s hard to recommend the BMW XM. The X5 M does better from a performance perspective, and the X7 M60i is about as luxurious while costing tens of thousands of dollars less.