BMW X1 | Independent Car Review

Today it's hard to imagine a BMW lineup without an X-Series range of performance-minded SUV models. The Bavarian brand calls these SAVs or sports activity vehicles and these days they account for over a fifth of the company's worldwide sales with the starting point of the lineup, the model we're going to look at here, a substantially improved version of the F48 Series second-generation X1. Clearly this is a car provided to get customers onto the first rung of a ladder that the Munich maker hopes will lead on to ownership of larger and faster X2, X3, X4, X5, X6 or even X7 models but it's also there to give BMW something that its larger Audi Q5-sized X3 design is too heavy and expensive to deliver, namely entry into the volume part of the SUV market, specifically here the mid-size segment. Like its close rivals, the Audi Q3 and the Mercedes GLA, this is the kind of car BMW hopes you'll want if you need a crossover-sized car like a Nissan Qashqai, a Volkswagen Tiguan or a Ford Kuga but would like it with a smarter badge. These days this is an important niche for a premium maker and to begin with, BMW rather struggled to credibly fill it. The original E84 Series first-generation X1 of 2009 was, well, very average. Based on an old fifth-generation version of BMW's 3 Series touring estate, it looked odd and had to carry around a rear wheel drive platform that compromised the space and practicality that a car of this kind really ought to have. Importantly though, it was one of the earliest arrivals in this segment so sold well anyway but by 2015, with premium competitors piling into this sector, a far more competitive proposition was required and this F48 Series second-generation model provided it. Redundant rear-driven mechanicals were ditched in favour of the high-tech UKL chassis the brand had created for its 2 Series five-door models and the third-generation Mini hatch which provided the perfect platform for a considerably more sophisticated X1. Buyers have responded and this car has sold in its hundreds of thousands. In 2018 alone, almost 280,000 X1 models found new owners which made this car the segment's sales leader. Indeed, such has been the interest that BMW has also produced a sportier version based on the same mechanicals, badged the X2, but the Bavarian maker is well aware that the competition is gaining ground. 2017 saw the arrivals of key segment rivals, the Volvo XC40 and the Jaguar E-Pace. A year later, the second-generation Audi Q3 arrived alongside the new Lexus UX and all these contenders must also consider a new generation version of the Mercedes GLA. Hence the need for a significant package of X1 changes to keep pace, creating the car we're going to look at here. It's smarter inside and out, better connected and there's even now the option of a plug-in variant. Sounds promising. Let's check out this rejuvenated X1. You don't primarily buy a compact SUV of this kind to throw it about, though if you do so here, you'll actually find that this car is slightly more interesting to drive than most of its counterparts. Why? Well, because all the key elements are in place for a decent driving experience, namely a low centre of gravity, a wide track, optimised weight, a stiff body structure and as you'd expect from a BMW, near-perfect 50-50 weight distribution. It all explains why body roll in an X1 is much better control than you'd expect it to be in a high-sided crossover of this sort, even through the tight bends that'll see the standard torque vectoring performance control system diverting torque to the wheel that can best use it. Don't get us wrong, this car isn't one you take out and drive just for the fun of it, but if you do have to push on in this BMW, there's a bit more to the experience than is the case with most rivals. It's certainly more involving than a Q3 or a GLA. As before, the engine you choose will dictate whether your X1 is available in either front-driven S-Drive guise or all-wheel-driven X-Drive form. Either way, this car will end up being front-driven most of the time, which still sounds odd to be saying about a model from a brand that built its reputation on the joys of rear-wheel drive. That's because the mini-hatch-derived UK L platform this car sits upon demands that approach and also because where X-Drive is employed, it is, as usual, a part-time system that only ever sends traction to the rear when either axle senses wheel slip. BMW hasn't done much with the twin-power turbo three- and four-cylinder engine range as part of the most recent changes, though there are now fewer options than there were back at this car's original launch in 2015. By the time of the introduction of the facelift version of this F48 series model, the mainstream part of the lineup had been slimmed down to merely two fundamental levels of X1 ownership. The volume part of the range, as before, offers around 140 to 150 horsepower and concentrates on either the 18i petrol version we're trying here or, alternatively, the 18d diesel. Or, if you like the idea of around 190 horsepower in your X1 and can afford a bit more, your dealer will point you towards the 20i petrol or 20d diesel derivatives. At the time of this test, that approach meant there was no place for the two variants that previously