BMW X4 vs Tesla Model Y

What's the difference?

Okay, so the BMW X4 xDrive30i is neither an ass nor an elbow, to be fair, it's more of a bulky shoulder muscle, or two.

I can't say I'll ever love the X4, the idea of it is a bit too weird for me, but I can't help admiring the way it looks and the way it drives.

It's a bit like a sedan on steroids - or an SUV on a diet, depending on your perspective - but that doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s fun to drive, comfortable and retains just enough coolness, and just enough practicality, to make it worthwhile.

Tesla promised wholesale improvements to the Model Y, and this Juniper update delivers where it counts. But with increased, and sometimes cheaper, competition arriving every day, the pressure remains on Tesla to keep the Model Y ahead of the pack.

So here's the thing. Obviously I have a personal beef with the existence of vehicles like this, but my eyes cannot deny the facts - the X4 looks fantastic. It's muscular, imposing and smooth all at once. Unlike the X6, a bigger and less visually successful attempt to play the same styling tricks with an X5, it doesn't have a ridiculous rear view that looks like it shoulders and buttocks have been fused (although it's hard to miss just how small the rear window is).

Even more impressively, there's no denying it looks better than the X3 that gave birth to it, so I can easily see why someone in a BMW showroom could be drawn to it. At least until they sit inside.

If the exterior style and eye-catching Sophisto Grey metallic paint don’t make an immediate impression then your eyes will surely widen at the interior, resplendent with bold Tacora Red seats, Aluminium Rhombicle trim finisher and the kind of sleek, classy styling that BMW excels in. 

Both the adjustable ambient lighting on the doors (we were partial to lilac) and door projectors that shot out what looked like robot wings onto the ground every time we hopped out of the X4 at night walked a fine line between futuristic cool and “parked out the front of a nightclub entrance” chintz, but over time the scales tipped more to the former. 

The big differentiator between the X4 and X3, of course, is the sloped coupé roof, a design feature that may make the X4 look a little cooler, but at the expense of cabin space, but more of that in a moment.

We’re not talking massive changes here – more a modernising of the Model Y offering that doesn’t really change the shape or dimensions. 

The most noticeable changes outside are the front and rear light bars, spanning the width of both the bonnet and the boot. They’re a nice touch, and seriously soften what many (including me) consider the worst angles of the Model Y. There are also new headlights, a refreshed front bumper and a new look for the alloy wheels.

Inside, it is the absolute definition of pared-back minimalism. In fact, some could argue it’s gone a little bit too far.

There are no physical buttons anywhere but on the steering wheel, and there's just the one stalk, which has the sole function of operating the indicators. Everything else - mirrors, windscreen wipers, headlights etc - are accessed either through the steering wheel, or through the central screen.

And that includes the gear selector, which is now a swipe-down-for-reverse, swipe-up-for-drive function on the central screen. You might love that, but I don't. I'm sure I'd get more used to it, but initially it did nothing but slow down how quickly I could get the car moving.

Helpfully, the central screen is big and very easy use, and logging into Spotify and Apple CarPlay does largely negate the missing phone mirroring – though if the function exists, I couldn't get it to read my incoming texts to me.

Our test car's cabin was black but highlighted with quality-feeling fabric panels in the doors and on the dash, which are then framed by a metallic-feeling mesh, helping the Model Y's cabin feel definitely elevated from the vehicles that came before it.

For a car that is very much a mid-sized SUV on the outside, the interior can feel a bit too snug, like you’re driving a compact car that’s tried on a suit a few sizes too big (for reference, I’m 175cm tall - above-average height drivers may find the snugness soon turns to claustrophobia). 

While comfortable - it is BMW we’re talking about, after all - there’s not an overly abundant amount of headroom available, a feeling that becomes more pronounced should you shut the big moon roof.

My two children felt slightly too close to “you’re annoying me” distance from one another, which is to say this isn’t really the kind of car you should be getting if you plan on regularly ferrying about passengers in the rear who are bigger than a child. But I really don't think many people with kids would choose the X4 over the X3.

Boot space also takes a hit when compared to the X3 (550 litres versus 525-litres in the X4 - I was surprised the difference wasn't larger - although that expands to 1430-litres with the rear seats folded down. 

The boot opening is also mouth-shaped, which makes packing in wide-load items more of an issue.

Cupholders are plentiful - two in the front, two in the rear, and bottle holders in each door - and there’s a decent-sized storage cubby in between the front two seats. 

The sloped roof, and big fat A pillars, also result in the X4 being a bit more pinched at the rear, which is not especially great for visibility, with the vehicle’s blind spots taking some getting used to.

The new Model Y stretches 4792mm long, 1982mm wide and 1624mm tall, and the practicality perks of the outgoing model still shine strongly in this new version.

Climb into the backseat and you’ll find a seriously spacious area, and one that feels even bigger and lighter thanks to the completely flat floor and the glass roof.

Even sitting behind my own 175cm driving position, there was ample knee and headroom, and the addition of the 8.0-inch rear screen, which supports two headphone connections, is a clever touch. Gone are the mind-numbing days of staring out the window on long family road trips. Now, kids get access to YouTube, Netflix and a heap of games.

There are also two USB charge points, and a pull-down divider that separates the comfortable rear seats. The door pockets front and rear are sizeable, and cabin storage abounds, including a hugely deep storage bin that separates the front seats.

Open the boot, and remove the shade, and you'll find another fairly massive storage area, including a deep hidden area under the boot floor. But you won't find a spare tyre – instead Tesla offers a 24-hour call-out service for the life of the warranty, where someone will come and repair or replace your tyre, should you have an issue.

Tesla isn't good at detailing specifics about its vehicles, but says you can expect a total 2138 litres of storage space in the Model Y, presumably with the rear seats folded flat and measured to the ceiling.

