2024 BMW X6 M Competition Review – Fortunately Looks Aren’t Everything

My mother always used to say, “Looks aren’t everything. But, if you can’t be good-looking, you’d better be smart and/or talented”. And yes, I know that lands squarely on the list of things you probably shouldn’t say in these days of social sensitivity. Yet, it also seems to be the rationale BMW’s product planning team applied to the

. Far from good-looking, the X6 M reminds me of a boxer capable of outstanding feats of fisticuffs, who also takes just as many punches as they land—and it shows. For 2024, the BMW X6 M Competition’s base price is $127,200. The price as tested for the example I drove was $146,345.

2024 BMW X6 M Competition First Impressions

If ever an automobile can be said to be brutal in appearance, the 2024 BMW X6 M Competition is the one. Possessing boldly linear angular details incongruently blended with the musculature of an Olympic-caliber bodybuilder, the X6 M Competition’s appearance is just as formidable as its performance potential. When you pull up in one of these, you don’t have to tell people it’s fast, they’ll see it. They will also see you aren’t particularly concerned about the beauty of your ride—and this is after a styling update for the 2024 model year. Somehow, BMW’s design team made the X6 M look even more brutal.

Exterior Dimensions

Driving Impressions And Performance

On the other hand, BMW’s powertrain team has created a thing of absolute beauty. An unabashed masterwork, the twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter DOHC V8 is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, which includes a 48-volt electric motor. And yes, this does make the X6 M Competition a hybrid.

However, you can dismiss any misconceptions of socially conscious gentility the term “hybrid” might engender. This is a wholly anti-social hybrid system, designed to maximize performance rather than fuel economy. As a result, the BMW’s all-wheel drive powertrain enjoys a total system output of 617 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque.

To say the X6 M is quick is like saying the suave cartoon polecat Pepé Le Pew is “mildly enamored” with females. That animated skunk absolutely adores females, and the X6 M goes like the stink that follows him around.

This thing is so defiant of the laws of physics it would do life with no possibility of parole if it were ever brought up on charges for doing so. Seriously. On top of its prodigious acceleration, this 5,375-pound SUV corners like a sport sedan that’s two-thirds its size and weight. The BMW’s all-wheel drive system is capable of feeding all available power output to the rear wheels when needed. And, in true BMW M fashion, the steering, suspension, brakes, throttle and exhaust can be tailored to respond according to the driver’s specific preferences.

BMW X6 M Competition Fuel Economy

The Feds quoted 13 MPG in the city, 18 on the highway, and 15 combined for the X6 M Competition. (You do remember I told you that the hybrid system wasn’t about fuel economy—right?) Those estimates proved just about spot on too. I averaged 14.9 MPG overall in a mix of city, highway and twisty back road driving, according to the X6 M’s trip computer.

Interior Design And Comfort

A strong point in the X6 M Competition’s favor is we drive vehicles from the inside rather than the outside. The handsomely crafted interior offers an abundance of luxurious touches. These include ambient interior lighting, massaging front seats with heating and ventilation, heated rear seats and heated and cooled cupholders. In other words, the X6 M’s passenger accommodations are palatial in nature. What’s more, they deftly blend those luxury features with the necessities potential performance demands.

Those deeply sculpted two-tone sports seats provided bounteous support when the X6 M was given free rein. Genuine carbon fiber accents bridged the worlds of luxury and sport, while looking perfectly suited to the environment.

What’s more, far from being all about looks, the passenger compartment delivered comfort in huge heaping helpings. Legroom was abundant up front and adequate in the rear. The same could be said for the shoulder and hip room. Granted, outward rear visibility was compromised somewhat by that sloping roofline, but that’s about the only flaw I could find.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

Let’s circle back to that curved digital display for a bit. The right side, offering comfort and convenience controls could be operated as a touchscreen or by using the dial on the center console. Many automakers have tried to improve upon BMW’s execution of this dial and pointer user interface—none have been successful.

But wait, it got even better. Certain functions also responded to hand gestures as well as voice commands. Meanwhile, BMW’s latest iDrive operating system was in the background, keeping the trains running on time. Both responsive and easy to use, I didn’t need to thumb the owner’s manual to get the platform to bend to my will. Wireless CarPlay and Android capability were also included, as well as inductive smartphone charging.

