2021 BMW X1 Reviews

EVER bought a new pair of shiny shoes you saw in the store window — then came close to throwing them away? You liked the look but once you started wearing them you found they were just too uncomfortable.  Then, after a week, you have sufficiently broken them in to the point you can live with them. BMW's new X1 is a bit like that.Parked in the showroom window the styling is oddly appealing — this is a premium priced softroader but it looks more like an oversized hatch so it doesn't look too bulky.  But like new shoes I couldn't get comfortable with the baby Bimmer at all for the first three or four days. I came close to hating it.By the end of the week that all changed. Gradually the heavy gearshift didn't feel so truck-like, the steering not as heavy, the ride not so uncompliant and the seating position not so rock hard and awkward.The X1, launched last month, is the tiny tot in BMW's X family, joining the oversized (and some would say irrelevant) X6, the excellent X5 and the somewhat lacklustre X3.  The new One is based on the 3 Series platform which is a big plus because it provides plenty of cabin space thanks to the longer wheelbase than the 1 Series hatch.Engines and gearboxesSo what's on offer here? OK this is where it gets a little confusing.  At present you have a choice between two all-wheel drive 2.0-litre turbo diesels — an auto-only 23d with 150kW to play with or the lesser 20d (as tested here) with 130kW; it offers a six-speed manual as standard but you can option a six-speed auto.BMW will broaden the X1 family next month (June) with a rear-wheel drive which will be badged the sDrive (that's BMW-speak for two-wheel drive) to distinguish it from the xDrive all-wheel drive. It will share the 2-0-litre turbo diesel motor but being only two-wheel drive will naturally be cheaper to buy.  Also being added to the X1 lineup will be two petrol variants, an entry level, two-wheel drive four-cylinder 18i (110kW) and a straight six-cylinder all-wheel drive 25i (160kW) and this one will be an auto only.Pricing and optionsNow there's no escaping these pint-sized softroaders (sorry, BMW likes to call them SAVs – that's Sports Activity Vehicle) come with a premium price tag. BMW says the X1 is the world's first luxury compact wagon and has priced it accordingly.  Hence the price range: from $43,500 for the base 18i to $56,800 for the 25i. But a word of caution is timely here.BMW likes to have a long list of options, so if you start ticking the boxes for extras the price rises rapidly.  For example, we drove the manual 20d this week. It has a list price of $52,700, plus onroad costs.That buys you a reasonable standard kit including a full raft of safety gear, hill decent control, a decent audio system, automatic air conditioning, trip computer, central locking, push button start and automatic wipers and headlamps. Missing from action? Power-adjustable front seats are not standard nor is a multi stack CD player which seems a bit penny pinching at this price level.But the test wagon was also fitted with nine options — worth $15,400.  BMW charges $1700 for metallic paint (and you don't have much of a choice here because the majority of its paint colours are metallic).Add on $2500 for larger 18-inch alloy wheels, $3000 for a gorgeous panorama glass roof, $2900 for a satellite navigation system, $900 for a rear-view camera, $1200 for alloy roof rails and side sills, $715 for front and rear park distance warning system and $2340 for a smart interior design package with leather-clad sports seats.Now the price is more than $68,100 - before onroad costs.  Of course its all a matter of personal choice. If I were buying the wagon I'd go for the glass roof, the excellent and easy to use nav system, much-needed rear camera and park distance control and save myself nearly $7900 on stuff I don't really need.DrivingThere's a lot to like about the X1 once you settle in.  For example, there's a neat stop-start party trick to save fuel wasted when running at idle.  Once normal operating temperatures and desired cabin temperature have been reached, the X1 will automatically switch off the engine when stopped if neutral gear is selected. Pushing the clutch fires it up again.There's also an indicator on the dash which suggests what gear you should be in to give the best fuel return. And fuel consumption is excellent. We hovered between 6 and 7 litres per 100km without trying too hard for a mix of city and country running. BMW's own consumption figure is 5.8l/100km combined.We also loved the X1's strong diesel engine and its road manners. This is a wagon which loves to be driven and has the ability to do so in spades. Cornering grip is impressive. The ride, on those horrible runflat tyres, is hard and sometimes unforgiving and the suspension is firm.The downsides: gear shifting is tiresome because it is heavy, so the auto is a better choice.  The steering is also far too heavy in city traffic but, conversely, good on the highway so there's a compromise here.  Oddly, even the door mirrors are too chunky and hinder your side view at a time when most manufacturers make them too small.And while BMW has made a big effort to improve cabin storage, the X1 is still lacking. There are generous door pockets (with neat elastic drink holders), but centre console space is limited and the roadbook all but swallows the glovebox. The lack of a spare wheel helps, of course, with good space under the rear floor.The X1 won't appeal to all, but if you are into fashion, it has much going for it.BMW X1 20dPrice: from $52,700 plus on-roads.Engine: 2.0-litre turbo dieselPower: 130kW @ 4000rpmTransmission: 6-speed manualTorque: 350Nm @1750-300rpm.RivalsSubaru Outback 2.0D Premium (from $43,990)VW Tiguan 103 TDi (from $36,990) 