bookended the diesel part of the X1 range, the 116 horsepower three-cylinder 1.5-litre S-Drive 16d and the 231 horsepower four-cylinder two-litre X-Drive 25d. If, as is likely, you end up deciding between the 18i or the 18d, you'll find that both these X1 models are quite different in character. The 18i comes only in front-driven S-Drive form and uses a three-cylinder 1.5-litre 140 horsepower petrol unit that can be mated to a dual-clutch seven-speed auto transmission if you don't want the standard six-speed manual gearbox. The 18d, in contrast, comes in either S-Drive front-driven or X-Drive all-wheel-driven forms, uses a four-cylinder two-litre 150 horsepower diesel unit and, as an alternative to the standard six-speed stick shifter, offers an optional eight-speed auto of the more conventional torque converter variety. We'd probably recommend finding extra for the 18d. With 350 newton metres of torque, it's got over 50% more pulling power than the base petrol variant. You'd never know that to look at the headline performance stats of the two models. Both make 62 miles an hour in around nine and a half seconds, on the way to 127 miles an hour flat out, but in day-to-day driving, the extra grunt of the diesel engine makes a real difference. Is it worth finding the extra money for the more powerful 20i and 20d variants? Well, we'd think twice, because both can only be had in all-wheel-drive X-Drive form, and with auto transmission, there's quite a step up in price. It's worth noting, though, that because the X-Drive 20d uses the brand's two-litre twin-powered diesel unit in a 190 horsepower state of tune, which boosts torque to 400 newton metres, that variant has a significantly higher brake towing capacity than other models in the range, rated at two tonnes. The X-Drive 20d gets from rest to 62 miles an hour in 7.4 seconds, en route to 136, and uses the same eight-speed automatic as is optional on the 18d. For the minority interest X-Drive 20i petrol version, the figures are 7.8 seconds and 140 miles an hour. This variant, fitted with a faster-shifting sport version of the 18i model's dual-clutch Steptronic auto gearbox. On the subject of performance and all-wheel drive in an X1, we should finish our perusal of engine options by mentioning that there is another very different powertrain option available that delivers both these things in a rather different way. The clever X1 X-Drive 25e petrol-electric plug-in hybrid uses the same powertrain we've already seen in the Mini Countryman PHEV and BMW's two-series Active Tourer 225xe. It makes a 124 horsepower version of the 18i model's 1.5 litre three-cylinder petrol engine, driving the front wheels with a 95 horsepower electric motor which powers those at the rear and draws its energy from a rechargeable 9.7 kilowatt hour lithium-ion battery. Keep that topped up and a 31 mile WLTP rated all-electric driving range is possible, though not if you push the limits of the 84 mile an hour all-electric top speed. Three extra settings feature in the X-Drive 25e's driving performance control system. Max e-drive which keeps progress all-electric, the auto e-drive setting which switches between power sources as necessary and save battery which preserves your all-electric battery range until you particularly need it, say in urban motoring at the end of a motorway trip. If you can ignore this focus on frugality and use all of this plug-in hybrid model's performance, you'll find that there's plenty of it thanks to a combined system output of 217 horsepower and 385 newton meters of torque. 62 miles an hour from rest takes just seven seconds and top speed is 119 miles an hour. Whatever engine you choose in your X1 you'll find it designed to work with a standard vehicle dynamics system that these days is very familiar to BMW drivers. Drive performance control, the rocker switch for which you'll find down here by the gear stick. If you're coming to this car from another premium brand you're probably also familiar with this kind of thing, a setup that allows you to tweak the steering throttle and stability control system thresholds depending on the operating mode you select. Gear change times too if you've specified the auto gearbox. Ignore drive performance control or select its most relaxed comfort or efficient eco pro settings and the traveling experience in this car, though very comfortable, isn't especially memorable. Push the rocker switch forward into sport though and the reaction you get immediately feels keener and more alert even including artificial blips as you downshift through the gears. Sport also adds extra weight to the steering though in a way that makes the helm of this car feel rather artificially heavy. Drive performance control can also alter ride quality though only if you happen to have chosen a top spec M Sport variant and have paid extra for adaptive suspension. If you do happen to have gone for M Sport trim we'd suggest that option to be almost essential because otherwise you'll be stuck with the firmer M Sport suspension that's part of the standard spec with this trim level, a damping setup that most buyers will find rather over firm. Even the standard suspension on mainstream X1 models, a multi-link rear setup, can sometimes get a little unsettled over rougher roads. It's a little