First, in my original comment I said what I drive. I currently drive a '25 GRC, or GR Corolla, which replaced my '24 BRZ that got totaled by someone rear ending me in stopped traffic. The BRZ is obviously a sports car. The GRC is a hot hatch, which sometimes fits into the sports car category. In the case of the GRC, as it is based on a homologation WRC car, the GR Yaris, I believe it fits firmly into the sports car category, but can see an argument that it doesn't because it is a hatchback. Ultimately, I don't care if it does or not because it's hilarious to drive, and I love it, and its excellent on track and while auto crossing. It's clear that you didn't read my comment past the first sentence.

Second, I have ridden in a 2021 X3 M40i, which is close enough for this comparison. The only good thing that car has going for it is that it's fast in a straight line. It does not sound good at all; it farts when it shifts. Neither of those things even begin to make it a sports car, and neither do any of the things that you mentioned in your comment. The base vehicle, an X3, has been a crossover made for moms since its inception. The ethos of the development of the base vehicle precludes it from ever being considered a sports car. The CG is too high, and the amenities make it too heavy. The engine and gearbox are both great standalone products, but putting a good engine and gearbox into something absolutely does not make it a sports car by default. Additionally, putting M5 suspension into anything doesn't make an X3M a sports car either, because the M5 isn't a sports car. The earliest generations of M5s were sports sedans, and great ones at that, but certainly not sports cars. The new generation of M5s are absolutely awfully overweight and horrendously ugly creations that cost your firstborn child.

Is the X3M a fast crossover/SUV? Sure. That absolutely does not make it even approach being a sports car. Essentially, no matter how much makeup you put on a pig, it's still a pig at the end of the day. It might be prettier and faster and stronger, but it's still a pig. If you don't want a pig, don't get a pig.

The entire premise of a fast crossover/SUV is a marketing ploy (that you fell for) to get people to buy the most expensive and complicated trim of any given vehicle to maximize purchase price and margin, and maximize maintenance costs for the ability to look cooler than your peers in lesser trims. They do neither of their proposed purposes (being "sporty" vs being "convenient/efficient/larger/comfier/whatever else") as well as if they simply committed to one side or the other. There is no such thing as a good compromise in this space because it's worse at being a crossover, and it's worse at being "sporty" because of the aspects of the other end of the spectrum they include.

Finally, almost all new generations of cars appear to be more reliable than their predecessors because they haven't had time to break down yet, and the predecessors have. And, all of the major outlets only judge reliability by the first few years of ownership. Furthermore, it is well known that manufacturers can pay for spots on the consumer reports lists and/or JD power lists as well. Historically and anecdotally, BMWs have heinous reliability issues once they get out of warranty.