BMW X1 2023 review

For now, only two versions of the new X1 are launching, but come early next year, the fully electric iX1 will join the range. And that should be interesting.

Sticking with internal combustion engines for the time being, the X1 sDrive18i kicks off from $53,900 before on-road costs, or – for another $12,000 – the xDrive20i from $65,900.

The sDrive18i uses a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol engine to drive the front wheels, while the 20i scores a 2.0-litre four-cylinder version with all-wheel drive.

The sDrive18i includes 18-inch alloy wheels. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive18i variant pictured)

While both see price jumps of over 10 per cent compared to before, they're also shockingly well-equipped for a BMW.

Adding to the old F48 X1's standard automatic transmission, artificial leather upholstery, embedded satellite navigation, a reverse camera, DAB+ digital radio, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, wireless phone charging, roof rails and 18-inch alloy wheels, the base grade now includes keyless entry/start, sports seats, a 10.7-inch multimedia touchscreen, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, ‘Hey, BMW!' voice control, a head-up display, GPS with augmented reality view, dual-zone climate control, adaptive LED headlights, a powered tailgate, adaptive cruise control, automatic parking assist and a blind-spot monitor.

The latter joins a decent upgrade in safety, that also runs to a substantially beefed-up body structurally, front, side, curtain and front-centre airbags, improved autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with day/night pedestrian and cyclist detection, secondary collision avoidance braking, lane-departure warning and assist systems, speed assist tech like adaptive cruise control, stability and traction controls, anti-lock brakes with brake-assist and a drowsy driver alert.

Meanwhile, the xDrive20i ushers in AWD, 19-inch alloys, additional driving assistance with steering and lane-control intervention and heated and electrically-adjustable front seats.

The xDrive20i ushers in AWD, 19-inch alloys. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive20i variant pictured)

BMW is on a simplification kick, so key options are now bundled together. The Enhancement pack includes a panoramic sunroof, metallic paint, audio upgrade, electric front seats and sliding rear seats for between $4000 and $6000, and an M Sport pack on 20i for $3000, with an M body kit, alloys and Adaptive M Suspension that drops the ride height 15mm (from 205mm of ground clearance) and features adaptive dampers.

The upshot? In this latest X1, it's no longer necessary to bypass the base model for access to equipment that others have long included for the price.

Seriously, this aggressive value move is progress from a BMW, especially when you also consider the brand's improved warranty. More on that later.

Riding on an all-new platform, according to BMW, has allowed for a significantly larger vehicle than the one it replaces.

Length comes in at 4500mm (+53mm), width is 1845mm (+24mm), height is 1642mm (+44mm) and the 2692mm wheelbase has grown by 22mm.

Plus, the body's styling has gone into a fresh direction for the brand. As a result, the design breathes better, making this one of the most handsome SUVs in BMW's armoury.

Starting from the front, the nose is bigger and more upright as per every other new-release BMW SUV, with the massive kidney-shaped grilles dominating, but somehow it gets away with looking friendlier.

Clean, taut surfacing helps cut drag, for better aerodynamics, while that wheelbase stretch improves the BMW's proportions as well as its interior packaging. The bigger and boxier rear connects visually with the flagship iX EV, and that's no bad thing, with the design overall being peppered with striking details.

Progressive yet unexpectedly pretty in the flesh, the X1 should sell on looks alone.

It's fair to say the new X1 is roomy enough to have some people think twice about spending more on its bigger X3 or even X5 siblings.

Again, inspired by the iX EV, there's new thinking going on inside, for what is essentially a regular and very mainstream BMW product, making the X1's cabin presentation one of its strongest assets.

Entry and egress are aided by large doors that open up wide, before sinking into body-hugging front seats that provide great location for an excellent driving position as well as long-distance comfort and support.

The latest X1's initial and lasting impression is a sense of space, thanks to the generous glass area, slimline horizontal dash presentation, reduced switchgear and lack of bulk – though we must point out that most of the vehicles driven during the launch were fitted with a panoramic sunroof that really opened up the cabin.

