BMW X1 20d 2010 review

EVER bought a new pair of shiny shoes you saw in the store window — then came close to throwing them away? You liked the look but once you started wearing them you found they were just too uncomfortable.  Then, after a week, you have sufficiently broken them in to the point you can live with them. BMW's new X1 is a bit like that.

Parked in the showroom window the styling is oddly appealing — this is a premium priced softroader but it looks more like an oversized hatch so it doesn't look too bulky.  But like new shoes I couldn't get comfortable with the baby Bimmer at all for the first three or four days. I came close to hating it.

By the end of the week that all changed. Gradually the heavy gearshift didn't feel so truck-like, the steering not as heavy, the ride not so uncompliant and the seating position not so rock hard and awkward.

The X1, launched last month, is the tiny tot in BMW's X family, joining the oversized (and some would say irrelevant) X6, the excellent X5 and the somewhat lacklustre X3.  The new One is based on the 3 Series platform which is a big plus because it provides plenty of cabin space thanks to the longer wheelbase than the 1 Series hatch.

Engines and gearboxes

So what's on offer here? OK this is where it gets a little confusing.  At present you have a choice between two all-wheel drive 2.0-litre turbo diesels — an auto-only 23d with 150kW to play with or the lesser 20d (as tested here) with 130kW; it offers a six-speed manual as standard but you can option a six-speed auto.

BMW will broaden the X1 family next month (June) with a rear-wheel drive which will be badged the sDrive (that's BMW-speak for two-wheel drive) to distinguish it from the xDrive all-wheel drive. It will share the 2-0-litre turbo diesel motor but being only two-wheel drive will naturally be cheaper to buy.  Also being added to the X1 lineup will be two petrol variants, an entry level, two-wheel drive four-cylinder 18i (110kW) and a straight six-cylinder all-wheel drive 25i (160kW) and this one will be an auto only.

Pricing and options

Now there's no escaping these pint-sized softroaders (sorry, BMW likes to call them SAVs – that's Sports Activity Vehicle) come with a premium price tag. BMW says the X1 is the world's first luxury compact wagon and has priced it accordingly.  Hence the price range: from $43,500 for the base 18i to $56,800 for the 25i. But a word of caution is timely here.

BMW likes to have a long list of options, so if you start ticking the boxes for extras the price rises rapidly.  For example, we drove the manual 20d this week. It has a list price of $52,700, plus onroad costs.

That buys you a reasonable standard kit including a full raft of safety gear, hill decent control, a decent audio system, automatic air conditioning, trip computer, central locking, push button start and automatic wipers and headlamps. Missing from action? Power-adjustable front seats are not standard nor is a multi stack CD player which seems a bit penny pinching at this price level.

But the test wagon was also fitted with nine options — worth $15,400.  BMW charges $1700 for metallic paint (and you don't have much of a choice here because the majority of its paint colours are metallic).

Add on $2500 for larger 18-inch alloy wheels, $3000 for a gorgeous panorama glass roof, $2900 for a satellite navigation system, $900 for a rear-view camera, $1200 for alloy roof rails and side sills, $715 for front and rear park distance warning system and $2340 for a smart interior design package with leather-clad sports seats.

Now the price is more than $68,100 - before onroad costs.  Of course its all a matter of personal choice. If I were buying the wagon I'd go for the glass roof, the excellent and easy to use nav system, much-needed rear camera and park distance control and save myself nearly $7900 on stuff I don't really need.

Driving

There's a lot to like about the X1 once you settle in.  For example, there's a neat stop-start party trick to save fuel wasted when running at idle.  Once normal operating temperatures and desired cabin temperature have been reached, the X1 will automatically switch off the engine when stopped if neutral gear is selected. Pushing the clutch fires it up again.

There's also an indicator on the dash which suggests what gear you should be in to give the best fuel return. And fuel consumption is excellent. We hovered between 6 and 7 litres per 100km without trying too hard for a mix of city and country running. BMW's own consumption figure is 5.8l/100km combined.

We also loved the X1's strong diesel engine and its road manners. This is a wagon which loves to be driven and has the ability to do so in spades. Cornering grip is impressive. The ride, on those horrible runflat tyres, is hard and sometimes unforgiving and the suspension is firm.

The downsides: gear shifting is tiresome because it is heavy, so the auto is a better choice.  The steering is also far too heavy in city traffic but, conversely, good on the highway so there's a compromise here.  Oddly, even the door mirrors are too chunky and hinder your side view at a time when most manufacturers make them too small.

And while BMW has made a big effort to improve cabin storage, the X1 is still lacking. There are generous door pockets (with neat elastic drink holders), but centre console space is limited and the roadbook all but swallows the glovebox. The lack of a spare wheel helps, of course, with good space under the rear floor.

The X1 won't appeal to all, but if you are into fashion, it has much going for it.

BMW X1 20d

Price: from $52,700 plus on-roads.
Engine: 2.0-litre turbo diesel
Power: 130kW @ 4000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Torque: 350Nm @1750-300rpm.

Rivals

Subaru Outback 2.0D Premium (from $43,990)
VW Tiguan 103 TDi (from $36,990)