BMW-X1 Review

Design & Engineering

The X1 is instantly recognisable as a BMW, and a modern one at that. Using design cues first seen on newer cars like the 7- and 5-series, the X1’s skinning is fluid and cohesive rather than sharp. However, traditional BMW details remain. The double barrel headlamps, the large ‘kidney’ grille, the ‘Hofmeister kink’ in the shoulder line and the big squared off-wheel arches; they’re all there. But this ‘youngest’ of BMWs has other interesting bits as well. The long bonnet is heavily sculpted, the wide front splitter gives the X1 a square jawed look and the design of the rear is very fluid. But while it’s long and wide, the X1 is not tall or chunky enough to be a convincing SUV. This is especially true in the flesh where it looks more like a tall estate than an off-roader.

Under the skin, the X1 is a 3- series; slightly raised and differently tuned but otherwise identical. Built on the 3-series touring (BMW for estate) wheelbase, this car inherits all the 3-series’ driver-focussed hardware. The long wheelbase, the super-stiff chassis, the double- jointed aluminium front struts, the double-wishbone five-arm rear axle and of course the rear-wheel-drive architecture. For India, as yet, there is no four-wheel-drive version of the X1, and that’s smart. This car, despite its 194mm ground clearance is not likely to be taken over challenging or wildly undulating ground. The chin is too low slung, the wheelbase is too long and the X1’s wheel travel is also pretty restricted. Boot space at 420 litres however is just about adequate, but the seats can be split 40/20/40, which is very useful. And BMW has used clever rubber banjo cords in the rear to keep small objects secure.

Performance & Economy

The 2.0-litre common rail diesel motor under the hood of the X1 is familiar as well. Similar to the motor that powers the 320d, this well-specced motor has an all-aluminium crank case, a variable geometry turbo, piezo electric injectors and a fuel rail pressure of 1800 bar. The power output of 177bhp is impressive too. The headline figure however is the torque output of 35.69kgm, which really is a serious amount of twist.

Performance is pretty good as a result, and the X1 comfortably ducks under 10 seconds to do the 100kph sprint. If you keep your foot down for 20.9 seconds, you cross a real speed of 150kph. To put things in perspective, the 2-litre Skoda Yeti takes a full seven seconds longer to get to 150. And that’s with a quicker manual gearbox. This motor however doesn’t spin as fast as the 320d’s, which pulls to 5000rpm against 4600rpm for the X1. Still a top speed of 205kph is pretty impressive.

The diesel X1 also works really well in city traffic. There’s plenty of punch in the midrange and BMW’s baby delivers a good-sized surge of power when you tap the throttle. Progress is very rapid even if the gearbox upshifts early. The six-speed automatic ‘box however isn’t the quickest and blunts the X1’s eagerness a bit. There’s a bit of lag when you floor the throttle and this is noticeable on the highway when you want to make a quick overtaking manoeuvre. It’s best to switch to manual mode for sharper throttle response or when you want to drive in a hurry.

Compared to the 3-series saloon however, this motor feels loud. There is some rattle at start-up, insulation is not as good and though the motor smoothens out once it warms up, it still intrudes at times. The six-speed automatic gearbox though works pretty well on the X1. Up-shifts are executed with a quick flick of the tacho needle, and downshifts, unless you are driving really hard, are reasonably quick too.

BMW diesels have always been frugal and the X1 is no different.The X1 managed to stretch the litre of diesel for an average of 9.8kpl in the city, impressive for a car of this weight. What helps is that it’s geared very similarly to the 320d, which is a very efficient car itself.It’s not as efficient on the highway however, the greater drag supposedly affecting efficiency here.

Verdict

 9/10
BMW’s baby SUV does not have the stance of an SUV. Low slung and more like a hatch or estate on steroids,  it doesn’t have four-wheel-drive either. But how many owners will have an appetite for off-roading? The more serious issue is space. It’s tight on the inside and at best a four-seater.

The diesel motor is quite audible and there are a couple of cheap bits on the inside. All this though is forgotten the moment you get behind the wheel. The motor has plenty of grunt, the ride and handling are nothing short of brilliant, and the best part is that you can attack even poorly surfaced roads in the X1 without the fear of bottoming out or bending something. In addition, the top-of-the-line X1 is pretty well equipped and built to the same quality standards as other BMWs. The top model however is a huge Rs 6 lakh more than the base model and when you have to eventually fork out upwards of Rs 34.50 lakh (on-road, Delhi) to get the key in your hand, it doesn’t seem as good value. However, it’s still not a lot of money for such a highly desirable car and the base model is much more affordable.