stiffer than is the norm for a small SUV of this kind, especially if you ought to have run flat tyres fitted, but it's nothing you can live with and there's little to criticise about the damping of this car at highway speeds, though at a cruise you might well notice slightly higher than average levels of tyre roar. We should finish with a word about the off-piste capability of the xDrive intelligent four-wheel drive system should your chosen X1 happen to have it. As you might expect given that this is a crossover rather than a fully fledged SUV there isn't that much. Still the 183 millimetre ride height and the modest 17.7 degree approach angle and 20.6 degree departure angle should be enough to deal with the steep snowy driveways and muddy car parks that potential owners will want the xDrive system to be able to negotiate. The X1 hasn't always looked this good. The first generation version was a bit of an ugly duckling, visually compromised by the need to accommodate rear wheel drive underpinnings borrowed from an old BMW 3 Series Touring estate. This primarily front-driven F48 series car first launched in 2015 was a much more appealing effort styled by young Australian designer Calvin Luke. As part of the facelift changes we've been reviewing here it's been made a touch more imposing and purposeful which is something you particularly notice here at the front. If you happen to be familiar with the original version of this mark 2 model the first thing you'll notice is this new larger grille which sees the two kidney-shaped intakes now meeting in the middle. The lights flanking this aperture are different too piercing full LED beams featuring for the first time. Things have also been spruced up lower down. The previous rather bland arrangement circular fog lamps and blanked off corner outlets replaced by a more confident intake design with smaller rectangular LED fog lamps all of which has necessitated a shapelier redesigned bumper. The changes made at the rear are harder to spot primarily the subtly restyled LED lamps that ditch the previous old school orange elements for clear indicator units and redesigned inlays on this rear apron that adopt body coloured finishing. Otherwise it's as you were with styling intended to visually widen the car provide more of a link to the SUV X models further up the range and create the illusion that this X1 sits higher off the road than it actually does. From the side as before the roofline silhouette tapers gently away from front to rear though of course not as distinctly as is the case with the more sportily orientated alternative X2 model. Not much else has changed either the profile still dominated by a sharp swage line that extends from the front wing to the rear light plus there's this more subtle crease further down that gives the flanks some shape with a front wood section that arches up from the sill into the front wheel arch. Roof rails and black wheel arch cladding a standard across the range which offers buyers the option of wheel sizes ranging from 17 to 19 inches. We've got 18 inch M light alloy double spoke rims here. Four fresh alloy rim designs have been introduced as part of the changes made to this facelifted model and while we're covering the detail stuff we'll also tell you that three fresh exterior colours are available too. Of course as usual what's more important is what you can't see and this F48 series X1 was the third BMW to make use of the lighter stiffer UKL platform that the company's developed for its modern day range of front driven models most notably the third generation Mini. Right let's take a seat up front pausing on the way to note a neat change made to this driver side exterior mirror which now projects a two-tone LED X1 image onto the ground when the car's unlocked at which point the door handle recesses also illuminate. It's a kind of nice touch you'd want from a premium model and you'd hope to find plenty more once inside. As before this is the part of the X1 that we think will really sell this car to potential buyers. It's light spacious and beautifully appointed certainly a world removed from the cramped cheap feeling cabin of the pre-2015 first generation E84 series model if you happen to be coming into this car from one of those. Look around and the high quality layered fascia is much as it is in the other BMW that shares this one's Mini derived underpinnings the 2 Series Active Tourer. It's black on its upper section and adopts the car's individual upholstery colour lower down and it curves around the cabin in a symmetrical wave garnished with textured aluminium satin chrome inlays and carefully chosen splashes of bright work. The lower driving area around the gear stick is separated from the front passenger space by this neat leather stitched bar and if your car has the lighting package that's standard on plusher models you'll like the en vogue vodka bar lighting strips used on the dash and door panels. The changes made as part of the facelift package are really of the detail kind things like new upholstery options and the addition of contrast stitching on the instrument panel. Of more significance is the adoption of a larger central media screen for the iDrive infotainment system which takes pride of place in the middle of the fascia set high enough