2010 BMW X1

BMW’s baby SUV does not have the stance of an SUV

Published on Feb 16, 2011 08:00:00 AM

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The X1 looks more old-school BMW on the inside than on the outside. There are plenty of bits carried over from the 3-series and this gives the cabin a familiar look. The steering wheel, dials, gear lever, central console and even the front seats are lifted straight off the 3. But that’s no bad thing. Each of these are well designed and solidly built, and they manage to compliment the fresher parts of the interior perfectly. New bits include a swoopier dash, angular vents, and some tastefully placed pieces of faux wood. Look closer however and you can tell BMW has cut corners. Some plastic bits like the glovebox, doorpad handles and lower part of the central console aren’t built to the same quality standards, and this is a bit of a shame, because the rest of the car is actually very impressive.

The front seats are typical BMW – generous with lots of legroom and very comfortable. You get a good view of the road ahead from the slightly elevated cabin and the adjustable seat and steering allow you to find the perfect driving position too. There are also plenty of cubby holes to store odds, ends and cell phones, and this ‘Exclusive’ version of the car gets BMW’s very impressive iDrive interface as well. If there’s a niggle, it’s that shoulder support in the front seats that could have been better.

Space at the rear however is at a premium. There isn’t enough legroom when you place a tall passenger behind a tall driver, and sitting three abreast is very cramped, the tall transmission tunnel doesn’t make life easy for the middle person. What eats into passenger room is BMW’s unflinching belief that driving manners take priority over everything else including extra space and comfort. The car’s longitudinally aligned engine is placed well back in the chassis for perfect weight distribution, the low stance of the car means a lot of horizontal space is eaten up for legroom, and the big transmission tunnel leaves very little room for your feet. The seats themselves however aren’t too bad and comfort is pretty good for two passengers sat behind a short chauffer.