BMW X4 vs Range Rover Velar

What's the difference?

Look, personally I found it amusingly weird when German car companies started sloping the roofs on sedans and calling them “coupes”, despite the fact that they had four doors. Their ability to imagine segments, and find buyers in them, that have no reason to exist is almost something to admire.

But turning SUVs, like the already very capable X3, into coupes? Frankly, it’s like turning an ass into an elbow. Lower the roof to reduce headroom and shrink the boot? Why? Because it will look so sexy people won’t be able to resist it. That’s BMW’s approach with the X4 and, somehow, it seems to work.

And, to be fair, sporty SUVs are not a BMW thing: the Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q5 Sportback, and Mercedes-AMG’s range of GLC Coupé models have all taken off, each contributing toward an unlikely trend that doesn’t seem to be going away any time soon. 

The new Range Rover Velar P400e Dynamic HSE, or P400e for short, is the first Velar offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. In theory, this should make it a solid contender for those wanting a luxury SUV that produces a smaller and greener footprint.

It’s not as big as its Range Rover siblings, so if you’re after a sleeker Rangie that can do some 'mild' adventuring on the weekends while still looking flash during the week, this may be the one you’re looking for.

It faces competition from the BMW X5, Volvo XC90 and… at a stretch, the Porsche Cayenne. I’ve spent a week with the mid-level P400e Velar to see how it stacks up for everyday use.