The BMW XM is over the top in many ways, but under the hood, it’s a plug-in hybrid that could serve as a great way to get around without using gas.
BMW is trying to push boundaries a little. The company has been working to take new technologies and fuse them with luxury to build cars that feel both powerful and opulent. The BMW i7 was one early product of that effort, and now the BMW XM continues the trend by backing a plug-in powerplant with the serious oomph of a twin-turbo V8.
It may seem like the best of both worlds, but with a price tag starting at $159,000, you’re certainly paying for both. So what do you actually get for that money? I drove the base model of the BMW XM for a week to find out.A slightly gaudy, but high-end design
The first thing you’ll notice about the BMW XM is its design, which has been somewhat polarizing. Some really like the design of the XM, with its split headlights and larger front grille. Others, seriously dislike the look, even though the grille is certainly less over the top here than on other modern BMWs. I seem to fall somewhere in the middle — I don’t mind the grille, and while at times it can feel a little gaudy, the car doesn’t look bad in general.
I do prefer the rear of the XM to the front, though. The slim rear lights look modern and stylish, and the rear overall feels a little more scaled-back compared to the rest of the car.
Of course, the interior is anything but scaled-back, at least in the version I drove. In this case, however, I found that to be a good thing — I really liked the premium red leather interior, accent lighting, and generally high-end materials, even though they could all arguably also be described as gaudy.
