2023 BMWXM Base For Sale

The 2023 BMW XM is a high-performance SUV with a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Pricing starts at $159,000.

BMW’s M division usually takes existing BMW vehicles and turns them into dream machines for real enthusiasts, like the famed M3 sport sedan, spawned from the 3 Series. In this respect, the new XM is not a typical M creation.

It’s the M division’s first in-house model in decades (there was an M1 supercar made from 1978 to 1981). And since there’s an X in the name, it’s clear that this is an SUV. Not exactly an obvious choice for driving thrills. But the next step is even less obvious.

Although the M engineers could have just put a powerful engine under the hood (which they have), gulped down a celebratory coffee, and then moved on to other aspects, they decided to make this a plug-in hybrid model.

A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) has a battery that can be recharged from an outside source. It’s bigger than a regular hybrid’s battery, enabling the vehicle to cover an appreciable distance on electric power alone. This usually means a more powerful electric motor as well.

Instead of the typical PHEV approach of making each gallon of gas go as far as possible, the 2023 XM wires up electric enhancement in the pursuit of performance, making a total of 644 horsepower. Driving an M vehicle usually feels electrifying. Now it really can be.