The second-generation of BMW’s popular SUV has been revealed ahead of its official on-sale date of October 24.
A surprise success for the German premium brand when the car was first launched back in 2009, BMW has sold more than 730,000 X1s globally, nearly 40,000 of which came to the UK.
Featuring styling tweaks, a range of new economical engines that deliver up to 17 percent improvement in fuel consumption and CO2, plus more space inside than before, BMW is looking to repeat the success of its first generation car and tempt user choosers away from the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3.
New engine line-up
From launch there will be a single petrol and three diesel engines to choose from, all of which are 2-litre powertrains with turbo technology.
Likely to be a popular choice for company car drivers will be the 148bhp sDrive 18d which offers the lowest CO2 emissions available at 109g/km placing the car in a 19 percent BIK tax band for the current 2015/16 year, plus an official fuel economy of 68.9mpg.
It’s also the cheapest engine option in the range with prices starting from £26,780, so tax costs for a 20 percent payer will be around £85 a month until April.
The 18d engine is offered with both front-wheel drive and a lighter revised version of the firm’s all-wheel drive system, although if you want the aforementioned low running costs, you’ll need to stick with the front-wheel drive option as picking the xDrive 18d will increase CO2 emissions to 124g/km.
All engines come with eight-speed automatic gearboxes from launch except the sDrive18d, which gets a six-speed manual. The same will be available for xDrive20d models in November.
The petrol option in the line-up (xDrive 120i) is powered by a 189bhp four-cylinder engine, which sprints from 0 to 62mph in 7.4 seconds, with an average fuel consumption of 44.8mpg and CO2 emissions of 146g/km.
More powerful diesel options include the 187bhp xDrive 20d, which is marginally slower than the petrol from 0-62mph, completing the sprint in 7.6 seconds but offering superior running costs of 58mpg and CO2 emissions of 127g/km, placing the car in a 23 percent BIK tax band for the current year.
Completing the engine line-up is the xDrive 25d which offers 228bhp and 450Nm of torque, capable of accelerating the car from 0-62mph in just 6.6 seconds. Despite the performance credentials, there is little penalty on running costs for choosing this model over the 20d (it costs over £5,000 more though) with a combined fuel economy of 56.5mpg and CO2 emissions of 132g/km.
All cars come equipped with BMW’s Drive Experience Control switch to change between driving modes; Sport, Comfort and ECO PRO settings for engine, steering and gearbox configuration. Automatic models also feature a coasting function which disconnects the engine when not required, saving fuel and CO2.
More spacious than before
This new X1 has had a growth spurt with most noticeably an increased height of 53mm over the previous generation meaning more headroom inside for all occupants, plus there’s an 85-litre bigger boot too.
Knee room at the rear has increased by 36mm in standard specification and up to 66mm with an optionally adjustable rear seat.
Available to buy in four trims, standard equipment is impressive with a 6.5-inch colour display, sat-nav, Bluetooth, air-con, automatic tailgate, keyless start and automatic wipers and lights included.
Among the highlights on the options list is a panoramic glass roof, DAB radio and a Harman Kardon HiFi system, complete with 12 loudspeakers and a digital amplifier.
Camera-based assistance systems available include lane departure warning, high beam assist, collision warning systems, adaptive cruise control and a parking assistance system.
The ConnectedDrive Services option enables the use of the BMW Online internet portal via the SIM card embedded in the vehicle, as well as the integration of smartphone apps into the car.
This new BMW X1 goes on sale on October 24, to read our current full review of the current first-generation BMW X1, click here.
