BMW X1 sDrive 20d M Sport Auto 5dr Pre-Model Car Review - February 2012

The seating position is very good, and with as many features as are included on the X1 the driving experience as a whole it is very good. The automatic gearbox is smooth and efficient, and although the X1 has a higher ride height than would be experienced with a car, the handling is not negatively affected. The steering is nippy and responsive, and the X1 sticks to the road as you would expect with such a vehicle.

The X1 in the M Sport trim does include a sporty suspension set up, and this will not be to everyone’s tastes as it can mean a very firm ride. In terms of its engine performance, the X1 is fairly reasonable, offering a 0-62mph in a decent 8.1 seconds, and the ability to reach a top speed of 127mph.

The X1 is very much a crossover car, as the height of the vehicle is immediately obvious when it is seen next to the height of a standard car. The front end is typically BMW, and the back end shares many features with its larger brother the X3. It’s hard to say that the X1 is an attractive car, as the proportion of the car combined with the low suspension does give it a somewhat squat look.

One of the best things about the X1 is that the classy 17inch alloy wheels are included as standard. In terms of the centre console it is typically a BMW, and the flat surface at the top of the centre console is designed to hold a satellite navigation system. Many of the comforts about the X1 are to be found on the additional extras list, and it is easy to add a few thousand to the list price by picking out leather seats and so on.

In terms of the safety of the X1, it has received some good scores from the Euro NCAP tests receiving the top grading of five stars in terms of safety. Because many of the safety features such as airbags, traction control and ESP are all included as standard, the X1 is a very safe car to drive and has all of the features to help keep the driver and passengers safe. There are also a raft of typical security features such as an alarm and marked parts included as standard, but those who are worried about theft may want to install satellite tracking.

In terms of the practicality of the X1, it is marketed as being a car that is designed for those who want the driving experience of a car with the space and carrying capacity of a 4x4. In reality this isn’t particularly successful, as the car is not particularly spacious in the boot, and the space in the cabin is very similar to that of an equivalent car.

This is one of the areas where the BMW X1 really does manage to excel, delivering an average fuel performance of 53.3mpg, which is well ahead of the competition. However, the purchase cost of £29,610 is certainly a prohibitive factor and there are many competitors in this market offering vehicles at a lower price.

For such a hefty purchase price BMW could have included a few more items from the optional extras list in as standard, but they do have a standard 3 year warranty and a 3 year roadside breakdown service, although the reliability record of BMW vehicles usually means that you won’t need this.