Drive Report: 2023 BMW X1

The hexagonal headlamps are another highlight of the new X1, boasting, for the first time, adaptive LED technology.

The BMW X1 has always been something of a work in progress. What started its journey as a comparatively lacklustre compact luxury SUV has grown both in size and stature to become the bestseller in its segment.

The X1 finally hit its stride in its second innings, with a front-wheel-drive setup allowing it to prioritise practicality over the sheer driving dynamism of its siblings. The result was a robust, spacious SUV that felt sufficient if not superlative in terms of both performance and luxury.

For the third-gen version, BMW has ensured that any remaining rough edges on the X1 have been consummately polished and smoothened. And the result is one of the most wholesome and well-specced luxury SUVs in the Indian car market today.

The looks
The X1 isn’t your traditionally handsome SUV. It’s certainly grown in proportions, almost to bigger sibling X3 levels, but it remains a confluence of acute angles, all of which point in an unsubtle manner to the already immense chrome kidney grille.

Making too fine a point of its Bavarian origins, the front end gets sharply-defined air dams, which balances out the quirkiness of the overall look with its proportionate, clean-cut lines. They also channel airflow to the front tyres and reduce drag. The hexagonal headlamps are another highlight of the new X1, boasting, for the first time, adaptive LED technology.

Its side profile adds a bit of muscularity to the X1’s overall profile, with a pinched bottom serving as a clear link to its predecessors. It’s grown in length by 53mm, with nearly half of that going into adding more leg room while the rest expands the storage space at the rear. The rear is arguably more aesthetically pleasing than the front, exercising restraint with sharp, slender tail lamps and a blacked-out bumper breaking the monotony. The first iteration of the X1 may have been able to blend in with ease, and never quite pulled its weight as a bona fide German SUV (perhaps because it was built in Romania) but the third-gen stands out in a crowd.

The kit
This is where the new X1 really outperforms every other SUV in its segment. The cabin is an absolute masterclass in minimalist luxury. Nothing overwhelms you about this design, so subtle and finely crafted is the cockpit. No protruding dashboard, no obscenely large touchscreens—just a single rectangular slab extending from the centre of the dashboard to the right-hand edge of the steering wheel.

There are several borrowed elements from the iX, making the X1 peerless in terms of ergonomics and intelligent design, such as the floating armrest. The double-stitched leather, the brushed aluminium surfaces, the metallic inserts on the door pads and other accoutrements that are markers of top-shelf luxury—they are all there. The wireless charging tray is now vertical, freeing up precious storage space.

You’d be hard-pressed to find anything here that’s really cookie-cutter. Still, the UI isn’t exactly perfect and BMW would do well to include physical buttons because everything from temperature and blower control to switching drive modes now requires you to access the central touchscreen, which is not all that easy on the fly. Thankfully, the sculpted M Sport steering feels very tactile and features actual buttons. The latest iDrive system feels easy enough to decipher, with big, bold logos and the most user-friendly switch to wireless Apple CarPlay there is. Connected car tech, basic ADAS, active park and reverse assist are all included in the M Sport package, as is a 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Leg room for both front and rear passengers is plentiful with seats offering adequate leg and thigh support for four individuals. A panoramic sunroof lends a more airy quality to the cabin, although the absence of cooled seats can be felt with the sun shining down on passengers.

Performance
BMW’s four-pot, 2.0-litre diesel is arguably the smoothest one in the business. But the new X1 is down on power by a solid 40 hp. Where the previous one got 190hp, the new one puts out a more modest 150hp. The bottom end remains torquey as ever, and the engine stands out for just how quiet and refined it is. The dual-clutch seven-speed transmission unit retains its seamless character, and the power deficit is practically indiscernible with the gearbox helping dish out dollops of torque at the bottom end. If there’s one niggle, it’s that the 18-inch wheels give the X1 a fairly stiff ride, which only improves at higher speeds. The upside is that the cornering prowess of the X1 is sharp as a tack, but at the cost of overall ride quality, and in this respect, rival brands like Audi and Mercedes-Benz offer greater comfort.

The steering feels a tad light for a BMW, but the X1 is technically a more domesticated breed among Bimmers //Beamers?//, and ease of driving is paramount. Make no mistake, this is a far more gentrified version of the X1 than ever before.

Everything from its luxurious trappings to its lowered power levels point at a more mature SUV. Not that it feels underpowered. Yes, power delivery can be best described as extremely linear and steady with no sudden surge propelling it towards the horizon. Instead, what you get is power spread evenly across the band, but working best under mid-to-light acceleration.

Verdict
Save for its stiff ride quality, the X1 exceeds its peers and its predecessor in every parameter. It’s more spacious, fabulously specced, smoother and better looking than the model it replaces. The power deficit is only a setback on paper as the SUV continues to have a strong bottom end and midrange. It’s also a tad more efficient as a result, with BMW claiming a mileage of 20 kpl.

Priced competitively at Rs 41.62 lakh (for the top-end M Sport diesel featured here) the X1 makes for a good deal even without having AWD as an optional feature. And given that most X1 customers spend very little time taking it off-road, it’s not the sort of glaring omission that’ll have customers cancelling the cheque. No idiosyncrasies, no half measures. The new BMW X1 is all business.