up the dash to allow you to refer to it without taking your eyes too far off the road. Previously this monitor was 6.5 inches as standard with a larger 8.8 inch display available as an option now 8.8 inches is the default size with this BMW navigation plus 10.25 inch touchscreen display available at extra cost. Your main point of access to either setup is this circular rotary dial down by the gear stick and you also get a touch sensitive pad on top of the controller that allows you to input addresses using handwriting. We like the simple intuitive way that the iDrive system works with menus that can be customized to your taste. The monitor is divided into simple connected drive, media, radio, navigation, communication and my vehicle segments. The connected drive menu is particularly informative delivering a range of downloadable apps and access to BMW's suite of online services designed to enhance your journey by sending you up-to-date information while you're at the wheel. Everything from weather and latest news to a rainfall radar and an online search system. Provision for the kind of smartphone mirroring systems that even quite cheap cars now usually provide is disappointing though. Apple CarPlay is only optional and you have to renew a subscription for it every three years. Android auto can't be had at all. Are there other issues? Well not many. It's annoying to find that lumbar adjustment costs extra with all trim levels but assuming you have it it's difficult to imagine how you could fail to get comfortable in this car thanks to the amount of movement and adjustability provided by both seat and wheel. Go for M Sport trim and you get this lovely leather stitched wheel which is brilliant thick and grippy but at some angles can sometimes obscure the bottom of the instrument binnacle. The dials themselves though are of the usual crystal clear BMW variety featuring digital displays in a traditional gauge layout. Not that you'll be looking at them very much if you've opted for the optional head-up display. What about all-round visibility? Well there are pluses and minuses here. The driving position is certainly better than it would be in say a 1 Series hatch thanks to that slightly raised seating position and aiding further with this is a low mounted dashboard that doesn't interrupt your view across the bonnet but the size and positioning of the front A pillars can slightly obscure your view at junctions and the upswept rear window line can slightly get in the way of your view rearward so you'll be glad of the standard all-round parking sensors. We've no complaints about cabin practicality though the cup holders are deep enough to hold really big takeaway cups and sit within this good sized smartly lidded cubby at the bottom of the centre stack that also incorporates a 12 volt port and a USB slot. The centre armrest positioned over a storage area between the seats with a USB port conceals a good place to store your phone. The glove box is a reasonable size and the bottle holders in the doors are big enough to hold one litre water bottles. BMW has forgotten to include an overhead sunglasses compartment but there's also a cubby by the driver's right knee and ticket clips in the sun visors. Time to take a seat in the back with access into the rear cabin being straightforward thanks to these reasonably large door apertures and once inside well there's not much to complain about by class standards. There are cars in this segment that offer slightly more room for legs and heads Volkswagen's Tiguan for instance but not many and this BMW's cause is enhanced by the availability of a sliding rear bench which offers 130 millimeters of back and forth adjustment though you have to pay extra for it. Reclining rear seat backs are standard and scalloped front seat backs free up extra space for your knees making it possible for one six-footer to sit behind another in reasonable comfort. As with most crossovers in this class there's still really only comfortable space for two adults still if you do need to take a third person you'll find that this central transmission tunnel is set low enough not to get in the way too much. Practical touches include central vents above twin USB ports, overhead coat hooks, ISOFIX fastenings for the outer two seating positions and decently sized bins indoors featuring classy stitched panels. Let's take a look out back where first impressions are encouraging. For a start you get an electrically operated tailgater standard which is usually an extra cost feature in this class and this one can be embellished with extra cost comfort access which allows you to raise it by waving your foot beneath the bumper if key in pocket you approach the car with both hands laid and down with bags. Once the powered hatch rises you're provided with a very reasonable 508 litres of cargo capacity. To give you some context you're looking at the same sort of space as you get in BMW's 3 Series Touring Estate and only 42 litres less than is provided by the brand's supposedly much larger X3 model. As for direct market rivals well you're talking of a cargo area that's 22 litres smaller than that of a rival Audi Q3 but 36 litres larger than a Range Rover Evoque. Bear in mind that capacity will fall to around 450 litres if you opt for the xDrive25e