BMW X1 review

In the front, there’s lots of headroom and the seats go back a long way, so even lanky folk will be able to get comfy.

There’s a pair of cupholders deep enough to hold large takeaway coffees. The door pockets each have drinks holders that will keep 1.0-litre bottles reasonably upright, and the small cubby in front of the gear lever is a convenient spot to stow loose items.

A cubby below the centre armrest is a handy place to hide your phone, and you can connect it to the USB port while it's in there (or wirelessly charge it if you’ve ticked that feature on the options list).

There’s plenty of space in the back of the X1. Okay, there isn't quite as much head or leg room as in a Volkswagen Tiguan, but a couple of six-footers will be more than comfortable on long journeys.

As is the case in the X1's main rivals, carrying three adults in the back is a bit of a squeeze, but it's certainly possible. Three kids will be perfectly happy to sit together in the back and a low central floor tunnel means there's space for the feet of whoever sits in the middle.

In the xDrive25e plug-in hybrid version, the rear seats are set higher than in petrol and diesel models to accommodate the battery. This reduces headroom a little, but still leaves enough for a taller adult to be comfortable on a long journey.

There are handy levers in the boot for those occasions when you need to fold down the rear seats, and the seatbacks divide in a 40/20/40 split (rather than the usual 60/40 arrangement), which is super-handy.

Sliding rear seats are a reasonably priced option and allow you to prioritise either rear knee room or boot space, depending on your needs, making this a box worth ticking. 

The main boot is slightly smaller than a Tiguan's, mainly because it's a bit shallower. However, you'll fit more luggage in the BMW X1 than you would an Audi Q3 or Volvo XC40, and the load bay is usefully square with handy underfloor storage. 

The xDrive25e plug-in hybrid's battery takes its toll on storage space beneath the boot floor – although you're still left with a boot that's big by the standards of the family SUV class.

Folding down the rear seats increases luggage capacity considerably, and the extended load area is flat with no annoying steps in the floor. The boot entrance is flush with the floor of the load bay, too, so you don't need to negotiate a big lip when loading or unloading heavy items.