BMW X1 engines, drive and performance
- Petrol, diesel and PHEV
- Punchy and economical
- We’re yet to try PHEVs
Petrol engines
The most basic petrol engine is the 20i. It has 170hp and a 0-62mph time of around eight seconds. In other words, it’s not slow, and should prove to be a big seller.
Next up is the 23i. This has 218hp and is around one second quicker in 0-62 dash. It pulls well in all gears and is super smooth. We’d go as far as describing this engine as urgent in the way it accelerates, providing serene overtaking opportunities. In day-to-day driving we suspect most people after petrol would be more than happy with the cheaper and less powerful 20i.
Diesel engines
The diesel range apes the petrol one in that there are two options. First up is the 18d, which gets 150hp. It’s the slowest engines in the X1’s arsenal, but still manages a respectable sub-9.0 second 0-62mph time.
The 23d has 211hp and a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds. This is usefully quicker than the cheaper model, but once again, we wonder how many people will be bothered by the extra performance.
Hybrid engines
Official figures for the plug-in hybrid engines are yet to be released, but they should be the quickest. The 30e should hammer the 0-62mph sprint in less than six seconds, while the less powerful 25e should be about a second slower.
What’s it like to drive?
- Easy to get to grips with
- Pretty comfortable
- M Sport models get different suspension
BMW is famed for its driving dynamics and it’s certainly sprinkled a little of that magic on the X1. There’s very little bodyroll and the steering is direct, making it feel agile. It changes direction easier than the likes of the Mercedes GLA yet the steering is also super light, which is great for around town and parking.
The downside to this sporty-feeling drive is the ride is a touch harsher than its rivals. It doesn’t feel quite as comfortable on the motorway as the Volvo XC40 for instance.
M Sport models get an adaptive suspension system, which allows the driver to make the suspension softer or harder.
All models come with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is a delight. It’s very rarely caught out and even when pressing on, the shifts never become jerky.
