SUVs hit with the coupe baton are often viewed as unnecessary products. They’re a hard sell for the practical buyer because you sacrifice some headroom and rear cargo capacity, but end up paying more. Whatever the case, this niche is here to stay, which means these peppy SUVs must be worth the investment for automakers.
Although coupe SUVs have existed before, the BMW X6 is widely considered to be the pioneer of the style. Nearly two decades after the E71’s debut, the so-called Sports Activity Coupe (SAC) lineup is still alive and well. Even though the X4 is on the way out, an indirect replacement will soon fill the gap in Munich’s crowded lineup.
The iX4, first spotted earlier this week, sheds its disguise in a speculative design exercise. It was an easy vehicle to render as the changes from the iX3 are clearly visible in spy photos. The aggressively cut roofline immediately sets it apart from the conventionally shaped electric crossover.
From the beltline onwards you could mistake it for an i4. In fact, the iX4 resembles a jacked-up i4, which might explain why we haven’t heard of a possible replacement for the electric Gran Coupe. That and the fact that BMW will launch an i3 sedan next year.
Apart from its steeply sloping roofline, the iX4 exudes a “new class” design, which makes it clearly different from its predecessor “G02”. Speaking of codenames, the all-electric successor is known internally as “NA7,” while the regular iX3 is referred to as “NA5.” As for “NA6,” that designation belongs to the long-wheelbase iX3 that will be launched in China next year.
The iX4 will be BMW’s second electric coupe SUV after the iX2. Essentially everything from the basics to the technology should be carried over from the iX3. BMW could spice things up with new colors and wheel designs to highlight the model’s more stylish approach, but essentially it will be an iX3 with a noticeably lower roofline.
Expect to pay a premium over the iX3, which starts at 72,700 euros in Germany and around $60,000 in the US. The iX4’s slimmer shape could slightly improve range thanks to a potentially lower drag coefficient than the iX3’s at 0.24.
BMW will not begin deliveries of the iX3 until next spring, so the iX4 is not expected to be launched any time soon. Production is scheduled to begin in November 2026, suggesting customer deliveries are expected to begin in early 2027. However, the world premiere is expected to take place next fall.
Renderings: Kolesa.ru
