The all-wheel drive system will allow a hefty amount of power through the back gate which makes for interesting leadfoot corner exits if you’re into that sort of thing. We’re not, of course. We’re very innocent.

The effortlessness of the BMW drivetrain is matched by the soothing interior environment. Comfort seats with massaging functions soothe the driver and front passenger and there is so much option for contouring the bolstering and thigh support it becomes a little ridiculous. Bonus points for the side bolsters which move outwards to allow for easier egress and ingress – nice touch, that.

The large dash-top screen is easily controlled by the touchpad and scroll wheel that falls effortlessly to hand. The buttons for shortcuts are terraced so you can feel them out with ease once you remember their locations, which takes mere seconds.

The menus and options are extensive but not complex; it’s easy to navigate through them even if some people find the sheer number of options overwhelming. All the basic functions for navigation and audio are completely easy to access and use – which is really the main point.

My only gripe with the Human-Machine Interface (HMI) is the instrument cluster. It took me some time to figure out the setting to make things display in the gap between the digital gauges, and in the end I just gave up. There’s a lot of information in the bottom of the cluster but that big opening between the dials really feels like it should be filled in.

Once I’d made peace with that I found little to fault. Especially given how much I enjoyed the “sport display” view on the main 8.0-inch infotainment screen. The head-up display even picks up the audio information when you’re tuning stations, so you never have to take your eye off the road.

At $101,000 you’d expect to get all the bells and whistles but with most luxury brands you have to give the options book a good massage to get things you can get in less expensive cars as standard. This tester had nearly $12,000 worth of extras including the good value adaptive drive ($2,500) and the $8,300 M Sport Edition package. This package gives you the driving aids like active blind spot detection, surround view, head-up display, M steering wheel and aero, 20-inch wheels and a few other feel good bits, including the curiously named “ceramic control”. That feature is an upgrade to the finish of the gear lever, audio and climate controls plus the iDrive knob giving them a weighted feel and “deep black glaze”.

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