BMW X1 a great choice in the small SUV market
A few times a year, BMW gives us the chance to drive one of their vehicles, we always look forward to and have never been disappointed after our time with one of their designs. In fact, one of the high points of our 7-year automotive journey was the opportunity afforded us from BMW to have their i8 supercar for a few days.
So from one extreme to the other we were provided with an entry level X1 Sport Activity Vehicle. With a starting price of just $35,100 it is one of the cheapest ways to get into a BMW. Don’t get us wrong, that is still a lot of money for a small SUV, and the BMW world is not inclusive of many of the safety and creature comforts that would have been included in a non-luxury brand.
From the first moment of our encounter with the BMW, it was completely apparent that the X1 was not intended to compete with other small SUVs as it was filled with BMW DNA. For instance the engine, who adds twin scroll turbocharger to their small 2 liter power plant? Well that’s what comes standard in the X1 and it makes 228 horsepower and a very nice 253 ft.-lbs. of torque.
Combine this with the xDrive technology that BMW has developed and we were in for a great ride that had every ounce of power we could have ever wanted from the small SUV.
The xDrive keeps all four wheels in communication with one another and the road, making minute changes to the power given to each tire according to driving conditions and also the needs of the driver. Over the years the engineers have really perfected this design helping the driver to avoid under and over steer simply through small adjustment to power on the appropriate wheel.
There are some out there that have not really appreciated the X1 because it didn’t act as much like a normal rear wheel drive BMW, as the entry level X1 is front wheel drive, this is a first for the German company. Our test ride came with all-wheel drive, which we would highly recommend if one’s winter is going to include any type of snow, sleet or rain.
After a week in the driver’s seat we were completely taken with the abilities of this small SUV and its power available put it right at the top its class in our book. Getting into traffic on the freeway was a breeze, passing at higher speeds no problem the X1 was glad to perform. The X1 will effortlessly sprint to 60 in 6.4 seconds.
The engine is mated to an 8-speed transmission that slips seamlessly through the gears like a hot knife through butter. The X1 comes with three different drive settings: Sport, Comfort and Eco pro modes. We spent most of the time in Sport as it added to the driving excitement. Although it did stiffen up the suspension, it still seemed nearly as comfortable as the comfort mode. Even with the SUV in Sport mode, a greater portion of the time we averaged a nice 25.4 mpg.
Inside, with a few additional packages added, the luxury level continued to climb. A couple of the additions, however, did leave us scratching our heads as to why they were needed to get options we would have expected to come standard with the X1.
It was an extra $550 to add a cold weather package that only added heated front seats. The rear seats which had a huge amount of leg room were adjustable and would move up to 5 inches from front to back and would angle anywhere from 38 degrees to 1 degree for the comfort of the passengers. We were amiss to understand why anyone would not want that, but it was an additional $300.
The most expensive addition to the X1 we drove was a $3,250 premium package adding some strange bedfellows, with power -folding rearview mirrors, universal garage door opener, keyless entry, a moon roof, lumbar support on the seats, a beautiful ambient interior lighting package, LED headlamps, and SiriusXM radio with a one-year subscription. It was hard to come up with a rhyme or reason to combine these specific ad-ons this way, but hey, we enjoyed everyone one of them!
Along with the addition of the Dakota Leather Package that introduced beautiful beige seating to the X1 it all added up to a nicely equipped SUV, one that we would definitely consider as an everyday driver. It sported first in class rear storage space and the rear seats would fold 40-20-40 making it extremely flexible, especially for empty nesters like ourselves that sometimes need extra space and room for a couple of grandkids,.
We both agree that the X1 is one of the best entry level SUVs on the market right now and came with everything that we would expect from a Beamer. For folks like us that are looking for a vehicle that complements our active lifestyle with the ability to haul some extra things around this would be the perfect fit.
We could check all the important boxes off, good looks, power, fun to drive and very well grounded with the xDrive system. It works in the mountains and the snow in the AWD version, and most important, it was loaded with the luxury items we have come to love and enjoy.
Take a few moments one day and go see this great little Ute at BMW of Pleasant Grove, 2111 West Grove Parkway, (801) 443-200, you will be glad you did.
Base Price: $35,100
Price as Driven: $46,320
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