2016 BMW X1: The fun-to-drive activity vehicle
One of the best things about a BMW is how it drives. Whether it's a sporty coupe or a large SUV, a BMW somehow always feels ready to hit the track.
And so it was with the all-new 2016 BMW X1 xDrive28i test vehicle. Yeah, I was driving a crossover, but it felt more like a sporty sedan.
The X1 is all-new for the 2016 model year and boasts better interior space, intelligent all-wheel drive and greater efficiency.
Design
Even though this is an all-new model, the exterior design of the X1 doesn't change much. Some of the harsh lines on the front grille get smoothed out, the side lines have been tweaked and the headlights and taillights get a major upgrade.
The interior gets a more obvious update with the center stack and gearshift commanding the most attention. The shifter in the 2016 model goes back to a more traditional gearshift rather than the ultra-modern lever in the previous generation. I'm not sure that was an improvement.
I do like the new "floating" infotainment screen that juts up out of the dash, but I have to say the data design housed in the screen itself looks a bit dated.
I also found the iDrive controls to be cumbersome to use. For example, the test vehicle didn't appear to have voice activated navigation, so to set a destination, you had to use the iDrive controller to scroll through a circle of letters and numbers to enter the address into the system.
Technology aside, the interior accents are very handsome, with excellent attention to detail. I loved the fine-wood accents on the dash (a $350 option) and the detailed stitching on the beige SensaTec (aka not leather but looks kind of like leather) seats.
The seats themselves are very comfortable and have standard power adjustments with a driver's-side memory function.
Ride & Handling
The 2016 X1 is equipped with an all-new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. It delivers 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, which is less power overall than the previous generation.
However, if you've never driven an X1 before, you probably won't miss the extra 12 horsepower. I didn't. I thought the 2016 model was very well powered for its petite size, and it was downright zippy in aggressive highway maneuvers. It was fun to accelerate onto the highway, and the X1 held the sweeping off ramps pretty tightly.
Turning radius for this compact SUV is really decent, which makes it attractive in an urban environment.
Fuel economy
EPA estimates that the X1 should get 22 mpg in the city and 32 mpg on the highway, which is really decent for an all-wheel-drive utility vehicle. In real-world driving, however, I averaged 20.5 mpg in combined driving.
What I find really curious about the fuel economy for the 2016 X1 is that it is identical to the previous-gen 2015 model. This is curious because 1) the horsepower rating is less and 2) BMW focused on improving engine efficiency.
Tech & gadgets
The X1 comes standard with things like a power liftgate, automatic climate control and iDrive with a 6.5-inch center screen.
The test vehicle, even though it had a few of the pricier options, did not have the Tech Package ($2,550), which is where the real high-tech goodies are housed. This package includes a head-up display, smart phone integration, advanced real-time traffic and a touchpad controller for iDrive.
Trims
At launch, the X1 is available in just one trim with just one powertrain: the xDrive28i. Standard features include all-wheel drive, an automatic stop-start function, 8-way power adjustable fronts seats, driver's seat memory, push-button start, power liftgate, dynamic cruise control and Bluetooth phone paring. Base price, with destination, is $35,795.
Something to note: Most exterior paint colors are optional. If you want something other than black or white, you'll pay at least $550 for a color.
Safety
Standard safety features include all the items you'd expect, including dual-stage front airbags, knee airbags and front seat side-mounted airbags. One unusual standard safety feature is the impact sensor that disengages the fuel pump, unlocks doors and turns on hazard lights in the event of a crash.
One thing that wasn't standard: a rearview camera.
An available safety option is the ACC Stop & Go + Active Driving Assistant ($1,000), which includes adaptive cruise control that can bring your car to a complete stop, collision mitigation, lane departure warning, frontal collision warning, city collision mitigation and pedestrian protection.
At the time of publishing this review, neither the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had done crash test ratings on the 2016 X1.
NHTSA has never tested the X1, but the IIHS gave the 2015 model mostly "Good" ratings, with one "Marginal" rating in the small overlap front crash test.
Not sure what the safety ratings mean? We break it down for you here.
New for 2016
The 2016 model year marks the beginning of the second generation for the X1. The SUV has been completely redesigned and boasts greater interior volume, with increased cargo area and headroom. Another big change involves power specs. Though equipped with a 2.0-liter engine, the X1 loses 12 horsepower and 2 pound-feet of torque over the previous model.
A few of my favorite things
The ride and handling is hands-down my favorite thing about the X1. You can ditch all the options and you're still going to have a vehicle that handles more like a sports car than an SUV. Combine that with the compact size and excellent turning radius, and you have a functional utility vehicle that does well in an urban environment.
I also appreciated that the Bluetooth phone pairing worked pretty well. I have an iPhone, and I was even able to send voice-activated text messages using Siri through the audio system.
I am typically not a fan of the auto stop function. Every time you stop at a light -- or in traffic -- the car shuts off. All vehicles allow you to turn that feature off, but most make you press the off button every time you turn on the car. Thus I really appreciated the fact that in the BMW X1, if you shut this feature off, it stays off until you turn it back on.
Another nice feature: The lever in the cargo area that easily flips down the rear seats if you're going to need the extra cargo space.
What I can leave
While I love how BMWs drive, I hate that everything seems to be an option - including paint colors. If you don't want to pay extra for paint, your only options are white or black. Otherwise, you'll have to shell out at least $550 for a metallic paint finish, and even then your color options are mostly dark, darker and darkest.
So, even though the base price of the X1 is a "reasonable" $35K, the options add up quickly. The test vehicle added a number of options, including things like a rearview camera and heated front seats that I think should be standard on a luxury vehicle. The as-tested price was $43,620.
Additionally, something I thought was odd: For a completely new vehicle in 2016, the technology on iDrive seemed a bit outdated. While I was able to send text messages through the Bluetooth connection and Siri, there were no voice-activated navigation commands that I could find. So, if I wanted to enter a new destination, I had to use an antiquated letter dial and hunt-and-peck my way through. A higher-tech touchpad controller is available but only as a part of the Technology Package ($2,550).
The bottom line
Every time I get behind the wheel of a BMW, I'm reminded how much of a driver's car it actually is. The X1 handles well and is a joy to drive. So, if you just want to drive, and occasionally haul a small amount of cargo, the X1 is a great option.
But, if you're buying a vehicle for more than just the ride and handling, you might be better served checking out the Audi Q3, which has a similar everything's-an-option problem but offers better technology solutions. Plus, heated front seats and backup camera are standard.
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