The high-performance plug-in hybrid features a handful of tweaks including faster AC charging for 2026
- BMW has introduced the 2026 XM, which features a handful of styling tweaks.
- The entry-level version has been eliminated, leaving only the high-output Label.
- Power comes from a 738 hp plug-in hybrid with a twin-turbo V8 and electric motor.
BMW has unveiled the 2026 XM, ahead of its debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend. It features a streamlined lineup as well as a handful of minor updates.
While the current model is available in XM and XM Label guise, BMW has eliminated the entry-level variant for 2026. This shouldn’t be too surprising as the crossover is a slow seller, which only found 1,974 buyers in the United States last year. That was a 14.7% drop from 2023 and it meant the XM was outsold by every other model including the 8-Series and Z4.
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The change means all US-spec XMs will come equipped with a high-performance plug-in hybrid powertrain that features a twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 engine, a 19.2 kWh battery pack, and an electric motor integrated into an eight-speed automatic transmission.
This setup gives the XM Label a combined output of 738 hp (550 kW / 748 PS) and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. It enables the model to rocket from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.6 seconds, before hitting a top speed of up to 175 mph (282 km/h) when equipped with the optional M Driver’s Package.
Besides the streamlined lineup, the 2026 XM features some relatively minor changes. One of the more welcome updates applies to charging as the AC rate has increased from 7.4 kW to 11 kW. This should allow for significantly faster recharging times, although BMW didn’t mention numbers.
On the styling front, there’s a new welcome light animation that is said to look “especially impressive after dark.” Buyers will also find a newly available BMW Individual Frozen Tanzanite Blue metallic paint color as well as 23-inch M wheels that offer a new Jet Black finish.
Speaking of colors, the interior has three new themes including BMW Individual Night Blue Full Merino Leather with Vintage Coffee accents, BMW Individual Black Full Merino Leather with Vintage Coffee accents, and BMW Individual Silverstone Extended Merino leather with Black accents. Furthermore, models equipped with BMW Individual Merino Leather now come standard with “rear seat comfort cushions matching the color of the seat surfaces.”
The 2026 BMW XM will go into production in Spartanburg, South Carolina this August and pricing will be announced closer to launch. However, we can expect a significant jump thanks to the elimination of the base model, which began at $160,500. With that variant gone, and considering the 2025 XM Label begins at $186,700 before destination, prices could shoot up to around $190,000.
To help celebrate the unveiling of the updated crossover, BMW M teamed up with British DJ Carl Cox. As part of the collaboration, Cox wove the sounds of the XM into an “aural celebration” of performance. The company said he used everything from the sound of the welcome chime to the roar of the twin-turbo V8.
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