New BMW Car Reviews
New BMW X1 Car Review

LITTLE X

BMW has had considerable success with its 4x4 X models. The X1 is an attempt to bring the formula to a new audience. Steve Walker reports.

We’re used to seeing the word ‘sport’ attached to 4x4 vehicles but how many of them can really justify the association? Sport, when used in car circles, suggests a link to motor sport and the practice of going quickly around corners and down straights. Handicapped by its high centre of gravity and the weight of its all-wheel-drive mechanicals, the 4x4 is inherently ill suited to such tasks - unless the course happens to be marked out across a ploughed field. That doesn’t stop manufacturers referring to their off-roaders as SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) or SAVs, (Sports Activity Vehicles) but in reality, very few can entertain on the level of conventional road-biased alternatives. BMW has had more success than most when it comes to building some dynamism into its 4x4 products and with the X1, it’s confident of making sure that the sport tag sticks.

BMW entered the 4x4 market with the X5 in 1999, the car quickly establishing a reputation as one of the sharpest-handling luxury 4x4s money could buy. In 2004, the X3 followed with a similar tarmac focus and 2008 saw the X6 make its appearance as the most unashamedly road-biased of the BMW off-roaders. The X1 continues the trend for BMW 4x4s that shun the joys of getting back to nature in favour of excelling where most 4x4 owners actually drive; in towns and cities, on motorways and B-roads. With rear-wheel-drive versions on offer as well as full four-wheel-drive models, could this be the purest sporty 4x4 yet?

BMW has noted the overwhelming dominance of diesel engine sales in its other 4x4 models and has come up with a diesel-only engine range for the X1. Buyers get to choose between three versions of the acclaimed 2.0-litre common-rail diesel engine that’s featured so prominently in its 3-Series and 1-Series lines. With the two less powerful units, they must also decide whether to specify xDrive four-wheel-drive or sDrive rear-wheel-drive. The entry-level option is the sDrive18d which has the 143bhp version of the third-generation common-rail turbo diesel engine. The xDrive18d has four-wheel-drive and the same engine. Then come the sDrive20d and xDrive20d which use a 177bhp version of the same powerplant. The range-topping model is the xDrive23d which has twin turbochargers and generates 204bhp as a result. A six-speed manual gearbox comes as standard but the xDrive23d is also available with a sports automatic featuring wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

The rear-wheel-drive versions of the X1 are between 0.5 and 0.3 seconds faster than their four-wheel-drive counterparts as a result of their reduced weight. The entry level engine manages the sprint from 0-60mph in 9.6s in rear-wheel-drive guise, while the sDrive20d takes just 8.1s. At the top of the range there’s some serious performance on offer from the xDrive23d which takes 7.3s to reach 60mph and uses its twin turbos to great effect in producing a flat torque curve with a powerful 400Nm maximum available between 2,000 and 2,250rpm.

The model naming policies perused by BMW aren’t always what they seem, hence the three two litre diesel engines being badged 18d, 20d and 23d and the X1 being based on the 3 Series platform rather than that of the 1 Series hatch. Despite its underpinnings originating from the larger car, the X1 is a diminutive proposition that’s noticeably smaller than mainstream compact SUVs like Land Rover’s Freelander. Its long bonnet, wide stance and small glass area help create the sporty look that BMW is aiming for but there’s nothing truly remarkable about the X1’s appearance. This is the manufacturer sticking to its tried and tested formula. It’s a similar story inside the cabin with another of the marque’s classy interior designs in evidence but little to excite those who’ve ventured into a BMW before.

It’s immediately clear that the X1 is not the car for buyers who get their tyres dirty on a regular basis. The xDrive 4x4 models have no additional modifications to improve their ability off-road and with modest ground clearance, the X1 will soon start dragging its belly on moderate off-road terrain. There are five seats but the rear bench isn’t the most generous from a leg room point of view and the hatch-backed boot can be extended up to a useful 1,350 litres with all the seats folded.

All X1 models come in SE trim but it’s possible to upgrade the interior with BMW’s Design package. This includes leather sports seats, Anthracite headlining and upmarket wood trim finishes. There are two satellite navigation options available which add the latest iDrive control interface to the X1. It now features favourites buttons to give quick access to specific menus without having to scroll through the system. The xDrive 4x4 models cost approximately £1,300 more than the sDrive rear-wheel-drive alternatives.

It’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a handle on where the various small 4x4 vehicles sit in the market with manufacturers continually claiming to have originated new niche sectors. The X1’s modest size and its on-road handling focus align it with crossover 4x4s like Nissan’s Qashqai and Ford’s Kuga but being a BMW, it’s rather more expensive than they are. In terms of price, it’s closer to the likes of Land Rover’s Freelander at the top end of the compact SUV market but doesn’t have the off-road ability or the interior space. The X1 is also unique in that it’s available in rear-wheel-drive form. It all makes this a tough car to pin down but you can bet that if it’s successful, we’ll see a cluster of others that look suspiciously similar.

The diesel-dominated engine range of the X1 bodes well for the running costs. As with performance, economy suffers when the extra weight of a 4x4 system is brought to bear on the car and the sDrive rear-wheel-drive derivatives are just under 5mpg more efficient than the xDrive 4x4s. The top performer is the sDrive18d with its 54.3mpg combined cycle showing but the sDrive20d is only a fraction behind with 53.3mpg. CO2 emissions for the two cars are 136g/km and 139g/km respectively. The xDrive23d comes in with 44.8mpg and 167g/km.

BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology is present in all of the X1 models and includes Brake Energy Regeneration, gear shift indicators and enhanced aerodynamics. Auto Start-Stop technology is also available on all manual models which stops the engine when the vehicle is stationary to improve economy.

The X1 could prove a timely introduction to the BMW range. It marries the desirable characteristics of a 4x4, such as the bold looks and the elevated driving position, to BMW’s excellent diesel engines and a road-biased chassis. Just when 4x4 vehicles are being routinely frowned upon for their environmental impact, here’s one that’s compact and economical too. Is it sporty? Well, it looks like coming as close as any 4x4 yet.

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