BMW IX1 vs BYD Atto 2

What's the difference?

BMW is a true EV pioneer, as the 2014 i3 and subsequent models prove. There’s never been one that we didn’t like. The only problem was that all were expensive. And at times, prohibitively so.

Astoundingly, the iX1 breaks that cycle, comparatively speaking, while impressing us with its design, quality, packaging, dynamics and equipment levels.

As it stands, the xDrive30 is one of the most convincing and best-value medium-sized luxury SUV EVs on the market right now.

Who’d have thought it from a BMW?

The BYD Atto 2 isn't just the cheapest electric SUV in Australia, it's also one that doesn't feel all that cheap, which is a hell of a magic trick. If it's easy, comfortable city motoring you're after, the Atto 2 delivers in spades. But if your blood type is high octane, there are better driving EVs out there.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with meals provided.

Note: The author, Andrew Chesterton, is a co-owner of Smart As Media, a content agency and media distribution service with a number automotive brands among its clients. When producing content for CarsGuide, he does so in accordance with the CarsGuide Editorial Guidelines and Code of Ethics, and the views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Arguably the prettiest new BMW SUV you can buy today, the well-proportioned iX1 is nearly impossible to spot over its almost-identical ICE (U11) X1 siblings.

Besides the badging, look for some blue trim bits and pieces inside and out, along with additional digital touchpoints inside.

And while both ride on the same all-new platform that’s resulted in a substantially larger body compared to previous X1 generations, the EV version seems a bit more slammed.

Dimensionally, the iX1 mirrors today’s X1 at 4500mm long and 1845mm wide, and still sits on the same 2692mm wheelbase, but is 26mm shorter at 1616mm tall and offers 35mm less ground clearance at 170mm.

Result? These plus a bunch of aero enhancements mean the slipperiest iX1 manages a Cd of just 0.26, according to BMW.

And, inevitably, the extra size equals more space inside.

I think it’s a sharp-looking thing, this Atto 2. Kudos to BYD for not making the design look like it’s trying too hard, or like the Atto 2 is something it isn’t. It’s just smooth, sensible small SUV with styling that looks like it will age gracefully.

I like the chunky black moulding which makes it look a bit tougher than it is, plus the LED DRLs and swept back (and spoiler-equipped) roofline add a bit of visual drama.

Inside, BYD has made two pretty good choices. The first is that the cabin feels toned down from the one in the Atto 3 (which is all chunky wheel-style controls and vents). 

This one feels far more sedate and conventional in its design, which I think is a win.

The other good decision is to equip the Atto 2 with soft plastics, rather than hard scratchy ones, in places like the door panels. In some cheaper cars, you feel your elbows constantly rubbing against cheap-feeling plastics, but that’s not the case here.

Too much stuff is still controlled through that central screen, and BYD has an awkward way of shortcutting functions. They call it a three-finger swipe, meaning that if you run three fingers across the screen horizontally you can adjust the climate-control’s fan speed, while swiping horizontally adjusts temp, but it feels like a weird movement.

BMW also says the iX1’s cabin is almost as roomy in some ways as the larger X3.

Large doors allow for easy entry and egress, onto sumptuous front seats that provide exceptional comfort and support even on longer journeys.

Surrounded by an expansive feeling of space, the interior feels light and airy, as well as fresh, inviting and premium looking – something previous-gen X1s were rarely accused of being.

We’re talking on-brand stuff here, beginning with the excellent driving position, ahead of a crisp and attractive dash that’s pleasing to behold. Push-button starting and a small toggle lever operates the transmission.

An ever-so-slightly curved (towards the driver in the best-BMW old-school way) rectangular binnacle houses two digital displays – a 10.25-inch one ahead of the driver offering an array of configurable electronic dials, as well as a 10.7-inch multimedia touchscreen.

BMW pioneered the multimedia controller more than 20 years ago with iDrive, and this descendent of that system reveals all that expertise gained by being intuitive to operate and quick to respond to commands once familiarised. Which shouldn’t take too long.

It’s all very-EV centric, as the industry inexorably moves to total electrification, but there were a couple of voice-command errors in the iX1, revealing that such systems are still far from perfect. BMW does provide audio volume and climate hard buttons, thankfully, so the basics are looked after.

Speaking of which, the iX1 offers decent levels of vision out, superb ventilation and ample storage in the doors, on the dash and between the front seats. And, as we’ve noted previously in BMWs, the upright smartphone charger is a clever idea. Keeps it in position and is handy to glance at.