But even without that option, the U11 is a million miles removed from the E84 original... with flair to match.

Case in point: the X1's dash is dominated by a large, bendy rectangular binnacle BMW calls its Curved Display, that houses two screens – a 10.25-inch item in front of the driver that houses all the digital instrumentation (and is supported by the standard-fitment head-up display), as well as a 10.7-inch multimedia touchscreen. It's all very EV-esque, and probably designed this way for the iX1.

The latter is how the trick new BMW Operating System 8 is accessed, and features fast, intuitive access to the entertainment, vehicle information and vehicle settings systems, as well as the climate controls. It's all electronic and voice controlled – though, as usual, the tech can be hit and miss still.

Some purists may lament the end of the BMW iDrive controller, but it's also allowed for a big shake up with the lower-centre console area that features a floating armrest design with a control panel housing a new rocker-switch style gear selector and driving modes.

Kudos to the interior designers, too, for creating a smartphone charger that allows the device to be upright and so more easily and safety glanced at.

It's all about reductionism and freedom from buttons and levers.

Reflecting the exterior design, our German-built SUV's interior features a pleasing degree of interesting shapes and textured finishes, amping up the premium ambience while – in most cases anyway – enhancing the user experience.

That said, the X1's role is to be a family SUV, and so it does have most practicality aspects covered, with the aforementioned space, ample ventilation, plenty of storage and good all-round vision.

Stepping into the rear seat, there's sufficient clearance for most heads, shoulders, knees and legs, and most amenities are present, including ventilation outlets, USB ports and cupholders. Backrest and cushion \ are about what you'd expect, meaning firm yet comfy, and that sliding rear seat would be a boon for parental access to children strapped into baby or booster seats. An option worth considering.

Finally, there's the cargo area, which is now within 10 litres of an X3's. Like the rest of the X1, it's grown in all directions, meaning capacity jumps from 505L (with second row seats upright) to 540L, or 1550L to 1600L (VDA) with them folded down.

Aiding the bigger boot is the lack of a spare tyre, with just a tyre repair kit fitted. Some buyers won't like the sound of that at all.

To sum up, then, the X1 may be a small SUV, but it's now quite large inside.

If you're familiar with the previous X1, you might think that the petrol engines are carryovers from before.

Actually, they're 90 per cent new or improved, according to BMW, for slightly more power and better efficiencies than before.

For the record, the 1500kg sDrive18i's B38 1499cc 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit pumps out 115kW of power at 6500rpm and 230Nm of torque between 1500-4600rpm, for measurably stronger acceleration.

The 1500kg sDrive18i’s B38 1499cc 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit pumps out 115kW of power at 6500rpm and 230Nm of torque between 1500-4600rpm. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive18i variant pictured)

With a power-to-weight ratio of 76.7kW per tonne, it slashes 0.6 seconds off the proceeding version's 0-100km/h sprint time, down to 9.0s flat, on the way to a 215km/h top speed.

The 1595kg xDrive20i's B48 1998cc 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, meanwhile, delivers 150kW at a peaky 6500rpm and 300Nm between 1450-4500rpm; with a power-to-weight ratio of 94kW/t, it needs just 7.4s to reach 100km/h before maxing out at 233km/h. That's considered warn-hatch performance levels.

Both engines employ a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission – with the larger one including paddle shifters ¬– to help with fast throttle responses.

The 1595kg xDrive20i’s B48 1998cc 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine, meanwhile, delivers 150kW at a peaky 6500rpm and 300Nm between 1450-4500rpm. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive20i variant pictured)

In the sDrive18i, drive is sent to the front wheels only, while the xDrive20i has an electronic all-wheel drive system that engages the rear wheels when greater traction is required.

Suspension is via MacPherson-style struts up front and an independent three-link design out back. Choosing the optional adaptive M suspension with variable damper settings also brings a variable-ratio set-up to the rack-and-pinion steering system.

