With emissions levels that would please even the most militant environmentalist, BMW's new compact SUV is rehabilitating the maligned range, writes PADDY COMYN
THERE IS, without a doubt, new car buyers out there with an itch to scratch. 2007 was a huge year for sales in Ireland, and as the natural life cycle of new cars seems to remain three years in the minds of many owners, there are lots of people who should want to change their car in 2010.
That would of course be in an ideal world. In reality, if people do get finance and dip their toe into the new-car market, then there is a good chance that they will be downsizing. But this doesn’t have to be a miserable experience, and the premium car manufacturers, keenly aware of the backlash against the SUV, are coming up with creative ways to offer the appeal of an SUV, without the guilt.
BMW’s X5 was one of the poster cars of the economic orgy of the last few years, and you only have to see BMW producing cars like the 5 Series GT to see that they might be slowly backing away from the genre.
However, the addition of a new X model would appear to suggest otherwise, but then again, this new model might have all-wheel drive, but you don’t have to have it – sDrive and xDrive refer to rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive respectively, and this choice could be something we will see on the Munich firm’s larger SUV range in the future. Not everyone needs their SUV to have all-wheel drive and the reduction in weight brings reductions in CO2 emissions.
The X1 is the latest inclusion to the SUV family that includes the X5, X6 and X3, and as the name suggests, is the smallest as well as the newest member. Its size is comparable to the 3 Series Touring, and while it doesn’t have the overt bulk of an SUV, it has the chunkiness that is so coveted by buyers torn between a passenger car and something more high-chaired. Think Nissan Qashqai with a posher badge and you get the idea.
We are just weeks away from the car’s arrival in Ireland, where it will come with a choice of three diesel engines, all variants of the 2.0-litre diesel, badged 18d (143bhp/320Nm torque) and 20d (177bhp/ 350Nm torque). At the top of the Irish range, the 23d gets 204bhp and 400Nm of torque from the 2.0-litre unit. Both the 18d and 20d come with a choice of either rear-wheel drive or all-wheel drive, with the 23d coming with all-wheel drive only. You have a choice of six-speed manual or automatic on all except the 23d which comes with automatic fitted as standard.
The stats are impressive on all three, especially when it comes to CO2 emissions, with the 18d performing best, managing to contain emissions to just 136g/km in the rear-wheel drive sDrive version fitted with a manual gearbox, and remaining under the 140g/km barrier for the sDrive 20d. With such low emissions, it will be difficult for even the most militant environmentalist to get irate. It’s footprint is not much bigger than the average family saloon either.
The interior dimensions are fine up front, but at the rear, while the seats are indeed deep, there could be a little more leg room. Smaller children will require booster seats to get a good view of the outside world. Luggage capacity is a respectable 420 litres and the 40/20/40 split in the rear seats allows all sorts of seating origami.
At the launch in Germany, we drove the xDrive 20d with both manual and automatic transmissions, and it is a veiled compliment to say that there is truly nothing remarkable about the driving experience of the X1. This is a car you feel instantly familiar with.
It has a solid stance on the road and with the all-wheel drive set-up, felt hugely grippy. Fitted with the optional Performance Control, which uses braking of individual rear wheels to almost eliminate understeer, the X1 felt a hugely competent piece of kit. Irish buyers are likely to favour the rear-wheel drive 18d, which boasts CO2 emissions of 136g/km and a pretty palatable starting price of €37,175.
We will drive further versions of the X1 over the coming weeks, with the rear-wheel drive sDrive 18d likely to be of most interest to Irish buyers. While the SUV segment is pretty much dead in Ireland, success of vehicles like the Nissan Qashqai have shown that there is always room for a clever addition to the market.
The X1, because of its price, positioning, desirability and overall competence, should ensure that this will be one of them.
The X1 lands in showrooms in mid-October in time for delivery in January.
Factfile
BMW X1 xDrive23d
Four-cylinder diesel engine with all-aluminium crankcase, BMW TwinPower Turbo and common rail direct fuel injection. 1,995cc, max output: 204hp @ 4,400rpm; 400 Nm from 2,000-2,250 rpm
0-100 km/h:7.3 sec
Top speed:205 km/h (223 km/h with optional high-speed set-up)
Fuel:6.3 l/100km (av) CO22: 167 g/km
Motor tax:Band D/€447
Price:€54,120
BMW X1 sDrive20d
- Four-cylinder diesel engine with all-aluminium crankcase, turbocharger with variable intake geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection. 1,995 cc; 177hp @ 4,000 rpm; 350 Nm from 1,750-3,000 rpm
- 0-100 km/h:8.1 sec
- Top speed:205 km/h (218 km/h with optional high-speed set-up)
- Fuel:5.3 l/100 km (EU standard)
- CO2 emissions:153g/km
- Motor tax:Band C/€302
- Price:€46,710
BMW X1 sDrive18d:
- Four-cylinder diesel engine with all-aluminium crankcase, turbocharger with variable intake geometry and common-rail direct fuel injection. 1,995 cc, 143hp @4,000 rpm; 320 Nm from 1,750- 3,000 rpm
- 0-100 km/h:9.6 sec
- Top speed:200 km/h
- Fuel:5.2 l/100km (EU standard)
- CO2:136 g/km
- Motor tax:Band B/€156
- Price:€37,175