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We appear to have reached a tipping point in the acceptance of electric vehicles in this country. The early adopters have made their switch but the technology has become more widely accepted, so now carmakers need to woo buyers with conventional means.
That means the tried and tested methods for making any car more appealing to a customer - lower cost and more equipment.
No car demonstrates this better than the BYD Atto 3, which is one of the most popular electric vehicles in Australia. But after an initial surge of buyers happy for a more affordable EV, BYD needs to find fresh ways to attract new customers.
So, for this updated 2024 Atto 3, BYD has made it cheaper and added some key new equipment, while retaining its previous strengths in terms of value and technology.
BMW’s X1 has changed. In a good way. Especially if you’re thinking about buying one as a family car.
Yep, last year the third-generation X1 arrived and after 13 years and three different attempts on a design, BMW has nailed it. And by ‘it’ I mean built a super practical and spacious small SUV that’s great to drive.
See, as a dad of two kids, when it comes to cars and my family ‘it’ means something totally different to what ‘it’ meant 10 years ago.
And that’s what this review is about: does the BMW X1, and specifically this xDrive20i M Sport variant we’ve tested here, make a good family car?
If you're thinking of buying it for your family then you need to read this and also consider the likes of Audi’s Q3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLB.
BYD hasn’t made dramatic changes to the Atto 3 for 2024, but has it done enough to lure in more buyers?
The additional equipment, namely the larger infotainment screen and new tyres, will certainly help make the Atto 3 more appealing. And the technology behind EVs is more understood by the average motorists, so the barriers to making the switch to electrification are dropping.
But the single biggest factor is likely to be the price. At a time when inflation (and other reasons) is driving the cost of new vehicles up, having your updated model go in the wrong direction will only help make potential buyers take notice.
Especially when you consider Toyota’s closest rival to the Atto 3, the bZ4X, starts at $66,000, while the Tesla Model Y is priced from $55,900, making both significantly more expensive propositions. Heck, the cheapest Toyota RAV4 hybrid model starts at $42,260, only marginally cheaper than the Atto 3 Standard Range.
So, if BYD can make its value argument strongly it will help lure more new buyers to take the plunge into the world of EVs.
This new BMW X1 feels like it's been built by a team of parents because it’s one of the most practical and easy to use small SUVs my family and I have ever lived with and, trust me, they’ve seen a lot of test cars come through the Berry garage.
We loved the roomy interior with high ceilings, the clever storage everywhere from the giant door pockets to the floating centre armrest up front and big boot for our pram.
Entry and exit is easy through the tall and wide doors, something my back was thankful for every time I had to put our baby into her car seat.
Driving is easy, with great visibility and the engine that comes in the xDrive20i M Sport makes this X1 sporty and fun to pilot, too.
The only drawback is the price, it's a bit expensive but at the same time you are getting a high-quality feeling SUV.
In a couple of words, not really. At least when it comes to the exterior design.
In fact, the biggest design change for 2024 is actually the colour of our test car, the new Cosmos Black. Apart from that, the rest of the Atto 3 is unchanged visually, which is becoming something of a trademark for EVs, at least from newer brands like BYD and Tesla.
Instead of worrying about adding a new grille, different headlights or an alternative alloy wheel design, brands like BYD are focusing on updating batteries, the technology and other software enhancements to keep their models fresh.
The only exterior change is at the rear, where the previous 'Build Your Dreams' lettering has been replaced by a simple 'BYD' badge.
As for the interior design, kudos to BYD for not following Tesla down the cost-saving-disguised-as-minimalist-design path, but personally the design aesthetic and the variety of colours and trims used aren’t to my taste, but I can see why others may love it. The ‘guitar string’ door pockets are likely a particularly polarsing design choice.
BYD has added a new interior option, with a black/blue trim for the examples finished with grey and black exteriors, while white and blue painted cars get a blue/grey interior.
This current generation of X1 arrived in late 2022 and finally looked more like part of the BMW SUV family with tall and boxy styling rather than the sleek, but raised hatchback it seemed to be before.
My test car had 'M Portimao Blue' metallic paint - a flattering hue that showed off the X1’s lines as you can see in the images.
I like the X1’s oversized grille which suits the angry looking front bumper that comes with the M Sport inclusions, but balanced by pretty headlights.
Inside, the X1 xDrive20i M Sport is modern and minimalist in design. I like the floating centre armrest in between the driver and front passenger and the way it creates a feeling of more space and adds more storage.
The double screens are nice, but we’re seeing this same design and tech now in budget cars such as the Chery Omoda 5 and Haval H6. BMW needs to be even slicker and more stylish if it wants to maintain its edge.
If you like your SUVs sporty looking then check out the BMW X2, X4 and X6. These are coupe style SUVs (but with four doors).