Out back, backrest comfort and support is A-OK, and even with the optional sunroof, our test iX1 provided sufficient space for taller bodies, while expected items like ventilation grilles, USB ports and cupholders are fitted.

Note that, though the 40/20/40-split backrests recline slightly, they do not slide as per in the ICE X1, as this is a desirable option.

Nor is the cargo capacity as good in the iX1, due to the inevitable space demanded by that rear-axle-mounted electric motor and battery pack. For the record, ranges from 490 litres to 1495L instead of 540-1527L. Plus, there’s no spare tyre, with just a tyre repair kit fitted.

These aside, the iX1’s spacious and inviting interior remains one of the compact SUV segment’s best.

The Atto 2 measures 4310mm in length, 1830mm in width and 1675mm in height and it rides on a 2620mm wheelbase. It also sits on BYD’s fully-flat EV platform, which helps to maximise space in the back seat.

I’m 175cm tall and could get comfortable behind my own driving position, with enough knee and headroom to ensure I didn’t feel cramped.

There are two ISOFIX attachment points, one in each window seat in the back as well as USB-A and -C connection points.

Boot space is a not cavernous, but also not tiny, 380L with the rear seats in place, growing to 1320L with the rear pews folded flat. Both models also offer a V2L (Vehicle to Load) connection, too, so you can power up household devices.

This thing really is cheap. The BYD Atto 2 arrives with a two-model range kicking off with the Dynamic, at $31,990, before on-road costs, before stepping up to the Premium at $35,990 BOC. They both get the same motor and battery, by the way, so the extra money comes down to extra kit.

The Dynamic rides on 16-inch alloys wrapped in cheaper Westlake rubber, scores LED headlights and DRLs and gets rain-sensing wipers and heated wing mirrors. Inside, there’s a 10.1-inch central touchscreen, an 8.8-inch driver display, synthetic leather seats with manual adjustment up front and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto linked to a four-speaker stereo.

The Premium rides on 17-inch alloys wearing better Hankook rubber, and there’s a panoramic glass roof with a shade and roof racks. Inside, the central screen grows to 12.8 inches, and there’s an eight-speaker stereo and a wireless charge pad. Your seats are now electronically adjusted and heated and cooled. Plus there’s some extra safety stuff, but we’ll cover that off in a second.

The iX1 boasts BMW’s fifth-generation EV drive system, known as eDrive 5.0 (M170SF).

Being an xDrive30, there are two electric motors fitted – one on each axle to provide all-wheel drive. Both are electrically excited synchronous motor set-ups.

Drive is predominantly to the front wheels via a single-speed reduction gear transmission, unless extra traction is required, in which case the rear motor kicks in to power the back axle.

Combined with the aid of an overboost function, they deliver 230kW of power and 494Nm of torque, for a 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.6 seconds, on the way to a 180km/h top speed.

Tipping the scales at 2010kg, the xDrive30 provides a power-to-weight ratio of 114kW per tonne, which is a healthy number.

Suspension is via MacPherson-style struts up front and an independent three-link design out back.

If you care, towing limits are 1200kg braked and 750kg unbraked, with a 570kg maximum payload.

Both Atto 2 models share the same powertrain - a front-mounted electric motor producing 130kW/290Nm which is sent to the front tyres. It feels fairly sedate, even under flat-footed acceleration, though BYD reckons you can knock off the sprint to 100km/h in 7.9 seconds.

BMW says the xDrive30 consumes an average of 18.3kWh/100km.

On the launch drive program, the vehicle displayed 21.3kWh/100km. That included some spirited highway and mountain-road driving conditions.

Fitted with a 67kWh lithium-ion battery pack with a useable 65kWh, the iX1 offers an ADR 81/02-rated range of 400km.

This means a relatively common 50kW DC public charger with a CCS Combo 2 socket will need about 65 minutes to replenish the battery from 10 to 80 per cent or about half an hour with a 150kW charger.

If neither are available, you'll require about 34 hours to charge to 100 per cent maximum using the normal household powerpoint plug. Or, as mentioned earlier, a 22kW AC Wallbox cuts that down to about 3.5 hours.

Each iX1 includes a three-year subscription with Chargefox.

Both models also share the same battery, a 51.1kWh LFP unit, which should unlock a WLTP driving range of 345km. AC charging is pegged at 7.0kW, so a good match for a standard home wallbox, while DC fast charging is 82kW. Using the latter, BYD says you should go from 10 to 80 per cent charged in 38 minutes.

One of the best things about the iX1 xDrive30 is that it has just enough EV smoothness, refinement and speed to feel special, yet still drives and behaves as a BMW should.