plug-in hybrid variant. The luggage bay in conventional models will offer you this useful underfloor compartment but only courtesy of the fact that BMW doesn't supply a spare wheel just a fiddly tyre repair kit something we disapprove of on any kind of SUV class vehicle. That being the case we'd really want the run flat tyre option on this car. In terms of practicality there's a 12 volt socket and a netted storage area on the right hand side plus the usual four tie down points, a left hand tensioner strap, a recessed area on the left and a couple of bag hooks. Need more room? Well if you're simply struggling to shut the tailgate because of bulky luggage on say an airport run you'll find the way that you can put the rear seat backs into a slightly more vertical position very helpful. If the item in question is merely long and thin like a set of skis it may suffice merely to flatten the middle part of this standard split folding rear backrest. If though you really need to supersize your space then it's obviously a case of pushing forward the rear bench. If you've paid extra for the sliding back seat a 1550 litre cargo area is revealed that's 40 litres more than you get from the kind of BMW 3 Series touring estate that's 262 millimetres longer in length. In this improved form this second generation X1 ranges priced from around £29,000 with asking figures that stretch up to and potentially just beyond the £40,000 mark. There are four trim levels SE, Sport, X-line and as here M Sport and each one with its own unique styling and equipment package. Your starting point in the range will be either the petrol powered 18i 140 horsepower model which comes only in s-drive front driven form or the diesel powered 18d 150 horsepower model which can be handled with either s-drive or 4x4 x-drive forms the latter requiring a £1,500 premium. Automatic transmission is an option with both these power plants either a dual clutch unit for the three-cylinder 18i costing £1,350 extra or a torque converter sport auto box for the 18d costing £1,600 more. Go for the two more powerful engines as here the 20i petrol with 192 horsepower or the 20d with 190 horsepower and there's less choice you have to have the x-drive 4x4 setup and you also have to have auto transmission a sport version of the dual clutch auto for the 20i and the torque converter sport auto box for the 20d. The final option is the first of what will doubtless be many plug-in options in this class the plug-in hybrid x1 x-drive 25e variant. Like all hybrids it's auto of course and features the same powertrain used in the mini countryman plug-in model namely a 94 horsepower electric motor connected to a 9.7 kilowatt hour battery and mated with a 123 horsepower petrol engine. Before we get on to rivals let's price position this car for you within bmw's own lineup pointing out as we go that the sportier version of this body style badge the x2 uses exactly the same mechanicals and costs around a thousand pounds more. Anyway for a family buyer you can see the appeal of the x1 given that it gives you most of what you get in bmw's mid-sized x3 suv and yet at a model for model cost that's around 7 000 pounds less. You could also argue that it gives you most of what you'd get in a bmw 3 series touring estate for a model for model cost that's between two and five thousand pound less depending on the engine and drivetrain combination you're looking at. That's the positive spin anyway. The other way of looking at this is to note that a bmw 1 series hatch offers all the same engineering at a model for model saving of around four thousand pounds. As ever it depends what you want. Let's get on to the question of how mainstream x1 variants square up to potential premium c-segment suv sector from other premium brands. If you're buying in this class you'll almost certainly be considering this car alongside its two key german premium brand competitors the audi q3 and the mercedes gla both of which will easily cost you two to two and a half thousand pounds more than an equivalent x1. So that's a good start. What about the other premium badged c-segment suv options you might be looking at? Two jlr models the jaguar epace and the range rover evoke readily spring to mind. Both are a little smaller inside than this x1 and both are quite difficult to directly compare to this bmw mainly because you can't have either in front driven petrol form which is where the volume is in this segment. To fuel from the green pump in either an epace or an evoke you have to pay the extra for a slightly more powerful engine and four-wheel drive. Of course you might want that and if so you'll find that in comparison to an x1 x drive 20i model like this one an epace p200 would cost about the same as this bmw while an evoke p200 would cost around two and a half thousand pounds more. You can have both the jag and the evoke in 150 ps front driven form if you're a comparably specified front driven epace d150 diesel would probably save you around 1500 pounds on an equivalent x1 s drive 18d and would be better to drive but would cost significantly more to run. A base spec front driven evoke d150 would cost you about the same as that x1 s drive 18d but again would be pricier to run and when specified to the same level as the bmw would cost you significantly