What is it?

Originally launched back in 2009, it’s fair to say that it wasn’t the prettiest SUV in the playground.  Now however, it appears that BMW have got their act together, and this new version is far more equipped to take on the premium SUV elite.

Although on a longer wheelbase, the new X1 is shorter in length, but wider, taller and sits higher off the ground.  You also have a choice of front wheel drive and 4 wheel drive models, rear wheel drive, like the Mk1, is a thing of the past.

On road

I have to admit, during the first couple of commutes and shopping trips, I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about, the X1 felt quite uninspiring.  That all changed though when I ventured up to Yarn on a 4 hour round trip.  Using a variety of roads, the X1 came alive, the Electronic Damper Control (EDC), electric steering, 19” rims, flappy paddles and that 2ltr diesel made for a fun-filled and exciting drive.

I haven’t driven a standard sprung X1 yet, so I suppose I really can’t qualify what I’m about the say next, but I have to agree with some of my other motoring colleagues, £390 is not that much to fork out for EDC, but if you enjoy your driving, I think you’ll be impressed.

Off road

The X1 isn’t an off-roader, though surprisingly it handled the rough stuff easily enough, though you definitely get the sense it’d rather be on smooth tarmac being hurried around corners.

Having said that, getting the X1 to perform its ‘wheel in the air’ party trick for passing ramblers was quite easy, the 4WD system worked a treat with no wheel spin at all - impressive stuff.

Still, if you’re going to be doing a lot of this kind of off-roading, the X1, as good as it is, isn’t really the vehicle for you, personally I’d consider an Evoque.

Interior

Thanks to the new platform and front wheel drive set-up, the interior is more spacious than the previous model, even though it’s shorter.

The heads-up display is one of the best I’ve used, which makes the pinnacle almostredundant, and the Sat Nav is brilliant, as is everything else in the infotainment system.  I found the whole dash layout pleasing with everything to hand and the varied buttons and switches all felt substantial and worthy for this class of SUV.

All models get dual-zone climate control, Bluetooth, navigation, DAB radio, but more importantly, front collision assistance.  The latter doesn’t just improve safety, it also lowers insurance premiums, which is always a bonus.

My only problem with the interior, and pretty much my only problem with the X1 at all, was the narrow front seats.  Now, I’m not the biggest bloke in the world, but I found myself sitting on both sides of the bucket styled seats, which wasn’t ideal, in fact it was uncomfy.

Oh, I’ve just remembered another annoyance, there isn’t a lot of adjustment in the steering wheel and therefore I couldn’t see the lower part of the dash.

Engines 'n' transmissions

For 2015, the X1 comes with a choice of three diesels and one petrol engine which are all turbocharged and churn out less than 150g/km of CO2.

Want pure economy?  Then you’ll want the front wheel drive sDrive 1.8ltr diesel.  It’ll return 68.9mpg whilst emitting just 114g/km. 

My X1 for the week was the more powerful, 4wd 2ltr diesel, which on paper could achieve 57.6mpg and 128g/km of CO2, which isn’t too shabby.

Then of course you have the range-topping 2.5ltr diesel, which is also 4wd, and returns 56.5mpg and 132g/km.

If your annual mileage is low then you can also consider the solitary petrol xDrive 2ltr, it obviously can’t compete with the diesels, but it does return 44.8mpg whilst emitting 146g/km.

Conclusion

For most of the week my trips out in the X1 were boring commutes, stop / start, that sort of thing, and it was pleasant enough, but it deserves more than that.  Engage Sport mode and use its flappy paddles on an empty country lane , that’s when the X1 comes alive.

Personally, I don’t find the X1 a particularly attractive car, but what I’ve gleaned from sharing this thought is that I’m pretty much alone.  I suspect the new X1 will be a hit for BMW, and to be fair, it’s actually a very decent vehicle.