The Atto 3 remains classified as a ‘Medium SUV’ but blurs the line between mid-size and small in terms of dimensions, especially inside. It’s not in the same size game as the Toyota RAV4 or Mitsubishi Outlander, but is close in size to the likes of the Honda ZR-V and Mazda CX-5.
While there’s a few key practical storage spaces, there aren’t as many as some newer rivals, which does suggest the Atto 3 design is starting to date or just wasn’t well thought-out enough in the first place; such as putting all the switchgear in the centre console rather than on the dashboard.
This was probably done, at least in part, to accommodate the rotating touchscreen, which seems like a poor design and practicality choice to me. Especially the new one, which at 15.8-inches when rotated to the portrait mode it starts to interfere with your vision and the layout is more user-friendly in landscape mode - both when using the native multimedia system or your smartphone connection.
Space is respectable in the back seats, and there’s both a USB-A and USB-C port for charging devices. While out the back the boot measures 440 litres, which is a respectable amount of space for an SUV this size, but there’s only a tyre repair kit instead of a spare wheel.
My family found the X1 xDrive20i to be one of the most practical small SUVs we’ve lived with thanks to its spacious interior, clever cabin storage and plenty of convenient features.
I need to point out the door pockets - they’re the biggest I’ve ever seen. They’re more door buckets than pockets and super helpful over the week not just for bottles but for everything else that I needed to dump out of my own pockets and into them.
The floating centre armrest up front looks like an ironing board and has a tonne of storage underneath.
The wireless charging is handy but the holster is a bit un-user friendly in terms of access, but it held the phone tight and stopped it becoming a projectile when driving, which is what you want.
There are power outlets galore, too, proximity unlocking, and a gesture tailgate.
Legroom in the back is excellent and there’s so much headroom throughout.
The X1’s 540-litre boot capacity is excellent for the class and meant we could fit our baby’s big pram and the seven-year old’s scooter and still have room for the grocery shopping.
As we just mentioned, price has been a critical tool for carmakers looking to keep demand for EVs rolling along as the early adopters fade, and BYD is not immune from this. Earlier in 2024 the Atto 3 Extended Range, the model we’re testing here, started at $50,011 before on-road costs. Then in April 2024, BYD announced a drive-away deal for $45,990 for pre-registered demos.
Now this updated model is priced from $47,499 (plus on-road costs), which is a jump up from the sale price, but is more than $3500 cheaper than the Atto 3 was at the start of 2024. Meanwhile, the Standard model is priced from $44,990 (plus on-road costs), which is also a saving of more than $3000 on the previous model.
The key difference between the Standard and Extended Range models are the batteries, so the specification is similar. Both variants are equipped with LED headlights, power tailgate, synthetic leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, 5.0-inch digital instrument panel and in-built satellite navigation.
One of the big ticket item changes for 2024 is the upgraded 15.8-inch multimedia touchscreen, which comes with BYD’s signature trick - rotating between portrait and landscape modes. This is upsized from 12.8-inch in the old model. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard too.
In the space of driving this SUV and writing this review the list price of the X1 xDrive20i M Sport has risen from $68,900 to $73,400.
That price hike was part of an increase across the model range and all grades now cost more, even the entry-level sDrive18i which is now 13K less than the xDrive20i M Sport.
But you’re paying for the more powerful, athletic and only all-wheel drive one in the X1 range.
You’re also getting loads of standard features in the xDrive20i M Sport.
There’s the 10.25-inch instrument display with three different styles for your speedo and other gauges, while flowing into that is the 10.7-inch media screen with sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and digital radio.
There are LED headlights, plus proximity unlocking, a head-up display, dual-zone climate control, a power tailgate, sports seats (the front ones are heated and power adjustable) and adaptive cruise control.
As the name suggests the xDrive20i M Sport is fitted with BMW M Sport goodies as standard. These include adaptive M Suspension, M leather steering wheel, M roof rails, M headliner and M interior trim.
My test car also had $8900 worth of options fitted including the sunroof, Harman Kardon stereo, the ‘Vernasca Black’ leather seats and 20-inch M light alloy multi-spoke wheels.
Is it good value? Well, you do get a lot of nice things here but at a $13,000 premium over the entry grade, plus the $3500 price jump in the past few weeks, I’d say the value isn’t great.
If you’re trying to keep the cost down, the sDrive18i is the budget pick.
As with the design there isn’t much to say about what’s powering the Atto 3 because it’s the same as the 2023 model. Both the Standard and Extended Range use the same front-mounted electric motor, which makes 150kW/310Nm and drives the front wheels through a single speed transmission.
With 0-100km/h times of 7.9 seconds and 7.3 seconds respectively for the Standard and Extended Range, the Atto 3 won’t shove you back in your seat, but it has adequate performance for a mid-size SUV.
