Yahoo Autos 2022 BMW X3, X4 updated, six-cylinder gains 48-volt mild hybrid system
BMW's X3 compact SUV and its X4 SUV coupe sibling get treated to minor mid-cycle updates for the 2022 model year. The 2022 X3 and X4 get exterior design tweaks including a redesigned front end — but, mercifully, not the towering grilles seen on the latest 4 Series — and the six-cylinder M40i versions gain BMW's 48-volt mild-hybrid system. There are also updates inside.
As before, the X3 is offered as the four-cylinder, rear-wheel-drive sDrive30i, as the all-wheel-drive xDrive30i, and as the six-cylinder all-wheel-drive xDrive M40i. The slope-back X4 skips the rear-wheel-drive configuration and comes only as the xDrive30i and Drive M40i.
The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine in the 30i models is unchanged, with outputs of 248 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six in the M40i variants makes 382 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Both engines pair with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The 3.0-liter's new mild-hybrid system, seen already in other BMW models with this engine, cannot power the car on its own but recuperates brake energy, which it stores in a dedicated battery, then taps that energy to assist the engine by powering the electrical system under load. It can add an extra 11 horsepower, and it also widens the bandwidth of the auto stop-start system, allowing engine shutdown at speeds below 9 mph when coming to a stop. The system also allows the engine to switch off when coasting at speeds from 15 to 99 mph.
