Photo: screenshot
After launching the BMW X1 online with a plethora of photos and specs about the new model, the Germans are now introducing it on their websites via configurators. What surprised us the most was that they also included a hefty price increase.
The X1 used to be the cheapest BMW you could get in the US. Prices started at slightly over the $30,000 mark and it was a damn good deal considering that the outgoing model was the last one to use hydraulic steering that actually made a difference in how drivers connected to the road.
The new model brings about a lot of changes and has been reworked from the core. That being said, we no longer have the opportunity to buy a rear-wheel drive crossover such as the old X1 since the new one made a move to a front-wheel drive architecture instead.
Yes, the F48 X1 is based on the UKL platform, and it does share some of its underpinnings with the 2 Series Active Tourer or Gran Tourer as well as the new MINIs. For the US market, diesel models are being kept on the side for now, the offering being limited to just one model, the xDrive28i.
What needs to be mentioned here is that the all-wheel drive is not the same as on the old version, despite using the same name. The new X1 sends all of its power to the front wheels ordinarily and only when needed transfers some of it to the rear wheels. We experimented with it on the 2 Series Gran Tourer (they have the same layout) and weren’t all that impressed in terms of handling.
Under the bonnet lies a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged mill good for 228 HP (231 PS) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque and the acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 6.3 seconds. That’s pretty fast in our book for a crossover of its size.
As for the price bump of $3,945, the new tag of at least $35,795 ($995 destination and handling tax included) is justified by BMW with more standard kit and improved interior space.
Indeed, the new X1 is supposed to bring forward a lot more room inside the cabin as well as for the luggage in the back. That is expected to be the reasoning behind the drastic move to an FWD layout in the first place. However, we’ll have to test the car ourselves to see if this is true, as we can’t rely on the press release from BMW.
The new model brings about a lot of changes and has been reworked from the core. That being said, we no longer have the opportunity to buy a rear-wheel drive crossover such as the old X1 since the new one made a move to a front-wheel drive architecture instead.
Yes, the F48 X1 is based on the UKL platform, and it does share some of its underpinnings with the 2 Series Active Tourer or Gran Tourer as well as the new MINIs. For the US market, diesel models are being kept on the side for now, the offering being limited to just one model, the xDrive28i.
What needs to be mentioned here is that the all-wheel drive is not the same as on the old version, despite using the same name. The new X1 sends all of its power to the front wheels ordinarily and only when needed transfers some of it to the rear wheels. We experimented with it on the 2 Series Gran Tourer (they have the same layout) and weren’t all that impressed in terms of handling.
Under the bonnet lies a 2-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged mill good for 228 HP (231 PS) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque and the acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) takes 6.3 seconds. That’s pretty fast in our book for a crossover of its size.
As for the price bump of $3,945, the new tag of at least $35,795 ($995 destination and handling tax included) is justified by BMW with more standard kit and improved interior space.
Indeed, the new X1 is supposed to bring forward a lot more room inside the cabin as well as for the luggage in the back. That is expected to be the reasoning behind the drastic move to an FWD layout in the first place. However, we’ll have to test the car ourselves to see if this is true, as we can’t rely on the press release from BMW.
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