MOTORING 3FRIDAY 30 OCTOBER 2009 THE SCOTSMAN
BMW condense off-roading charm into
their smallest SUV with sporty appeal
The BMW X1 range starts at �22,660 and tops �29,055. The cars slot into insurance groups 12 to 14. The Drive20d returns a combined 53.3 miles per gallon
X1s come in SE trim but an upgrade gets you leather and wood The long bonnet and small windows helps the BMW look sporty Despite its sporty looks, the boot can offer 1,350 litres of space
WE'RE used to seeing the word "sport"
attached to 4x4 vehicles but how many
of them can really justify the associa-
tion? Sport, when used in car circles,
suggests a link to motor sport and the
practice of going quickly around cor-
ners and down straights.
Handicapped by its high centre of
gravity and the weight of its all-wheel-
drivemechanicals,the4x4isinherently
ill suited to such tasks � unless the
coursehappenstobemarkedoutacross
a ploughed field.
That doesn't stop manufacturers re-
ferring to their off-roaders as SUVs
(SportsUtilityVehicles)orSAVs,(Sports
ActivityVehicles)butinreality,veryfew
can entertain on the level of conven-
tional road-biased alternatives.
BMW has had more success than
most when it comes to building some
dynamism into its 4x4 products and
with the X1, it's confident of making
sure that the sport tag sticks.
The X5 entered the 4x4 market in
1999, quickly establishing a reputation
as one of the sharpest-handling luxury
4x4s money could buy. In 2004, the X3
followed with a similar tarmac focus
and 2008 saw the X6 make its appear-
ance as the most unashamedly road-bi-
ased of the BMW off-roaders.
The X1 continues the trend for BMW
4x4s that shun the joys of getting back
to nature in favour of excelling where
most 4x4 owners actually drive; in
towns and cities, on motorways and B-
roads. With rear-wheel-drive as well as
four-wheel-drive models, could this be
the purest sporty 4x4 yet?
BMW has noted the overwhelming
dominance of diesel engine sales in its
other4x4modelsandhascomeupwith
a diesel-only engine range for the X1.
Buyers get to choose between three
versions of the acclaimed 2.0-litre com-
mon-raildieselenginethat'sfeaturedso
prominently in its 3-Series and 1-Series
lines. With the two less powerful units,
they must also decide whether to spec-
ify xDrive four-wheel-drive or sDrive
rear-wheel-drive.
The entry-level option is the
sDrive18dwhichhasthe143bhpversion
of the third-generation common-rail
turbo diesel engine. The xDrive18d has
four-wheel-drive and the same engine.
Then comes the Drive20d and
xDrive20d which use a 177bhp version
ofthesamepowerplant.Therange-top-
ping model is the xDrive23d which has
twin turbochargers and generates
204bhp as a result.
Asix-speedmanualgearboxcomesas
standard but the xDrive23d is also avail-
able with a sports automatic featuring
wheel-mounted paddle shifters.
The rear-wheel-drive versions of the
X1arebetween0.5and0.3secondsfaster
than their four-wheel-drive counter-
parts as a result of their reduced
weight.
The entry level engine manages the
sprint from 0-60mph in 9.6s in rear-
wheel-drive guise, while the sDrive20d
takes just 8.1s.
Atthetopoftherangethere'ssomese-
rious performance on offer from the
xDrive23d which takes 7.3s to reach
60mph and uses its twin turbos to great
effect in producing a flat torque curve
with a powerful 400Nm maximum
available between 2,000 and
2,250rpm.
Despite its underpinnings originat-
ing from the larger car, the X1 is a
diminutive proposition that's notice-
ably smaller than mainstream compact
SUVs like Land Rover's Freelander. Its
longbonnet,widestanceandsmallglass
area help create the sporty look that
BMW is aiming for but there's nothing
truly remarkable about the X1's appear-
ance. This is the manufacturer sticking
to its tried and tested formula.
It's a similar story inside the cabin
withanotherofthemarque'sclassyinte-
rior designs in evidence but little to ex-
cite those who've ventured into a BMW
before.
The X1 is not the car for buyers who
get their tyres dirty on a regular basis.
The xDrive 4x4 models have no addi-
tional modifications to improve their
ability off-road and with modest
ground clearance, the X1 will soon start
dragging its belly on moderate off-road
terrain.
Therearefiveseatsbuttherearbench
iDrive control interface to the X1. It now
featuresfavouritesbuttonstogivequick
accesstospecificmenuswithouthaving
to scroll through the system.
The xDrive 4x4 models cost approxi-
mately �1,300 more than the sDrive
rear-wheel-drive alternatives.
It'sbecomingincreasinglydifficultto
maintain a handle on where the various
small4x4vehiclessitinthemarketwith
manufacturers continually claiming to
have originated new niche sectors.
The X1's modest size and its on-road
handling focus align it with crossover
4x4s like Nissan's Qashqai and Ford's
Kuga but being a BMW, it's rather more
expensive than they are. In terms of
price, it's closer to the likes of Land
Rover's Freelander at the top end of the
compact SUV market but doesn't have
theoff-roadabilityortheinteriorspace.
It is also unique in that it's available in
rear-wheel-drive form.
The diesel-dominated engine range
of the X1 bodes well for the running
costs. As with performance, economy
suffers when the extra weight of a 4x4
system is brought to bear on the car and
the sDrive rear-wheel-drive derivatives
arejustunder5mpgmoreefficientthan
the xDrive 4x4s.
The top performer is the sDrive18d
with its 54.3mpg combined cycle but
the sDrive20d is only a fraction behind
with 53.3mpg. CO2 emissions for the
two cars are 136g/km and 139g/km re-
spectively.ThexDrive23dcomesinwith
44.8mpg and 167g/km.
BMW's EfficientDynamics technol-
ogy is in all of the X1 models and in-
cludes Brake Energy Regeneration, gear
shift indicators and enhanced aerody-
namics. Auto Start-Stop technology is
also available on all manual models
which stops the engine when the vehi-
cle is stationary to improve economy.
TheX1couldproveatimelyintroduc-
tiontotheBMWrange.Itmarriesthede-
sirable characteristics of a 4x4, such as
the bold looks and the elevated driving
position, to BMW's excellent diesel en-
gines and a road-biased chassis.
Just when 4x4 vehicles are being rou-
tinely frowned upon for their environ-
mental impact, here's one that's com-
pact and economical too.
Is it sporty? Well, it looks like coming
as close as any 4x4 yet.
The X1 continues the
trend for 4x4s that excel
in towns and cities, on
motorways and B-roads
isn'tthemostgenerousforlegroomand
the hatch-backed boot can be extended
up to a useful 1,350 litres with all the
seats folded.
All X1 models come in SE trim but it's
possible to upgrade the interior with
BMW's Design package. This includes
leathersportsseats,Anthraciteheadlin-
ing and up-market wood trim finishes.
There are two satellite navigation op-
tions available which add the latest

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