more. We'd also bring four other premium brand c-segment suvs to your attention one might already be on your shopping list volvo's xc40 is a good product that might be tempting to a potential buyer of this bmw and it'll cost you about the same as an x1 but it isn't as good to drive as this munich model and has a much smaller boot you might be less aware of the lexus ux which can be yours for a very similar sum to that being asked for this bmw you can't directly compare a ux to an x1 because the ux comes only with a self-charging petrol electric hybrid engine but we think it'd be an interesting alternative though it's considerably less versatile and has a smaller boot the slightly bigger lexus nx also only offered as a hybrid is slightly more practical in that regard but that car's pricing starts at around thirty six thousand pounds some might also suggest the compact mercedes glb to be another potential rival but that car's primarily offered in seven seat form which means that it appeals to a slightly different market from that being targeted here for reference the only five seat glb on offer comes only in top spec 220d form for around forty two thousand pounds around five thousand pounds more than an equivalent top spec x1 x drive 20d those are all your really direct alternatives to an x1 but if you want to widen your search amongst mid-sized suvs in this price bracket you absolutely can toyota's rav4 these days only offered as a hybrid sells in the 30 to 35 000 pound bracket for those who want to trade a premium badge for extra engine technology otherwise if you're spending that kind of sum on an suv crossover of this kind you could get yourself a a really top spec version of a smaller mid-sized model like a nissan qashqai a seat attica a ford cougar or a volkswagen t-rock b a mid to top spec version of a slightly larger mid-sized model like a honda crv a volkswagen tiguan or a mazda cx5 or c a similarly equipped version of a seven seat mid-sized suv like a volkswagen tiguan allspace or a ds7 crossback lots and lots of choices then if having considered them you conclude that it is an x1 that you really want then you're going to need to know exactly what's included in the standard spec well let's see even the thriftiest se trim level gives you plenty to be specific 17 inch v-spoke alloy wheels led headlamps led front fog lights an automatic tailgate roof rails park distance control front and rear parking sensors heated power mirrors and alarm auto headlamps and wipers and a chrome finished exhaust pipe inside the 40 20 40 split folding rear backrest is standard fit plus there are niceties like two zone automatic air conditioning cruise control with a speed limiter and a sport multifunction leather trimmed steering wheel in addition there's the drive performance control system that via eco pro comfort and sport modes allows you to alter throttle response steering feel and on an auto model gear change timing all of it better suiting the way you want to drive you'll want to know about infotainment too well all x1 models come with the usual bmwi drive system that in standard form now features an eight inch color screen your access point for bluetooth with audio streaming navigation and a decent quality six speaker dab stereo plus you get a full suite of bmw connected drive services including tele services and real-time traffic information along with the brand suite of online services that give you access to things like news reports weather forecasts and a whole range of bmw apps in addition the system will even read out text messages to you unfortunately and rather unforgivably on a car of this price apple carplay smartphone mirroring costs extra and android auto can't be had at all talking of being connected all x1 buyers will be offered use of a clever bmw connected app that can learn your mobility routines read your calendar and even prompt you when to leave for scheduled journeys it'll get familiar with your most frequently traveled routes and memorize them as future destinations it even has a share live trip status feature that allows the driver to share their current location and time of arrival with business partners friends or family plus the app can do all the things that these remote apps usually tend to do help you find your car if you've forgotten where you've parked it and can even remotely lock or unlock the doors all of that comes with standard se trim ideally though you'd want to dress this car up a little and the next trim level up sport begins to do that with 18 inch double spoke alloy wheels high gloss shadow line exterior trim front inlets with a high gloss black finisher and front bumper under body protection inside sport trim gets you sports seats contrast stitching on the dash led ambient lighting and upholstery that's a smart combination of anthracite cloth and sensor tech man-made leather if you can afford more the x-line variants look a little sleeker thanks to an aluminium fronted kidney grill satin aluminium finish for the exterior trim and roof rails silver finishing for the front air inlets and rear underbody protection plate and bicolor y-spoke finishing for the 18 inch wheels inside x-line models gain real dakota leather upholstery with contrast stitching front seat heating power folding mirrors and