So yes, this Model Y RWD is the cheapest way into the Model Y family, listing at $58,900 before on-road costs – exactly $10k cheaper than the Long Range All-Wheel Drive.

That’s a little more than some of its core Chinese rivals, like the XPeng G6 which kicks off at $54,800, and a lot more than vehicles like the Leapmotor C10 and Geely EX5. But you could argue that Tesla has more brand standing than them in Australia, given it has been around for so much longer. 

Tesla has also jacked up the included features for this update, with heating and cooling for the front seats, new 19-inch alloy wheel designs, adaptive LED headlights, and a very cool 8.0-inch rear screen that gives backseat riders access to games, YouTube and Netflix.

Tech up front is handled by a 15.4-inch central screen on which you can connect your Spotify or Apple accounts, but there’s no Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The system pairs with a nine-speaker stereo, and there’s still the best wireless charging pad in the business below the screen.

Now, prepare to be confused. In the past, the 3.0 in the xDrive3.0i nomenclature might have led you to believe you'd bought a BMW with a 3.0-litre straight six engine. But in this case, you have not, the 3.0 just means you have a more exciting version of the 2.0; a TwinPower turbo 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder engine, making 179kW and 353Nm that the xDrive system delivers to all four wheels. 

The claimed zero to 100km/h time of 4.9 seconds feels completely realistic as this engine has plenty of poke. Put it in the Sport setting and you'll get some serious shove. Indeed, the switch between Comfort and Sport is very noticeable and changes the character of the car entirely.

The transmission is an eight-speed conventional torque converter automatic gearbox that’s both smooth and responsive. 

Again, Tesla keeps its cards close to its chest on specific outputs, but data we've seen points to this Tesla's rear-mounted electric motor producing 255kW, a smallish increase from the 220kW of the outgoing model.

Tesla says that's enough to produce a sprint to 100km/h time of 5.9 seconds.

The X4’s 65-litre tank needs to be 95-octane at a minimum, and BMW’s claimed combined fuel consumption is 7.9 litres per 100km. The temptation to use its rorty little engine is going to push you higher, though - you chose the one with the 3.0 badge on it after all - and we averaged 10.9 litres per 100km in our week together, which was mainly city driving, to be fair. 

Again, more cloak and dagger from Tesla here, but most reporting suggests a 75kWh battery is housed beneath the new Model Y.

We do know that our rear-drive Model Y will deliver a claimed 466km driving range on the WLTP cycle.

Charging is capped at a reported 220kW, with the brand suggesting 238km in driving range can be added in 15 minutes when using a 175kW Supercharger. Home AC charging is capped at 11kW.

The impressive trick that BMW continually pulls off with its SUVs is giving them the same sensual, muscular steering as its sedans, and an impressively similar ride and handling balance.

The steering is the highlight here, but it's also noticeable how planted to the road it feels.

The X4 speaks to its looks, in fact, by feeling sportier and more alive to drive than you'd expect an X3 to be.  

This is less an SUV for soccer mums and dads, and more a bastard love-child that’s into loud leather and bright neon - a CEO who dressed punk rock-lite on weekends, if you will. 

If those weekends are bereft of child taxiing and loading up the boot with several tons of kid stuff, then you’ll have a blast in the X4. 

Reviewing a Tesla Model Y at the moment is no mean feat. The company's very public figurehead is fighting for a front-row grid position in the battle for world's most unlikeable human at the moment.

But anyway, journalist hat on, personal views aside, Tesla has done a good job with the new Model Y. I actually didn't much like the outgoing model – the ride was too harsh, the steering too darty and the cabin too austere – but Tesla has comprehensively overhauled each of those drawbacks to create a car that is genuinely much better than it has ever been before.

Let's start with the cabin. It's still austere, but the quality feels higher and more premium, and while I'll die on a hill of the screen-controlled drive selector being a bad idea, it is otherwise now a nice place to spend time. The screen and the software powering it largely replace the perks of Apple CarPlay, and the addition of the rear screen is a very good one, too.

But the biggest improvements are in the way the Model Y drives. It's far more compliant on Sydney roads, while the steering sensitivity has been dialled back so it doesn't feel as though you're constantly making corrections.

I also like the power delivery in the RWD. It's not lightning fast, but the grunt is constant and feels really instantaneous and usable.

It's no sports car, though. Our test car took in some of the windiest roads in greater Sydney and beyond, and while the body roll and composure feels on point, the Model Y does struggle with really sharp cornering. The aggressive traction control was a constant passenger on the really challenging stuff.

Overall, the improvements are good, and very noticeable.

This Tesla Model Y wears the same five-star ANCAP safety rating as its predecessor, awarded back in 2022.

Everything you expect is present and accounted for, including seven airbags, auto emergency braking (AEB), lane departure warning and assist (the latter being a little too panicky for my tastes) and cameras front and rear.

Special mention for the brand's semi-autonomous functionality, which – while not perfect – is among the best I've experienced. On the highway, it will stay in the centre of its lane, rather than the bumper-bowling-style swaying that some systems serve up, and change lanes for you when you indicate.

Despite all the brouhaha about other car manufacturers offering more generous warranty periods - seven years for Kia, for example - BMW has not shifted its stance, still offering its standard three-year unlimited-kilometre warranty. Frankly, it's just not good enough.

BMW also offer a Service Inclusive package for $2010 that covers owners for five years, or 80,000km.

Underwhelming, I'm afraid. A four-year/80,000km warranty might be the worst offered by any mainstream brand in the country. For the record, five-year/unlimited km is now the minimum standard, with many brands far exceeding that.

Servicing intervals are a bit scattered, with the brand instead listing when things need to be done, rather than a traditional schedule.