![]() ![]() They also boost the top speed from 130 to 149 mph, though few drivers will ever try this.Īlthough I only tried the X1 in light sand and dirt, it’s not really meant to be a serious off-roader and the firm suspension might get tiring after a couple of hours of dirt roads. For those who really want to drive vigorously and don’t live anywhere it snows, those improved tires will make the X1 even more fun. The tires do not howl in protest unless you do something truly foolish, the brakes bite easily and without much fade and the X1 doesn’t get all bent out of shape if you head into a turn a little too fast and have to correct.ġ8-inch wheels with all-season tires are standard but the M Sport and xLine ($500) packages open up 19- ($600) or 20-inch ($1,200) options and available performance rubber. ![]() The X1 was perfectly happy blasting through canyon roads and mountain twisties, though not at quite the velocity of something like an M3. There are several wheel-and-tire choices and a $2,300 M Sport package which adds an adaptive suspension and a variety of handling-centric tweaks, but even the base model has an engaging personality. The old X1 was already playful, but the new one’s responses feel a little sharper, and there’s less road noise.įlooring it from a standing start results in a zero-to-60 sprint of a touch over 6 seconds, just as BMW claims (their official figure is 6.2 seconds) and while this SUV’s AWD system is biased towards putting power to the front wheels, it’s not understeery even when pushed pretty hard, and there’s lots of grip. It feels faster than before, although the straight-line numbers are about the same. It’s now mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that, despite being down a gear from the old X1, really never fails to respond accurately to your right foot. Power comes from BMW’s B48-series 2.0-liter turbocharged, mild-hybrid four-cylinder engine, making 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, up 13 hp and 37 lb-ft from the old model. The former front-drive sDrive28i model is no more. There are many versions of this new SUV in other markets, including a punchy, 313-horsepower iX1 electric (sadly, there aren’t any plans to sell it here), but North American X1s will come in just one flavor, the all-wheel drive (AWD) X1 xDrive28i. only gets one model choice (at least for now): The all-wheel-drive X1 xDrive28i. There are several variations of the new X1 in international markets, but the U.S. It also boasts vastly improved infotainment and interior experiences, all at a price only marginally higher than before. While you can’t expect a compact crossover to behave quite like those cars, the X1 is eager to play and more enthusiastic than before. There’s no BMW equivalent to the hotter AMG versions of the Mercedes GLA and GLB, but among the pint-size luxury crossover crowd, which includes the Audi Q3, Lexus UX and Volvo XC40, the X1 is the most athletic choice and even faster now.Īs part of a BMW-hosted media event in Southern California, I got to hustle the X1 along the same roads I’ve used to try out the more enthusiast-focused M240i and M3. The chassis has been comprehensively tweaked and BMW’s aptitude for making vehicles fun is alive and well. ![]() ![]() Nor does using existing architecture limit the dynamic talents of the vehicle. UKL stands for “Untere Klasse,” which translates to “lower class,” but buyers shouldn’t assume this less-expensive Bimmer is somehow a “lesser” driving machine. Under the skin, the new and suddenly very grown up X1 rides the same front-drive-oriented UKL2 platform as before, shared with the Mini Countryman and Clubman. But the redesigned X1’s beauty isn’t skin deep: there’s more power, more fun and more modern systems too all without much of a price increase. It’s handsome, too, with clean, chiseled lines that largely sidestep the aesthetic controversies of other recent BMWs. It matches their proportions almost exactly, just at a smaller scale. Alex Kwantenįrom 100 feet away, it’s hard to tell that the 2023 BMW X1 isn’t the size of the company’s larger X3 and X5 crossovers. An array of vivid colors helps accentuate the 2023 BMW X1’s handsome styling, though you have to pay extra for the coolest ones like Utah Orange, San Remo Green and Blue Bay Lagoon. ![]()
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