bmw's classy extended lighting package including led ambient lighting in the door trim that only leaves top m sport trim which is what we have here now these variants recognizably stand out from the others thanks to their 18 inch m light alloy double spoke wheels a dark shadow finish for the bumpers and high gloss shadow line exterior trim that extends to the roof rails there's also a standard m aerodynamic body style kit which includes enlarged front air intakes and a body colored finish for things like the underbody protection plate and the wheel arch trims inside the main additions are sports seats an anthracite headliner m designated door sill plates and the chunky m sport leather steering wheel that bmw buyers like so much now bear in mind that with this top trim level firmer m sport suspension comes as standard so it's just as well that this is the only trim level in the range that allows you to pay extra for adaptive damping allowing you to alter ride quality to suit your preference a large proportion of x1 m sport buyers further tick the box for the m sport plus pack which includes unique 19 inch light alloy wheels m sport brakes sun protection glass m sport steering m sport seat belts and a harman kardon upgraded speaker system which brings us on to options and as usual on a bmw there are plenty the most important thing we think you need to order on this car is the sliding rear bench which costs 350 pounds more and really ought to be standard like it is on a volkswagen tiguan or say a smaller renault capture suv beyond that a good starting point here lies with the various packs branded either comfort or tech and there are a couple of each comfort pack one is only for se and sport model customers and includes power folding mirrors front seat heating and extended lighting comfort pack two is offered across the range and includes steering wheel heating powered front seat adjustment and what bmw calls comfort access basically keyless entry and gesture control for the tailgate both the tech packs are available across the whole x1 lineup tech pack one includes a reversing assist camera enhanced bluetooth with a wireless charging mat wi-fi hotspot preparation and adaptive led headlights that adapt themselves to road conditions tech pack 2 meanwhile gives you a head-up display and the bmw navigation plus set up with its larger 10.25 inch center dash screen bear in mind that many of the various pack features we've just mentioned can be ordered as individual options if you prefer and extra cost features beyond those just mentioned well if you think you or your partner might struggle with slotting this suv into tight spaces you could consider the park assist system which automatically does it for you you might also want front seat lumbar support another thing that should be standard the panoramic glass roof and the upgraded harman kardon loudspeaker system we mentioned earlier that apple car play smartphone mirroring costs extra well you can add that too though bear in mind that all you get for the extra cash is a subscription that you'll have to renew after three years of use on the plus side the setup is wireless so you won't have to mess around with practical extras included detachable tow bar bike rack preparation a luggage compartment separating net and bmw's optional track star stolen vehicle tracking system providing you've avoided base se trim you'll be able to specify run flat tires too alternatively across the range you can add in a space saver spare wheel if you do want to be stuck by the side of the road fiddling with a tire mobility kit the next time you have a puncture on the diesel variants and on the base 18i model you'll also be offered the option to upgrade to a slightly larger 61 litre fuel tank onto aesthetics now if you don't want your car's paint work finished in the standard alpine white or jet black solid shades you're gonna have to pay more for one of the extra cost metallic colors there's also a special bmw individual storm bay metallic shade to complete the effect there's a bespoke selection of alloy wheels that vary from 17 to 19 inches in size and you'll want to get the look of the interior right too on se and sport models you can add in full dakota leather upholstery sport variants can have this with contrast stitching too if you could avoid base se trim you'll be offered the chance to complete your x1's cabin with either brushed aluminium fine line stream wood fine oak or high gloss black all those packages featuring pearl chrome finishing safety is as you'd expect from a bmw well accounted for hence this car's full house five star euro n-cap safety rating you'd expect the basics twin front side and curtain airbags plus front and rear isofix child seat fastenings and the usual electronic assistance for traction and stability control primarily dsc plus stability control and dtc traction control plus there's a performance control system that suppresses understeer in tight turns that'll also see you experience extra traction from an electronic differential lock control system there's plenty of braking peace of mind too with the abs system supplemented by fading compensation cbc or cornering brake control and a neat brake drying system that keeps the brake discs free of moisture in wet weather panic stops