BMW X1 long term test

The car BMW X1 xDrive23i MHT M Sport Run by John Bradshaw, chief photographer

Why it’s here To see if this premium family SUV can cut it as a workhorse from Monday to Friday and an entertainer at the weekend

Needs to Carry heavy, bulky equipment all over the country while being comfy, safe, economical and fun on the right road

Mileage 8176 List price £41,470 Target Price £40,663 Price as tested £47,495 Test economy 37.5mpg Official economy 42.2mpg Dealer value now £34,155 Private value now £35,350 Running costs (excluding depreciation) Fuel £1172

10 June 2023 – It's been a game of two halves

When I put my shorts and jersey on, I’m transformed from professional photographer to a footballer of such prowess that the top clubs are rapping on my door every morning, desperate to draw me away from the What Car? brand. Or so I'd like to think, anyway. In that regard, my BMW X1 is on the same page – it looks every inch the sports personality, but its real talents are elsewhere.

It's certainly not short of pace on the pitch. In my chosen xDrive23i spec, it packs 215bhp, endowing it with a nippy 7.1sec 0-62mph time. And while I’ve not had much cause to do a lot of standing-start drag racing, this set-up certainly has what it takes to get away from the lights sharply or to merge onto a fast-moving trunk road, as I often have to do when work takes me into the countryside. Yet economy has hovered around 37mpg in my hands – not all bad from a sizeable petrol-powered family SUV with a good turn of speed.

I’m glad I opted for an X1 with the xDrive four-wheel drive system, too. Although I never had any intent to head onto rough terrain, I always felt confident when a photo session took me away from the Tarmac and onto softer surfaces, such as wet grass, and the X1 always felt sure-footed on greasy roads and in wintry conditions. Unlike the rival Jaguar E-Pace, which I ran recently, though, the X1 never felt truly sporty. It was willing and obedient in corners, but it didn't goad me into having fun, and every now and again, I wished it would.

It impressed me more, though, in areas where the Jaguar was found wanting, not least how it looks and feels inside. While the materials used in my previous Honda CR-V felt durable and everything felt robustly put together, the X1 is a step up when it comes to finish and precision. 

I’m glad I opted for the £1500 Driving Assistant Professional pack, too; it combines a clear, info-packed 10.25in digital instrument panel with a colour head-up display, and the latter is one of the best I’ve used. It's very easy to read and extremely handy, not only showing the current speed limit, but also warning in advance if the limit is about to change. It shows sat-nav directions very clearly, too. 

Another pack I’m glad for having is the £1150 Technology Plus Pack, which brings an excellent set of LED matrix headlights. They can shape their beams for maximum illumination without dazzling other road users, and their light-field doesn’t cut off quite as abruptly as with other systems I’ve experienced, which leave me wishing for a slightly broader pool of illumination.

I have praise, too, for the X1’s driver-assistance tech, particularly its lane-departure warning. It does exactly what it should, gently pushing back if I make contact with the lane markings, and it’s not too obtrusive should I cross the lines without indicating, as I might when I want to avoid a big puddle or pothole. Some cars, including the Nissan Qashqai, are much less forgiving in such circumstances, and over-bearing assistance systems are asking to be switched off, but not so the X1’s.

I might not pick the exact same specification again next time, though. Even though my M Sport car comes with adaptive suspension, which can be softened or firmed up to suit the road or my prevailing mood, potholes are still met with a pronounced thump even when Comfort mode is dialled up. My car’s 20in alloy wheel upgrade won’t help in this regard, but I suspect that even the M Sport’s standard 19in wheels would prove less pliant over bumps than the 18in wheels you get with xLine trim. 

Still, I daresay the smart-looking M Sport trim helps when it comes to resale values, and my car's 20in wheels and Portimao Blue paint are bound to catch the eye of a buyer in no time at all, and if they're looking for a responsive, nippy and flexible SUV with a top-quality interior, they'll not be disappointed. As long as they're not after real sportiness, that is. The X1 is really more at home in a Saturday morning kickabout at the park than the international playoffs.

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the What Car? newsletter here

Read more on our long-term BMW X1 >>

Read about more long-term test cars >>