Something went wrong between a good idea and the BMW X1 parked in the Carsguide driveway.The newest member of the X-car family looks right, and the idea is right, but when you get behind the wheel it lags behind the Subaru Outback which first got the world going down the compact all-wheel drive wagon trail. It's a surprise, because BMW's X5 has been the premium SUV pace-setter since the first car arrived a decade ago, and the baby 1 Series - which provides the base for the X1 - is a pocket rocket and a Carsguide favourite.What lets the X1 down? It's something about the packaging, something about the cabin quality against the price, and something about the dynamics of the chassis and the response of the two-litre turbodiesel engine. Don't get me wrong, the X1 is a sure-fire showroom winner in Australia, but that will be more about the badge and yummy mummies in trendy suburbs than the quality of the basic design and engineering. Is this harsh? Yes. Could I be wrong? Perhaps.But I jumped straight from the X1 into a diesel-engined Outback and found the Subaru ticked more of the boxes, despite a body shape which is way, way behind the BMW on style and impact. The Japanese car is roomier, the engine is quieter, and the Subaru has a starting price of $37,990 against $56,800 for the German contender, at least until the rear-drive model lands from $45,700. Don't forget the X1 also needs to be rated against a classier crew led by the Volvo XC60, Audi Q5 and even the Volkswagen Tiguan.But back to the X1 story. The car comes as BMW stretches every one of its basic models into new shapes and customer groups, moving the 1 Series customer success story on with a high-riding wagon that taps into the worldwide demand for compact cars that tick all the boxes.It has all-wheel drive to boost excellent basic safety, a higher roof and bigger tail for more cabin and luggage space, and a Steve Irwin edge to the styling intended to hint at an ability to conquer the outback.BMW Australia has gone turbodiesel on the engine front, with 2.0 single turbo and 2.3-litre twin turbo, and the X1 comes with the usual fruit including alloy wheels, aircon, cruise control with a brake function, rear parking radar, and Bluetooth, as well as six airbags, anti-skid brakes and stability/traction/hill descent controls.The biggest change from the 1 Series is a wheelbase that can optimise the length of the 3 Series sedan, which means plenty of space in the high-set cabin."The youthful, versatile and efficient BMW X1 broadens the attraction of our very successful X family and will appeal to young urban customers with an active and varied lifestyle," says the boss of BMW Australia, Stavros Yallouridis.DRIVING Paul GoverThe X1 will be a winner and nothing I say or write will change that. It's the same as the X6, which I have always believed is the answer to a question no-one asked, yet continues to crank out big showroom numbers. The X1 looks great and the idea is spot-on for today, as Subaru continues to show with the Forester and Outback. But the X1 is noisy and unrefined in some areas, not particularly quick, and the cabin quality is down a bit on BMW's usual standards. As a drive, it feels wonky and wobbly. Not just compared with an X1 five-door hatch, but those Subarus and serious showroom rivals led by the XC60 and Tiguan.But there is good stuff. The cabin feels roomy, there is plenty of flexibility in the back end, and I know the X1 will take owners with X-drive confidence to the beach or the snow or the other places Gen-X families and singles like to go. The pricing is also pretty good until you dig deeply into the list of extra equipment, but that's a BMW trap that runs right through the range.But I cannot help criticising the 2-litre single turbodiesel engine, which is very noisy at idle and needs to be stirred to give its best. In combination with a notchy six-speed manual gearbox, this can be tough. The engine would work much better with an automatic, which is how most will be sold in Australia, but I'm not a fan yet.It's the same with the handling. The car has a smooth ride and is quiet for the class, but push it into a corner - even at speeds well below 1-Series pace - and it feels wonky, unresponsive and lacking grip. But I know BMW can do it because the X5 and X6 are class leaders.So I'm stepping away from the X1 with questions and doubts. Perhaps more time and an automatic gearbox, or the punchier but costlier 23d TwinPower turbodiesel or the rear-drive petrol X1 in June, can win me over. Right now, though, it's not a car I will recommend.SHE SAYS Alison WardWhen I saw the BMW X1 on display at the local shopping centre, I couldn't wait to drive it. I've owned Beemas in the past and love the brand, but this car lacks the Beemaliciousness I expect. It's a disappointing car and falls short, for me, in many ways. I feel this new model wasn't an upgrade or a new design - like seeing a comedy show twice, when you laugh the first time but the jokes run thin on the second viewing.The exterior promises a sporty, fun and roomy car, but the engine rattles like Flo - the tractor of my childhood - and unlike the bigger X cars lacks agility and steering response. I really like the fuel saving stop-start system, which is a great feature and works really well. The interior is standard BMW stuff and a bit too plastic in some places. I also question the value.Practically, the X1 is ok. It can fit a pram. It can fit (just) my giant baby bag, the dogs, the kid and my mum. But what the X1 cannot fit is my expectation for a car that promises so much - but then fails to deliver.THE BOTTOM LINE: Where did the love go in the X-car family?RIVALSVolkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI: 82/100 (from $36,690)Audi Q5 2.0 TDI: 80/100 (from $60,500)Volvo XC60 D5: 84/100 (from $58,950)Skoda Octavia Scout 2.0 TDI: 77/100 (from $39,490)