are aided by a brake assist system and advertised to following motorists by dynamic brake lights that flash a bright warning you also get a multi-collision braking function that in the event of an impact will keep brake pressure applied until you come to a complete stop we should also mention that all variants get what bmw calls an active guard system based around forward collision warning technology at over 30 miles an hour the vehicle scans the road ahead for potential accident hazards and if once detected you'll be warned and the brakes pre-conditioned for maximum effectiveness should you be traveling at under 30 miles an hour and be not responding to a detected hazard the brakes will automatically be applied reducing the severity of any resulting accident and hopefully alleviating it altogether other neat safety features fitted as standard across the range include an alertness assistant that monitors you for signs of drowsiness hill start assist to stop you from drifting backwards on uphill junctions and hill descent control which can ease you down slippery slopes best of all we think is the bmw emergency call with tele services system which in an accident can automatically alert the emergency services this system not only gives them your exact gps location but also provides recovery personnel with information on your speed at point of impact how hard the seat belts were pulled how many airbags burst and so on if you were to have a crash it would all mean not only that the emergency teams would know exactly where you were but also that they would arrive on the scene more prepared and ready to get you to safety than they could ever otherwise be a potentially life-saving difference want to go further well a key option is what bmw calls its driving assistant plus pack which gives you a whole range of extra camera based safety features there's front collision warning which tells you if you're getting too close to the car in front a high beam assistant system that will automatically dip your headlights for you at night lane departure warning to stop dozy drivers from veering out of their lane on the highway and a speed limit information setup that pictures speed signs as you pass and displays them on the dash in addition the driving assistant plus pack includes a couple of semi-autonomous driving features traffic jam assist can make congested roads a whole lot easier this setup able to steer and move the car automatically at up to 24 miles an hour in traffic and for highway use you'll be glad of the active cruise control with a stop and go function that can automatically slow the car to a stop then when appropriate return it to cruising speed should you come across a motorway tailback that last feature can be ordered separately if you like the sound of it basing this second generation x1 on a mini hatch platform is really paid off when it comes to issues of efficiency as a result bmw is able to claim class-leading fuel consumption and emissions figures across the range so let's get specific with the 18i three-cylinder petrol and 18d four-cylinder diesel x1 derivatives that most buyers of this car choose for variants of this kind you'll find rival models delivering wltp rated co2 figures that will generally be between 140 and 145 grams per kilometer for this x1 in contrast you're looking at 125 grams per kilometer of wltp rated co2 for a manual s drive 18i variant or 122 grams per kilometer in this auto form and 113 grams per kilometer for a manual s drive 18d or 114 grams per kilometer in auto form even the 4x4 x drive 18d only puts out 125 grams per kilometer which falls to 122 in auto form all of this will be a huge help to owners looking to reduce their running costs this x1 is also class leading when it comes to any dc rated combined cycle fuel consumption the readings you get in this s drive 18i model up to 42.8 mpg as a manual or up to 42.2 mpg as an auto are only a percentage point or two ahead of its rivals but the s drive 18d diesel has a clear advantage over the competition returning up to 56.5 mpg as a manual or up to 53.3 mpg as an auto to give you some perspective for an equivalent base diesel audi q3 or range rover evoke you're looking at comparable figures in the low 40s that's a big difference for completion we'll tell you that the 4x4 x drive 18d x1 variant is officially any dc rated at up to 51.4 mpg as a manual or up to 50.4 mpg as an auto while we're about it we'll give you the figures for the other two engines in the range if you're looking at the 190 horsepower x drive 20d derivative then you can expect up to 50.4 mpg on the wltb combined cycle and up to 123 grams per kilometer of any dc rated co2 or to put it another way you can expect to be able to go around 10 miles further on every gallon that you would in a directly comparable audi q3 40 tdi and put out 23 grams per kilometer less co2 the other automatic only derivative in the mainstream range is the x drive 20i petrol model likely to suit lower mileage private buyers here you can expect up to 40.9 mpg and 129 grams per kilometer of co2 if you want to do better then you'll need to stump up for the clever x drive 25 xe petrol electric plug-in hybrid version to recap the info we gave you in our driving experience section this variant makes the s drive 89 models