First driving test: this is how the new BMW X1 . drives

We could have predicted that the new X1 was coming without spy footage. After all, the discontinued model has been shining in the showrooms for more than seven years and that is just about the life cycle of a modern car. In any case, the X1 deserves a new life, because no fewer than 2.7 million copies of the previous two generations were built, of which 800,000 LWBs for the Chinese market.

BMW bets on Power of Choice with X1

When it comes to the energy transition, BMW is following two different paths. On the one hand, the Germans are putting a series of exclusively electric models on the road, from 2025 under the Neue Klasse flag, but on the other hand they are also introducing models that are optionally available with petrol, diesel, hybrid and fully electric powertrains. An example of this is the X3 and this third generation X1 also follows this course, which BMW has given the credo ‘Power of Choice’. We add ‘Size Does Matter’ to that, because the third generation BMW X1 has grown considerably in all dimensions. The SUV named U11 is visibly bigger than the F48 whose place it takes; it is 5.3 centimeters longer, 2.4 centimeters wider and 4.4 centimeters higher than its predecessor. The huge kidneys add to that visual effect.

The new BMW X1 is bigger than its predecessor. The huge kidneys add to that visual effect.

Flexible in the mix

The basis for our first driving impressions is Regensburg in Germany and that is not an arbitrary choice. This is where BMW started production of the E30 in 1986 and today it is the cradle of the 1-series, the 2-series Gran Tourer, the X2 and the X1 that we drive today. All powertrains of the X1, conventional, plug-in hybrid and fully electric, are produced on the same production line. “That way we are flexible in the mix,” explains Stefan Flöck, senior vice president responsible for compact BMWs and Minis. “These are turbulent times and the market is changing rapidly, which makes it difficult to predict the relationship between the different powertrains.”

We begin our adventure in the sDrive18d, which takes us on the rolling country roads of northern Bavaria. It turns out that BMW can also turn a front-wheel drive car into a fun steering one. It goes nicely sharp and precise through the bends, understeer is barely noticeable. You get a lot of feedback from everything that happens on the road and the steering wheel feels great in the hand. The diesel engine sounds a bit unpolished with the windows open, but the insulation of the coach is good enough to largely polish it away with the windows closed. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic shifts smoothly and confidently through the resistance, so that the car also feels soothing on this varied route.

We miss the dial in the new BMW X1.

That can’t really be said of the new infotainment system. There is no longer a rotary knob for operation and few physical buttons have survived the generational change. Almost everything is done via the touch screen or with voice commands and the complicated menu structure does not make it any easier. Our car is set up to relay traffic information from the radio, which was very useful in the pre-internet era. But to hear from a nervous DJ every five minutes that there is a broken down truck on the other side of the country is downright irritating. Shutting down requires a deep dive into the instruction booklet and a quarter of an hour in the berm.

But admittedly, it looks beautiful. The screen is nicely curved around the driver, the center console floats and the seating position is very pleasant. You also sit well in the back and thanks to a longer wheelbase you sit there considerably more than in the predecessor. The luggage space also grew considerably to a nice 540 liters, which can be expanded to 1,600 liters.

Boss above boss

After the break in the xDrive23i we experience that you have boss over boss. The little understeer the diesel still had takes the 4WD away completely and a mischievous extra dose of power goes to the rear wheels, so you can actually play with this good SUV. The flexibility of the two-liter engine with TwinPower turbo, aided by some extra mild-hybrid power, makes the party complete. Be aware, however, that the xDrive and hybrid additions will cost you 40 liters of trunk space.

Finally the iX1 xDrive30. We have to be shorter about that, because we are driving a prototype and we have to stay neatly behind a pace car. But that doesn’t mean we can sometimes drop a hole and then floor the pedal. An impressive amount of power is your share, 313 hp and 494 Nm to be exact, but it feels like more. We do notice that the refined chassis, as we just experienced it in the 23i, is largely gone due to the weight of the batteries. The iX1 feels quite hard, especially when the asphalt gets less. This is of course inevitable, especially if you want to give something heavy a positive character. However, BMW’s chassis engineers have surprised us more than once and we hope they will take a closer look at the iX1 before it makes the step from prototype to series production.

From its launch in October this year, the third-generation X1 will be available as front-wheel drive sDrive18i and sDrive18d and four-wheel drive xDrive23i and xDrive23d. They all get the seven-speed Steptronic dual-clutch automatic transmission as standard. The fully electric iX1 xDrive30 will follow shortly after, as will two plug-in hybrids and two mild hybrids. In addition to being larger and equipped with an automatic transmission, the X1 is also significantly richer, partly due to the new digital dashboard, but that does mean that it has become significantly more expensive. The entry-level sDrive18i is available from €51,624, with which the new X1 exceeds half a ton in price for the first time. The iX1 xDrive30 will first appear as a Launch Edition and will cost €55,274. Once that series is sold out, the starting price of the fully electric X1 will be €57,274.