Granted, along with that extreme flexibility came a degree of complication. You’ll want to spend some time in your driveway cycling through its bounty before settling on any given setup.

Cargo And Storage Space

As you might imagine, that sloping rear end treatment did cut into cargo capacity somewhat. As a result, carrying taller items could be a challenge. Still, the compartment offered more than sufficient depth. The rear seats could be folded to amplify its capaciousness too.

The standard array of seat back pockets, as well as storage cubbies in the doors were offered. Center console stowage was nice and deep and there was a covered bin at the bottom of the center stack. These enabled me to leave behind smaller items of value without concerns about them being visible to interlopers.

2024 BMW X6 M Competition Vs. Its Competitors

As you might well imagine, car builders have to come pretty correct to field a competitor in this category. And, the two best suited to doing so, perhaps predictably, also just happen to come from Germany. These are the Audi RS Q8 Performance and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe.

How The BMW X6 M Competition Compares To The Audi RS Q8 Performance

With a price point starting at $136,200,

shares its platform with the

—albeit at a $100,000 discount. The RS Q8’s 4.0-liter DOHC V8 is twin turbocharged, like the BMW’s internal combustion engine. The Audi also has an electric motor embedded in its eight-speed automatic transmission.

As a result, the all-wheel drive powertrain enjoys 590 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Zero to 60 is quoted at 3.4 seconds and the Audi is said to run the quarter mile in 11.6 seconds at 119 mph. The RS Q8 is also big fun on twisty two lanes.

Audi has long been known for producing quality interior treatments with high esthetic values. To that end, the RS Q8’s passenger compartment stolidly lives up to the company’s rep. Additionally, at this price point, you’re entitled to the latest in tech, which is why the RS Q8 Performance can tell you when a traffic signal will change.

Comfort, ride and handling are more than commensurate with what you’d expect, given the nature of the SUV. Both seating rows offer plenty of space for full-size adults. Cargo capacity is suitably generous too.

How The BMW X6 M Competition Compares To The Porsche Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe

The most powerful

variant yet, the Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe delivers an eye-widening 729 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque. Pricing starts at $153,050. The plug-in hybrid Porsche’s 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 is teamed with an electric motor and feeds all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission.

You will exclaim the 15th letter of the alphabet, immediately followed by the four-letter profane term for excrement the first time you nail the throttle. A 3.5-second zero to 60 is quoted, along with an 11.3-second quarter mile at 124 miles per hour. The word “fast” doesn’t even come close to describing this Porsche SUV. Plus, the Cayenne steers, grips and stops with the competence you’d expect of any automobile with a Porsche badge on its nose.

Further, as is de riguer for this category, the interior treatment is both sumptuous and sporting oriented. In fact, everything from the seatbelt color to the materials choices can be individually selected. Here too, the latest tech is also offered as standard equipment.

Comfort and ride quality are more than acceptable. Hip, leg and shoulder room are good at all seating positions too. Yes, given the Porsche’s coupe-like roofline, some cargo capacity is sacrificed at the expense of style. However, there’s more than enough room in the back to accommodate a family of four on a vacation road trip.

Our Recommendation For Which Model You Should Buy

While both the Audi and the Porsche are handsomely styled, all three of these high-performance SUVs offer more than adequate comfort, as well as cargo capacity. You’ll also enjoy a high degree of exclusivity in any of these as they reside at the upper ends of their respective product lines. However, while all three of these vehicles offer exceptional performance potential, the Porsche easily outperforms its rivals from Audi and BMW.

So now, I’m guessing those of you who are familiar with my proclivities are saying, “He’ll choose the Porsche.” And, you’re right. But it’s not just because the Cayenne is a Porsche. Yes, that’s part of it —I’ll confess. However, the Cayenne Turbo E-Hybrid Coupe also offers the best handling, along with high style, good comfort, a robust tech suite, strong build quality and reasonable carrying capacity. Plus, who among us could really say no to 729 horsepower?

Still, there is a lot to be said about the X6 M Competition. Above all else, the Bimmer does prove beauty is only skin deep. Powerful, smooth and beautifully appointed, the 2024 BMX X6 M Competition is a standout high performance crossover SUV.