Which hasn't always been the case with previous-gen X1s.

It helps that, from the driver’s seat, everything falls into place: the bracing seats, thoughtfully positioned relative to all controls; and the overall sporty/quality ambience that puts you into the brand mindset.

Select Drive, and the iX1 leaps away sweetly and silently, accompanied by an electric motor whir that's quite pleasing. At speed, acceleration is instant for fast overtaking and there’s plenty more in reserve if you really need to hustle along.

For a 2.0-tonne compact SUV, the steering is remarkably responsive, providing nimble yet secure handling. Maybe it’s all the low-slung weight and near-50:50 weight distribution, but the iX1 displays impressive cornering and road grip. It’s an enjoyable drive.

Initially, novices might find the brakes a bit sudden, but they’re actually pretty progressive once you get used to them, and they feel and stop with a more natural pedal feel than many hybrids we’ve experienced. Again, BMW has tuned the xDrive30 to feel inclusive.   

Speaking of the stoppers, there are no paddle shifters to control the amount of single-pedal off-accelerator braking as per many other EVs, but putting the transmission from ‘D’ to ‘B’ brings a decent level of deceleration if not a full stop – as if you’re lighting resting your foot on the pedal. We’d like the option of a heavier self-braking function, though.

The launch program avoided city roads and heavy traffic, but we still found plenty of bad, pot-holed surfaces to favourably judge the adaptive dampers’ ability to help soak up the bumps.

While not super-soft or supple, the suspension is cushy enough for a comfy ride. And certainly better than many past BMW SUVs.

A bit too much road and tyre noise intrusion aside, the xDrive30 is dynamically very sorted indeed.

Which, when you consider all the other positive aspects of the iX1, you end up with a BMW offering an impressively broad band of capabilities.

It’s rapid, nimble and reactive to driver inputs, as you’d expect an SUV from this brand to be, without the compromise of harshness or discomfort.

What it’s like around town in a peak-hour crawl, or how far you can really get from a fully-charged battery, is something we’ll find out when we can conduct a full road test, so please watch this space.

Until then, as it stands, things are looking promising indeed for the xDrive30. Especially factoring in the value pricing.

Your drive experience in the Atto 2 very much depends on what you ask of it.

Or to put it another way, the first half of my drive route was a breezy run through the city and suburbs, then onto the freeway, before arriving at our destination. 

It was probably 60 kays or so, and across it all the Atto 2 felt quiet and comfortable, with enough power at its disposal to easily get up to speed and stay there. 

In the second half, though, I hunted down some twisting roads and cracks started to appear. The ride is pretty solid and there isn't huge amounts of body roll during more enthusiastic cornering. 

But the steering is vague and there's plenty of slack – you can turn the wheel a fair bit without eliciting much response from the tyres.

Interestingly, turning the wheel with a bit of aggression also produced a weird sound up front, like you could hear the mechanicals shifting the tyres.

The tyres make a difference, too, with the Premium's more expensive Hankook rubber far happier to hang on without squealing than the Dynamic's Westlake tyres. 

But context is key here. The Atto 2 is an accessible, affordable city-focused EV, and it performs those duties admirably. But if you're sold on a car-driver connection, there isn't much of that on offer here.

The Atto 2 is yet to be assessed by ANCAP but there’s no shortage of stuff. The entry-level car gets six airbags, rear parking sensors and all the usual traction tech. Then there’s active cruise, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert in both directions - the list goes on. In fact, the only things the Premium adds on top are a 360-degree camera and front parking sensors. 

Last year, BMW introduced a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with all its products, finally catching up with the industry warranty average after a protracted period of just a three-year coverage.

While there’s no capped-price servicing, you can pre-purchase a number of service bundles, to help save a bit more money further down the track.

There's a choice of 'Basic' or 'Plus' packages, in four or six-year (both with unlimited kilometre) programs, known as 'Service Inclusive'. They cost $1263/$4784 and $1800/$5784, respectively. 'Plus' covers brake pads/discs and wiper blade rubbers.

Note, however, that roadside assistance remains at three years.

Keep in mind, too, that BMW vehicles have a self-diagnosis feature that varies the service intervals according to how they’re used as well as wear and tear.

Our advice is to keep making an appointment annually or at about every 10,000km, just to be on the safe side.

BYD’s warranty is an okay six years but just 150,000km, which is underwhelming compared to the best in the business. The battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km.

BYD vehicles typically have 12 month, 20,000km service intervals with capped price servicing, but the details are yet to be confirmed for the Atto 2.