The X1 xDrive20i M Sport has a more powerful engine than the grades below it in the range - it’s a 2.0-litre, turbo-petrol, four-cylinder making 150kW and 300Nm.
A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission does the shifting for you.
This is also the only all-wheel drive X1 currently in the range.
The Standard Range has a rated driving range of 345km (WLTP) from a 49.92kWh ‘Blade’ lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery while the Extended Range’s bigger 60.48kWh unit increases that to 420km.
Charging is capped at 70kW (DC) for the Standard and 80kW (DC) for the Extended.
One of the major hurdles for EV brands is convincing people that they won’t run out of charge every day. At 420km the Extended Range Atto 3 will get most people through multiple days of commuting, so even with public charging you shouldn’t worry about range anxiety.
Those drivers with commutes longer than 420km per day should be looking at something other than an electric car (and probably a job closer to home).
BMW says that after a combination of open and urban roads the X1 xDrive20i M Sport will use 7.4L/100km.
In my own testing my driving was mainly city and suburban, which uses quite a lot of fuel. We did dashes to birthday parties, the grocery shopping, school drop offs and all of it in busy traffic.
I recorded 8.9L/100km, but that’s not overly thirsty considering I was carrying two car seats with children, and all the gear that goes with them.
A small 45 litre tank means the xDrive 20i M Sport has a range of about 608km, which is on the shorter side.
Driving the updated Atto 3 feels… fine. Nothing special or class-leading, but within the expectations buyers should look for in a mid-size SUV. Which is meant as a compliment to BYD, as it is still a relatively new brand in this very competitive market and there are certainly some noticeably worse rivals in this same segment.
The Atto 3 may not be the most comfortable, most powerful or most dynamic mid-size SUV, but it’s a perfectly nice thing to drive and it will get you from Point A to Point B quietly and smoothly.
Another of the major changes for 2024 is BYD’s decision to ditch the fantastically named, but not very good Atlas Batman tyres, replacing them with Continental rubber. The Atlas tyres were a major drawback on the old model, lacking grip and detracting from the driving experience, with the new ‘Contis’ solving those problems.
Only a week before testing the X1 xDrive20i M Sport I’d been reviewing a BMW 330e and going from the 3 Series to the SUV was like changing my seating position from being in a bathtub to sitting on a bar stool.
Actually, the X1’s seat is far more comfortable than a stool and the refined quality is what you’d expect from BMW.
But compared to the low slung 330e the visibility and the upright driving angle of the X1 is very different.
It’s something you want in an SUV that puts practicality before performance.
As much as I liked the sporty sedan, as a dad I preferred being able to see better when parking in the X1, and this made life a lot easier.
Easy is a good word to describe what the X1 xDrive20i M Sport is like to drive - from that visibility to the light steering, comfortable ride and that great engine with all-wheel drive.
That 2.0-litre four-cylinder has more than enough grunt to run up the steep hills in my neighbourhood without struggling, the transmission is smooth and the all-wheel drive system adds a bit more reassurance in the wet weather.
All of this makes for an easy, enjoyable drive.
In terms of safety, both Atto 3 variants get a comprehensive list of both passive and active safety features, enough to score a five-star ANCAP rating.
There’s airbag coverage for all occupants, 360-degree parking cameras, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, forward and rear collision warning, blind spot detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, rear cross-traffic alert, rear cross-traffic brake and door open warning.
Most of these systems behaved themselves during our testing, although the forward collision warning did seem overly sensitive at times, and sounded alarms over potential accidents that simply weren’t a problem. Still, compared to some modern brands, the BYD systems performed well.
The X1xDrive20i M Sport like all X1s scored the maximum five-star ANCAP rating in 2022.
A score of 88 per cent was given to child protection and the ANCAP report found that a 10-year old and six-year old in the second row had adequate to good protection in a front offset collision and a side impact.
For child seats there are two ISOFIX points and three top tether anchor mounts across the second row.
As you would expect from a model that’s hasn’t even been around a year yet, the X1 xDrive20i M Sport has the very latest in advanced safety tech.
There’s AEB which is operational from 5.0km/h to 210km/h and also works at road junctions. There’s lane keeping assistance, blind-spot warning and rear cross-traffic alert.
There are curtain airbags for front and rear passengers, a centre airbag for the driver and co-pilot along with frontal airbags plus side chest and side pelvis airbags.
BYD offers a six-year/150,000km warrant for the vehicle, with eight years/160,000km coverage for the batteries.
Service intervals are every 12 months of 20,000km and while a minor service is only $165, every second visit is more expensive, ranging from $498 to more than $600. There may be less oily bits under the bonnet but there’s still a cost to owning an electric car.
The X1 xDrive20i M Sport is covered by BMW’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.
A five-year/80,000km service plan through BMW will cost $2150. You’ll be looking to pay an average of $430 per service every 12 months.