Not even BMW's vaunted engineering boffins can make a car that's substantially larger and at least 70kg heavier than before consume less fuel, which means the latest sDrive18i uses slightly more petrol, at 6.5L/100km.

Similarly, today's xDrive20i AWD is thirstier than its indirect FWD equivalent, weighing well over 100kg more. It returns a still-respectable 7.2L/100km.

Note, however, that all X1s have a taste for more-expensive 95 RON premium unleaded. Nearly 695km between refills of a 45L tank is possible in the sDrive18i, or just 608km in the thirstier xDrive20i.

Finally, if you're hankering for a diesel version, you're plum out of luck. It's petrol, electricity, or nothing for this generation of X1.

Euro NCAP has awarded the U11 X1 series a five-star rating in October, 2022, and a similar result is expected from ANCAP in the near future.

Being such a fresh design, BMW has included many of the latest safety features, improved autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with day/night pedestrian and cyclist detection (but no rear AEB), secondary collision avoidance braking, a blind-spot monitor, lane-departure warning and assist systems, speed assist tech like adaptive cruise control, stability and traction controls, anti-lock brakes with brake-assist and a drowsy driver alert.

Improved structural strength and rigidity are further highlights.

Euro NCAP has awarded the U11 X1 series a five-star rating in October, 2022, and a similar result is expected from ANCAP in the near future. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive20i variant pictured)

The front-seat occupants of an X1 face frontal airbags and have side chest and side pelvis airbag protection, while outboard rear-seat occupants have side head airbags (also called curtain airbags) coverage.

ISOFIX child-seat latches are fitted to outboard rear seat positions, while a trio of top tethers for straps are included across the back bench.

Note that BMW'S AEB system is operational from 5km/h, the lane support systems start from 60km/h and the driver monitoring system kicks in from 70km/h.

At last! BMW has just introduced a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with all its products, backdated to October 1, 2022.

That's great news for a brand that's really dragged its feet compared to pretty much every other carmaker selling cars in Australia.

At last! BMW has just introduced a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty with all its products, backdated to October 1, 2022. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive20i variant pictured)

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

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.

Righto. Now, the moment of truth.

The old X1 was a little too Mini-like to drive, it just didn't have the BMW feel and dynamic prowess you expect from the brand. But this latest model does push out that envelope at last.

Let's start with the sDrive18i. Despite featuring the B38 three-pot turbo petrol engine, it performs just like the four-cylinder version for all intents and purposes around town at low speeds. That's because of the way that it's been tuned, stepping off the line smartly, accelerating quickly and feeling surprisingly punchy.

However, while it doesn't feel like a small engine in a heavy SUV in most scenarios, when you're out on the open road and you need more oomph for overtaking, you realise this engine is a wee-bit small. Still, for most people, it should be fine.

Moving on to the xDrive2.0i with its AWD system, it is significantly stronger and faster across the board. The B48 four-pot turbo particularly shines out on the highway, spinning sweetly yet with real purpose. It's also smoother and quieter than the smaller unit.

Whatever BMW it is in, the B48 always feels absolutely up to the brand's reputation for being a driver's machine. If you can stretch to it, this is the pick.

The X1 is a more refined and sophisticated driving machine. (2023 BMW X1 sDrive18i variant pictured)

Now, being an X1 means appealing to a broad church of buyers, so it's never going to be a racy or firm or particularly challenging to drive. And as a result, the steering is light, soft and very easy. And for 99 per cent of people, that's all fine.

The good thing is, if you're willing to spend a bit more to get one of the M Sport pack options, the variable ratio steering upgrade really does sharpen up the handling, while the M Adaptive suspension pack means it also both rides better when in regular mode and grips more keenly through twistier bits. There's now an X1 for everyone.

Downsides? Bumpier roads do make for a busy ride, though it isn't as bad as in previous models, while there's a fair amount of tyre-noise intrusion coming through inside, particularly on our coarse bitumen roads.

So, to sum up, the X1 is a more refined and sophisticated driving machine, as well as a more athletic one with the M Adaptive suspension pack.