What's the difference?
BMW’s X1 has changed. In a good way. Especially if you’re thinking about buying one as a family car.
Yep, last year the third-generation X1 arrived and after 13 years and three different attempts on a design, BMW has nailed it. And by ‘it’ I mean built a super practical and spacious small SUV that’s great to drive.
See, as a dad of two kids, when it comes to cars and my family ‘it’ means something totally different to what ‘it’ meant 10 years ago.
And that’s what this review is about: does the BMW X1, and specifically this xDrive20i M Sport variant we’ve tested here, make a good family car?
If you're thinking of buying it for your family then you need to read this and also consider the likes of Audi’s Q3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLB.
The EX30 Cross Country is the new adventure-focussed top-shelf variant in Volvo’s small electric SUV line-up.
This five-seat compact crossover has a dual-motor electric set-up, all-wheel drive, raised suspension, more ground clearance than a regular EX30 and an exterior that more than hints at its off-road aspirations.
But just how much potential does this Cross Country have as an all-wheel drive adventure machine?
This new BMW X1 feels like it's been built by a team of parents because it’s one of the most practical and easy to use small SUVs my family and I have ever lived with and, trust me, they’ve seen a lot of test cars come through the Berry garage.
We loved the roomy interior with high ceilings, the clever storage everywhere from the giant door pockets to the floating centre armrest up front and big boot for our pram.
Entry and exit is easy through the tall and wide doors, something my back was thankful for every time I had to put our baby into her car seat.
Driving is easy, with great visibility and the engine that comes in the xDrive20i M Sport makes this X1 sporty and fun to pilot, too.
The only drawback is the price, it's a bit expensive but at the same time you are getting a high-quality feeling SUV.
There’s a lot to like about the Volvo EX30 Cross Country. It’s an impressive AWD EV. Nice to drive, comfortable and offering the extra driver confidence an AWD system brings.
It also looks good, has a decent stack of features onboard and has plenty of appeal for owners, especially in terms of servicing costs.
As an EV tourer, it has a reasonable driving range and offers enough in terms of AWD flexibility to appeal to those people who may like the idea of an all-electric adventure machine.
But it is small, has a limited scope of off-road capability and pricing is ranging upward for what it offers.