The All New BMW X1 The perfect BMW?

The New BMW X1 review 

When I jumped in this car this morning I really wanted to hate it as I'm one of the BMW fans who think BMW should just stick to the performance sedans. There is alot to like about the X1 it's one of the most complete cars I've ever come across. BMW spent alot of time in the R&D of this vehicle and it shows. 

Interior

When you jump in you are immediately greeted by a well specced up to date cabin. It has a single curved screen sweeping across the centre and towards the driver side it looks very futuristic and follows the norm of the new cars being launched these days. There is no gear lever just a small toggle switch on top of the centre armrest to select P, R, N and D. By far the thing that gets your attention the most is the massive panoramic sunroof which extends all the way to the back of the vehicle. It has a electric blind which comes really handy for our South African climate. It has wireless Apple Car Play and Android auto which is a joy to have as you don't have to look for wires soon as you get in. Another thing which I take for granted is the electric tailgate perfect for the lazy motorist such as myself. Be sure you tick the Live Cockpit Professional Options Box as its the best system out right now. 

Driving Experience 

The gearbox is the new 7 speed dual clutch unit. It's not a bad box but it still needs to prove itself on the market. It's still fairly new and we haven't heard any horror stories from BMW techs yet. I found the changes very smooth and silky under partial acceleration, but under full throttle overtaking it is abit slow to respond in D mode. In S mode the response improves ten fold. Being a family oriented car you get the sense this car prefers the gentle cruise. It has a very un-BMW like feel very docile. To be fair this BMW will meet and exceed any buyer's expectations as the families who purchase this vehicle will not be interested in any performance aspect. 

The model I have on test is the sdrive18d M sport priced at R910 000 with some nice to have extras. It makes a good 110kW and 360Nm I'd say the diesel is the pick of the bunch. I've achieved a fuel consumption of 4.9l/100km which is brilliant for a vehicle of this size. 

Let's talk about the pricing

Starting at R760 000 for the petrol sdrive18i with the 1.5 litre 3 cylinder engine. Realistically in the current market is not bad as you are getting alot for the money. Compare to the updated BMW 3 series which starts at R780 000 it's R20 000 cheaper. However I doubt the price will stay the same in the coming months. BMW reports the new X1 is flying off showroom floors and I can't believe I'm saying this but I'd much rather have this diesel X1 than a 3 series. It comes standard with the 5 year/100 000km which can be extended to 7 year/200 000km.

Summary 

Well what do I think of the new X1? Well if you are looking for a family vehicle that does it all the search is over. The X1 can double as Dads Styler and Mom's taxi it's a car for everyone. It does everything you need seamlessly. My kids especially dig the panoramic sunroof which is such a treat and my son found the Harmon Kardon sound system very impressive on his way home from school. The waiting list is starting to pile up so get yours ASAP.

Pictures, Specs and Pricing supplied by BMW SA.