BMW X1 practicality and boot space

Space up front is adequate, but you do feel slightly more hemmed-in than you would in a Volvo XC40 or Volkswagen Tiguan, owing to the more cocooned cabin design. Storage space, meanwhile, is reasonable, with large cupholders and door pockets proving useful on long journeys.

Climb into the back, and while there is enough room for three adults, like most cars in this class it’s best to keep the middle seat free or for children only. That said the X1’s outright size means headroom is generous and the sliding rear bench affords plenty of legroom when pushed all the way back. In ordinary circumstances, a 6ft rear-seat passenger will be able to sit behind a driver of the same height.

Those familiar with the previous generation X1 will notice that its successor has grown markedly in size and takes on a far more SUV-like profile than before. The upside of this is the increase in interior and boot space, however less confident parkers may want to dip into the options list and spec the front and rear parking sensors (rear are standard across the range) and reversing camera.

Enlarge0videoEnlarge153photo

BMW isn’t usually associated with gargantuan luggage areas, but the X1 does well against the competition in its class, delivering impressive luggage capacity and very low loading lip – handing for hauling large items into the back. 

What’s more, if you fold the rear seats down via a switch in the boot (40:20:40 split as standard), they sit nice and flat making it easier to load long, awkward items in. The standard-fit electroc tailgate also aids practicality, particularly as it opens with a kicking motion under the rear bumper.

Safety-conscious – to a point