This is arguably the strongest card the XM plays, despite some caveats.
In 2025 it is obvious this cabin layout hails from a slightly older BMW playbook, but that is no bad thing. Our test car’s cool metal trim blended with matt carbonfibre and sumptuous leathers to excellent effect. There is a conspicuous lack of the transparent plastic found on the new M5, and the gearlever – a protuberance BMW now prefers to do without – feels fabulously expensive. Sturdy physical switchgear adorns the door cards, and the matching of the Alcantara-like roof and pillar trim to the dashboard is very neat indeed. In general the atmosphere of the place reminds us of Alpina’s historically opulent takes on the 7 Series.
For a full-size SUV, this is also an excellent driving environment, with broad adjustability and the M Multifunctional seats (which can tip forward and back from the shoulder point) that BMW only fits to its most senior performance cars.
It’s also good to find that the XM’s dashboard is tilted towards the driver, though no more than you would find in an X5 M. Atop it sits BMW’s squared-off merger of instrument binnacle and infotainment, though such is the scope of this cabin that the set-up doesn’t feel overbearingly large, as it does in other models. The XM feels like a car, not a tech-fest.
The software is the latest iDrive 8.5. The menus remain a little icon-heavy and there is certainly some style over substance in the home screen, but there’s no shortage of information and the wireless smartphone mirroring is crisp and responsive. The phone charging pad does get overly hot, however.
From the driver’s perspective, the XM experience is ergonomically correct and has a quality that justifies the price. This is, however, rather a louche environment by typical M standards, particularly with the baseball-glove leather of our test car, and things only get more unexpected in the rear.
It starts with the cushions, which are not especially ‘M’, even if they do make a real difference to comfort. Neither is the name given to this space: M Lounge. Your typical M5 owner is going to find much of this OTT, but there’s no question that the sculptural, wrap-around second row of the XM is a comfy place to be, and the measured knee room of 790mm is better than that of the Range Rover Sport (750mm), if 10mm shy of the Aston Martin DBX. The nightclub vibe continues with the roof. Despite appearance, this is not a cover that retracts to reveal glass. This contoured panel is the event itself, with side lighting that reflects the driving mode. Presumably if the edges glow a livid red, back-row passengers should expect an imminent multi-car overtake.
The boot floor is high on account of the fuel tank and the space needed for the V8 XM’s differential housing. However, it’s still spacious, with a useful squared-off aperture, and the second-row seats fold flat. One drawback is that there is no underfloor cubby for the charge cable. You get a posh duffel bag.
