PLUS

  • Handsome design.
  • A range of strong three and four cylinder engines that improve efficiency and performance.
  • Boosted interior space, with plenty of headroom and a rear seat that slides fore an aft by 13mm for greater flexibility.
  • A big improvement to boot space, which has swollen by 85 litres to 505 litres in total, meaning the X1 now trumps rivals like the Mercedes-Benz GLA and Audi Q3 for load lugging capacity.
  • Higher seating position for improved visibility.
  • Designed by an Australian. Tick and tick.
  • Now available in front and all-wheel drive.
MINUS
  • Most of the new equipment (electric tailgate, head up display, collision waring and park assist) are likely to be expensive options.
  • 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol can sound mechanical and unrefined low in the rev range.
  • Australia unlikely to get the more efficient, and potentially cheaper, three-cylinder variants.
  • BMW denies it’s building a high-performance version, fettled by its iconic M performance division. We reckon a pumped up, 300hp X1M to rival the Mercedes-AMG GLA45 and Audi RS Q3 would look awesome!
Click here to find out more about theu00a0BMW X1.