2016 BMW X4 M40i defies classification

A bit tall for a wagon and with two too many doors to be a coupe, the BMW X4 M40i seems to have a bit of an identity crisis.

BMW calls the X4 M40i a Sports Activity Coupe. We're just gonna call it a small SUV.

The sharply sloping roof decreases headroom in the rear seats. Expect taller passengers to fight tooth and nail to see who gets to ride shotgun.

A long wheelbase and compact proportions reflect the design aesthetic of BMW.

The two large air intakes and the vertical slats of the traditional BMW kidney grille get a coat of ferric gray metallic paint.

While not a full M car, the X4 M40i has a new M Performance free revving 3-liter engine.

BMW's xDrive all-wheel-drive system puts the bias toward the back, to maintain the sporty driving characteristics of the ultimate driving machine.

The X4 M40i has some straight line chops, speeding up to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds.

The 3-liter, six-cylinder turbocharged engine is good for 355 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque.

You can get 20-inch light-alloy wheels on your SUV, er, Sports Activity Coupe, wrapped in some pretty serious Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires.

The $2,750 Technology package comes with a color head-up display, navigation, BMW Online and BMW Apps, real-time traffic, remote services and an instrument cluster with extended contents.

The eight-speed automatic transmission can truly be shifted manually. It won't upshift unless you tell it to. Hallelujah!

Just for good measure, the M leather steering wheel with shifter paddles is standard.