BMW X1 xDrive20d (2009) CAR review

The new BMW X1 is the German car giant’s fourth addition to its 4x4 range, so although the original X5 might have been beaten to market by Mercedes’ M-class, since then the company has always been one SUV step ahead of its homeland rivals. The X3 was launched in 2004, but Mercedes and Audi have only recently launched the GLK and Q5, and as yet there’s no sign (and perhaps there never will be) of either producing a rival for the oddball X6. 

Now BMW has the new X1, a compact SUV that won’t have a direct premium adversary until the new Range Rover LRX and Audi Q3 are launched in 2011. CAR has just driven the new BMW X1, so read on for our full verdict on this baby BMW 4x4.

I presume the BMW X1 has the usual array of four- and six-cylinder petrol and diesel engines?

Not in the UK. BMW customers throughout the rest of the world can pick petrol power – there’s a choice of unleaded-supping 2.0-litre four-pot or a 3.0-litre straight-six – but only diesel engines will be available here in Blighty.

There are three variants on other, all 2.0-litre lumps, but various tweaks and a different number of turbochargers spirit up different power outputs. The range starts with the single-turbo 141bhp/236lb ft 18d, a more powerful 20d variant offers 174bhp and 258lb ft, and the top-dog twin-turbo 23d engine – previously the reserve of the sportier 1-series – has 201bhp and a fulsome 295lb ft.

Just diesel power for the new X1? I suppose you’ll tell me next that you can have this 4x4 with rear-wheel drive?

Yes, we will. The 18d and 20d come as standard in sDrive guise, BMW-speak for rear-wheel drive. Four-wheel drive (xDrive) costs £1280 more on the former, £1305 on the latter, and on both adds several tenths to the 0-62mph times, 14g/km to the CO2 figures and worsens the official figures by nearly 5mpg. The 23d comes as standard with four-wheel drive.

>> Click 'Next' below to read more of our BMW X1 first drive review