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BMW 2 Series vs BMW X1

What's the difference?

VS
BMW 2 Series
BMW 2 Series

$59,023 - $101,500

2025 price

BMW X1
BMW X1

$49,278 - $88,888

2023 price

Summary

2025 BMW 2 Series
2023 BMW X1
Safety Rating

Engine Type
Turbo 4, 2.0L

Turbo 4, 2.0L
Fuel Type
-

Premium Unleaded Petrol
Fuel Efficiency
7.6L/100km (combined)

7.2L/100km (combined)
Seating
5

5
Dislikes
  • Expensive
  • Firm ride on larger wheels
  • No spare wheel

  • Pricey
  • Servicing on the expensive side
  • Small fuel tank
2025 BMW 2 Series Summary

Sometimes a name change can make all the difference.

Google used to be called “Back Rub”. The Spice Girls started off as “Touch”. And – particularly in Germany – some premium sedans became known as “coupes”, as they struggled to stay popular against SUVs.

Case in point: what is essentially a 1 Series hatchback with a boot has been more glamorously badged the “2 Series Gran Coupe” since 2020.

Still following the sedan script with four doors, it’s BMW’s tilt at Mercedes’ booted A-Class hatch, the rakish CLA, unveiled early last decade as the Concept Style Coupe and now in its third series-production iteration – though since 2019 a more conservatively styled A-Class Sedan has also existed, that goes up against Audi’s A3 Sedan.

But we digress. Now there’s a “new” 2 Gran Coupe, coded F74, though it’s really a heavy facelift of the superseded F44. Oh, and the ‘i’ no longer exists in the badge, so (M-enhanced models aside) it’s just numbers from here on in. 218. 220. M235.

Regardless of names, does it live up to the BMW promise?

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2023 BMW X1 Summary

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.

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Deep dive comparison

2025 BMW 2 Series 2023 BMW X1

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