2017 BMW X1is spacious, quick, well-built
To read more reviews and watch videos by Car and Driver, visit sfgate.com/cars
It seems that every brand — both luxury and mainstream — is throwing all its resources to the growing crossover market. Our testing reveals that the BMW X1 is the best crossover in the small-luxury segment.
It’s quick, nimble, spacious, well-built, and undeniably upscale. BMW’s baby crossover belies its boxy shape with athletic handling and peppy performance, but it still provides class-leading cargo and passenger space. The X1 meets its mission so well that we named it on our 10Best Trucks and SUVs list for 2017.
WHAT’S NEW FOR 2017?
For 2017, BMW has made few changes to its smallest crossover, which was fully redesigned and introduced in 2015 as a 2016 model.
While the previous generation was available with an inline-six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive, the 2016 model rolled out on an all-new front-drive platform with a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder as its sole engine.
This year, the M Sport package will include a sport-tuned suspension for the first time; sport seats are also offered as a stand-alone option.
STANDARD FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS
Power-adjustable front seats with memory
Rain-sensing windshield wipers
Power liftgate
TRIMS, OPTIONS WE’D CHOOSE
The all-wheel-drive X1 xDrive28i is $2,000 more than the front-wheel-drive X1 sDrive28i, but, depending on where you live, it may be a worthwhile choice. The frontwheel-drive model is more than adequate for daily commutes, though we recommend the M Sport package ($2,450) because it comes with more comfortable sport seats and other enticing add-ons, including: M sport suspension Body-colored bumpers and lower-body cladding
A racy M-branded steering wheel
Blacked-out window trim and roof rails
At $37,540, our front-drive X1 sDrive28i represents great value and a sharper dynamic edge than rivals such as the Lexus NX, with the M Sport Package dialing in even more driving fun. However, unless you want to limit your color choices to either black or white, plan on spending an extra $700 for a metallic paint option, of which there are nine.
A LOOK AT THE INTERIOR
A well-made interior with rich leather, handsome wood trim, intuitive controls, and spacious seating makes the X1 a smart choice in the segment. Uncomfortable standard seats, evidence of cost-cutting, and a lack of key luxury features are its demerits.
The X1’s interior is nicely appointed and crafted from mostly premium materials. Poke around, and you’ll find evidence that BMW’s accountants repurposed funds from
the interior. The glovebox door is as flimsy as a plastic lunchbox, and the bin hidden under the front seat, while useful, feels as if BMW bought it in bulk from a dollar-store fire sale.
The cockpit has a driverfocused layout, reinforcing the X1’s sporty personality. The infotainment screen sprouts from the center of the dashboard and is canted toward the driver for a better viewing angle; the simple hard-button controls for the radio and climate cascade across the center of the dashboard. Facing the driver is a businesslike gauge cluster that looks elegant and is readable at a glance. The driving position is great, although the steering wheel adjustments could use more range of motion in both rake and reach. The steering wheel itself has a thick rim and leather wrapping that feels convincingly luxe.
Getting in and out of the X1’s front seats is easy, with doors that open wide. Step-in height is very low for an SUV; only the tallest drivers, or those who prefer their seat moved to the rearmost setting, will find that the B-pillar impedes ingress and egress. The rear-seat bottom is also mounted at a good height for entry, but there is a ledge that passengers will need to step over.
Thanks to its tall roof, the X1 offers the most headroom in its class. However, front-seat legroom is merely adequate. Long-legged drivers may find the Lexus NX or the Lincoln MKC more comfortable, as those crossovers offer 42.8 inches of front-seat legroom. To understand how impressive 42.8 inches of legroom is, consider this: The comparably gargantuan Ford Explorer offers just 0.1 inch more front legroom. The little Bimmer does compensate with best-inclass rear legroom.
A LOOK AT THE EXTERIOR
When compared with its more extroverted rivals, the handsome but subtle X1 is a shrinking violet. Like its competitors, its compact size gives it good maneuverability in tight spaces; its boxy shape contributes to class-leading cargo capacity.
If you were to remove the X1’s twin-kidney grilles and squinting headlights, you’d be hard-pressed to identify this as a BMW. This isn’t an indictment of its styling, but of the sameness that pervades the entire crossover category. Still, there are nice details here, such as the prominent rib that runs across the body side and through the door handles to grant this BMW a muscular physique. There are also the intriguingly detailed optional LED headlights that turn in concert with the steering wheel to illuminate corners at night.
This segment seems to be a grouping of tall wagons rather than true SUVs, save for the Lexus NX, which is the longest, widest, and tallest here. But the X1 looks the part, and that counts for a lot.
The X1 is offered in 11 different exterior paints, nine of which are metallic and will add $700 to the bottom line. A panoramic sunroof is also optional, and it can vent and open over the front-seat occupants.