BMW’s positioning its flagship SUV even higher by dropping its less powerful base trim.
When I had the chance to review the BMW XM a couple years ago, I said I never thought I’d find myself wanting one…but I did. You know why? Because if you’re going to spend well beyond $150,000 on a performance SUV, you’d want something different from the rest of the pack. I still contend this is the most dramatic effort BMW’s made to actually be different, and I commend that, even if you can’t get past the styling. It’s definitely an acquired taste, I’ll give you that, but if you’ve seen one out in the wild…well, you can’t help but look, can you?
The 2026 BMW XM carries on in a broadly similar vein, offering up a hugely powerful, controversially styled SUV for a healthy chunk of your bank account. This time around, though, the XM ‘Label’ variant — a 738-horsepower version that entered the lineup for 2024 — is now the only option you’ll have. There’s no more 644-horsepower base version, and with that you can expect to spend around $190,000 for your new XM.
That said, BMW has made some changes for 2026 to go along with the model streamlining. Along with a 4.4-liter V8 and a transmission-adjacent electric motor working together to crank out 738 horsepower and 738 lb-ft of torque, the XM gets a beefier AC charger to replenish its 26-kWh battery pack. If you actually use your XM to commute, that can be a huge improvement, considering BMW quotes this more potent version at around 47 miles of all-electric driving range. The 3.6-second 0-60 time and 155 mph top speed (or 175 mph with the M Driver’s package) remain the same.
A new color joins the 2026 XM palette from the BMW Individual range: Frozen Tanzanite Blue Metallic. BMW also took the opportunity to show off some new Jet Black 23-inch wheels here, and you also get a new welcome light animation that the automaker says makes the car look “especially impressive” after dark.
Three new interior color combinations also join this year’s range: Night Blue or Black with Vintage Coffee accents (both completely finished in Merino leather) and Silverstone. The last one gets “extended” accents, which don’t give you the complete leather treatment on some surfaces, whereas you do get leather pretty much everywhere with the full Merino leather setup.
BMW plans to unveil the 2026 XM Label to the public at this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, specifically on Saturday, June 14. Beyond that, the automaker says it will start production in August. We don’t know how much it will cost yet, but the 2025 XM Label will set you back at least $187,625 before you tack on options. Expect the 2026 model to cost at least a little more when it does arrive in the fall.
