It may look like the defintion of a niche vehicle, but sales of the BMW X6 have proven there's a market for what the manufacturer calls a sports activity coupe. The X6 shares its platform and running gear with the more conventional X5 crossover but packages it in a more rakish body that, despite the coupe moniker, has four doors.
Mind you, the X6 is no sales blockbuster, but its marketplace performance has been much more steady than we'd have predicted at its introduction as a 2008 model. And it has been more popular than ever since a 2015 redesign that tightened and tweaked the body's edges.
Updates for 2018 include minor changes to the way BMW packages the X6's options; new trapezoidal tailpipe finishers for the entry-level xDrive35i; and models fitted with the M Sport package can be upgraded with a new 21-inch wheel design.
Elsewise, the X6 is carried over from last year in two trims, each one built around a different engine. The xDrive35i uses a 3.0L turbocharged six-cylinder that makes 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque, while the xDrive50i gets a turbo 4.4L V8 good for 445 hp and 479 lb-ft. You can't get this truck with the diesel or plug-in drivetrains offered in the X5. However, there is a high-performance X6M variant, which we've covered in a separate buyer's guide entry.
But before you consider going that route, bear in mind the V8-powered xDrive50i model offers a fair bit of performance of its own, with BMW boasting about a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.8 seconds. Not long ago, that was supercar territory.
Twenty-inch wheels fitted with wide tires are standard here and emphasize the X6's bulk, especially when viewed from the back.
On the outside, standard kit in the xDrive 35i includes 20-inch wheels, adaptive (steerable) Xenon headlights, adaptive brake lights, heated auto-dimming side mirrors with power fold function, and heated windshield washer jets.
Convenience features include an auto-dimming rearview mirror, heated steering wheel and front seats, power tilt-and-telescopic steering, power tailgate, 10-way power front seats, power tailgate, Dakota leather upholstery and dual-zone automatic climate control.
Safety items include front and rear park assist, backup camera and rain-sensing wipers.
The options list is long: there's Nappa leather, Bang & Olufsen stereo, Merino leather, a performance package, dynamic adaptive suspension, driving assistant plus, night vision with pedestrian detection, and a rear seat entertainment system.
Unsurprisingly, there's little competition in this tiny niche of the upscale crossover market. Mercedes-Benz makes a GLE-Class coupe, and both Benz and BMW make smaller vehicles in a similar shape, called the GLC Coupe and X4, respectively.
Fuel consumption estimates are 13.0/9.8 L/100 km (city/highway) for the xDrive35i model, and 15.4/11.2 in the xDrive50i.
This vehicle has not yet been reviewed
