It might well be that BMW's new X1 is timely. In a number of ways. Especially at a time when 4WD cars are not exactly flavour of the year.
The Munich company has been fairly strongly involved in the genre for a decade, since the launch of the X5 large SUV. Later came the midrange X3, and more recently the strange coupe SUV X6. And in that decade, sales have been good, with around 1.5 million units sold in all. The X5 has accounted for around two-thirds of these.
In the meantime, the carmaker has been extending its xDrive AWD system through its mainstream car range, much as Audi has done with its quattro technology.
Now comes the X1, quite a while showcased as a concept but actually brought to market in a relatively short time of under three years. Designated as a sports activity vehicle (SAV), it is the first of its kind in the premium segment, offering an elite badge contender in a space currently occupied by the likes of Ford's Kuga, VW's Tiguan, Audi's Q5 and Volvo's XC60.
In looks terms, only the Ford comes close. The X1 is a visually successful endeavour offering a mix of sportiness and elegance which results in a car that is very very coherent in its execution. So much so that I have to say BMW has really learned stuff since the launch of the larger X3 five years ago, which was designwise all over the shop.
The X1 is a strong expression of the current BMW style ethos. Sculpted hood and side character lines, a beefy double-kidney grille. And a well joined together rear that is both modern and clever in how it adds width and presence to the back view.
There's a suggestion about that it is part of the 1-series family, but actually the X1 was developed on the platform used for the tourer variant of the new 3-Series. The company is positioning it, however, between the 1-Series and the 3-Series in most markets, offering a step upwards for the growing young family person, and a credible and attractive downshift for the empty nest cohort. For both, the X1 makes an argument as a robust vehicle for a busy lifestyle, yet a car that is not intimidating either to its owners or to those around it.
In Irish taxation terms it is available as a Band B car with its 138g/km CO2 figure. It depends on which version of the 2.0 turbodiesel is chosen, and whether manual or automatic are part of the mix. Even if the most popular versions are pushed to the next CO2 level, it is still an attractive proposition.
From its interior perspective, this is a pure modern BMW. Familiar dials and centre stack layout and controls, the double curve of the dashboard decorative inset, and other details make the BMW owner feel right at home.
Allowing that it is a compact car, there's good room. More than enough for lanky or large front people, adequately so for those in the back seats. The headroom in that back end is excellent, and we're told by the maker that there's as much there as in the X5, despite the much lower roofline in the X1.
It is a car for active people, with a cargo carrying ability which encourages this. The luggage volumes ranges from 420-13,50 litres, depending on what you do with the rear seats. Not so important for this market, but popping down the middle section of the back seats leaves a car in which four adults can travel along with their skis and snow gear, without having to put anything on the roof rails.
Clever storage solutions come with the package, including a divided space under the rear cargo floor. There's a pretty big box under the centre armrest up front, though its value is rather lost by a phone shelf and a mug-holder. The car also has direct connections for USB and phono, the former compatible with the iPhone that's most likely to be the comms device of choice of most owners.
The X1 main variants are sDrive and xDrive, the former being a 2WD with power going, as tradition demands, to the rear wheels. There's a full range of economy technologies, including auto stop/start on the versions with the 6-speed manual transmissions, detachable aircon compressor and an optimised final drive.
The car is relatively light, around 1,500kg, which helps both fuel economy and the nimbleness. The xDrive version carries around 70kg more than the 2WD car. One of the options available in addition to the wide range of standard safety technologies is the company's Performance Control, a system which was initiated in the X6 and operates to handle any problems involving understeer using a mix of brakes intervention and torque compensation.
In the initial drive through the countryside outside the German city of Leipzig, the car immediately felt just right, a testament to the work which the designers and engineers have put into its development. It felt taut, the steering was very responsive, and the xDrive no doubt contributed to how it stuck to the winding and sometimes poorly-surfaced back roads which had been chosen for the course.
The diesel engine wasn't as quiet in this application as I've found its equivalent to be in other BMW cars. When pedalled hard it growled a bit, but didn't stint the push just the same. The ride on the standard run-flats was sometimes slightly rough, but it seems both the tyremakers and BMW have done a lot of work here, and the situation is much improved from the time they were introduced on the first generation of the current style 5-Series. On the road there was also a bit of wind noise evident, but not a nuisance and probably in part from the very substantial side mirrors which I would prefer to keep even if at the cost of a little breeze-sound.
BMW Ireland have conservative ambitions for their new compact SAV. Maybe a hundred units next year. Small enough in terms of the 1,200 total units with which the company expects to out-turn this dismal 2009. The 3-Series is, of course, the brand's biggest seller here, and the X1 will complement the saloon and tourer versions nicely.
If questions sometimes have to be asked about the Munich maker's product decisions, like the X6, most times they get it right. With the X1 I'm betting they've got it really right.
Brian Byrne.