The little SUV for which BMW has big plans – the X1 – has hit Australia. The two models available at launch will both be AWD and powered by a pair of 2-litre turbo diesel four cylinder engines. The hero model is the twin turbo 150kW and 400Nm xDrive23d coupled to a six-speed automatic ($59,280) while the single turbo xDrive20d with 130kW and 350Nm is available at $52,700 for the six-speed manual or $54,900 for the six-speed automatic.The $43,500 sDrive (rear-wheel drive) models will all arrive in June starting with the 18i (manual and automatic) and adding a two-wheel drive version of the 20d ($49,300 manual and $51,500 automatic) as well as an all-wheel drive petrol V6, the 25i, in automatic only for $56,800.The X1 is already a success overseas, with world-wide demand exceeding BMW's initial expectations to the extent that the launch of the car into the US has been delayed to allow production from the Leipzig plant to satisfy other markets, including Australia."We have already increased our initial orders and look likely to still fall short of local demand," BMW spokesman Toni Andreevski says. "Worldwide, one in every five BMWs sold is an X model... in Australia that is one in three."Fit-out and equipmentAll the cars have regenerative braking that helps recharge the battery, while the manual models will add a switchable stop/go function. Standard equipment levels on the X1 are reasonable - 17-inch alloys, single in-dash CD with five speakers, cruise control, two-zone air-conditioning, Bluetooth phone preparation and the full suite of safety gear with airbags, ABS and dynamic stability control.A major improvement within the cabin is the number of storage nooks and crannies for everything from a mobile phone to a laptop which can be stored out of sight beneath the rear luggage compartment.In what has become standard practice for BMW there are plenty of option boxes to tick, including 18-inch alloys, panoramic sunroof, satellite navigation, reversing camera, bi-Xenon adaptive headlights, premium sound system, metallic paint, electric front sport seats, heated seats and voice command to name but a few.DrivingOn the road the X1, at least the two all-wheel drive versions available for testing at the Australian launch, offers strong justification for BMW's bullish hopes for the SUV. Developed off the 3 Series platform, the dynamics of the chassis have not been compromised by the more upright styling of the little SUV, allowing for a degree of enthusiastic driving not associated with many of the available SUVs.Steering and braking are as you would expect from a BMW - sharp and repeatable. Ranging from 1575kg up to just over 1600kg (the rear-wheel drive models will trim 85kg from this), the X1 is not a particularly heavy car and that shows in its lithe handling.All of the launch cars were fitted with the optional 18-inch alloys and lower-profile runflat tyres and suffered from a harshness of ride on broken surfaces that may not have been the case on the standard 17-inch rims and less aggressive 50-profile rubber. They were also all fitted with the trick Performance Control software (a $400 option) which mirrors the system from the far more expensive X6 where cornering ability and stability is enhanced by the gentle braking of the inside rear wheel while drive is increased to the outside wheel. It would appear to be an infinitely better investment than a set of the larger rims.Space in the cabin is excellent with generous room for the front seat passengers and perfectly adequate accommodation for the rear seat passengers - at least for two of them. BMW calls the X1 a 'genuine five-seater' but in the manner of most modern cars the rear centre seat is for children or as a short-term solution for a small adult.Luggage space is, for a small wagon, reasonable with between 420 litres and 1350 litres available depending on the configuration of the 20:40:20 foldable rear seats. The ability to adjust the rake of the rear seats from a comfortable incline to ramrod straight is also useful in helping accommodate a load of boxes or packages without giving up seating capacity.The twin diesels are not new to Australia, the 20d is a fixture in the 1, 3 and 5 Series while the spanking 23d twin turbo has been introduced in the 1 and 3 Series models. Both are excellent powerplants with very different characteristics.The 23d is about performance and aggressive punch with its 400Nm of urge arriving in a relatively narrow (for a turbo diesel) band of 2000-2250rpm. There's a good degree of maximum torque available much earlier in the rev range, but to get maximum effect the automatic gearing concentrates on the narrow band. This gives the engine a pleasant peaky character, while maintaining a fuel economy of 6.3L/100km.The single screw version of the 2-lt diesel has a much wider delivery span for its peak 350Nm (1750-3000rpm) which displays a more relaxed athletic ability and an impressive fuel economy of 5.8L/100km.BMW X1Price: from $43,500 to $59,280Engine: avail. at launch - 2L/4-cyl. 130kW/350Nm turbodiesel (xDrive20d), 2L/4-cyl. twin-turbo diesel, 150kW/400Nm (xDrive23d)Transmission: 6-speed auto (20d, 23d), 6-speed manual (20d)Economy: 5.8L/100km (20d), 6.3L/100km (23d)RivalsSubaru Forester XT Premium (from $44,990)Honda CR-V Luxury (from $42,790)VW Tiguan 103 TDi (from $36,690)

Diesel power is set to drive BMW sales further over the next few months