2011 BMW X1Tom Kirkpatrick
The latest status symbol from BMW is the 2012 X1, a compact "sport activity vehicle" or SAV. BMW's marketers tell me the X1 is not an SUV or sport utility vehicle and it's not a crossover wagon, either.
I'll try to explain.
You see, the X1 is based on the underpinnings of the 3-Series - the present one, not the coming, all-new 3-Series due late this year or early next. So you're not looking at a tall wagon with 1-Series underpinnings, even if that's what the X1 name implies. It's a tall 3-Series with an SUV-like body.
Here's something else: the X1 has been on sale in Europe for about 18 months and, despite quite a parade of head-scratching critics, sales have been robust to say the least. The X1 is coming to Canada for several reasons not least of which is the fact the newest X3 has gotten bigger, creating space for a $38,500 X1 (base price) to slot in and fill out the full BMW X array - X6, X5, X3 and X1.
The newest X3 got bigger mostly to accommodate bloating Americans in the U.S. market. Interestingly, BMW won't sell the X1 in the U.S. until late this year or perhaps early next year. Company types say they simply do not have enough X1 capacity to meet U.S. demand. Canada? Well, BMW Canada might sell up to 2,000 X1s annually, therefore the supply issue here is not so great for the Leipzig, Germany-built X1.
BMW is not likely selling X1s on looks alone. The designers have tried to put BMW's long nose/short rear deck look into the X1 and the result is something few would call beautiful. The requisite creases and bulges are there and the high-sided, big-wheeled butchiness screams SAV or SUV. But this is not the automotive equivalent of a runway darling at a fashion week in Paris. Not at all.
I don't hate the look and I'd argue the X1 looks better in motion than standing still in a parking lot. The honest truth is that making a two-box SAV or SUV appear interesting and novel is a major design challenge usually answered with vehicles loaded with lines and creases and all sorts of add-ons in the sheet metal. That's the X1 precisely.
This newest BMW is not a serious off-roader, either - and not meant to be. It's a soft-roader for the cottage or the ski cabin, though the xDrive all-wheel-drive system does have the capability of sending as much as 100 per cent of engine power to either the front or rear axle - thus improving traction, which is something you do want for slippery winter roads.
The xDrive system also makes the X1 a pretty fine on-road machine, given the slightly taller-than-average stance of the thing. I'd bet most drivers will be impressed with the relatively flat cornering, the firm but responsive steering and the snap-to-it braking. All good and all typically BMW. There are reasons why BMW has a loyal following and it's not just brand cachet. The Bavarians know how to engineer a fine handling machine.
Now keep in mind the X1 feels as large as it looks, which is hardly massive, though at a hefty 1,690 kg, we're not talking lightweight, either. The slightly elevated driving position puts the driver in position to see lots of the road ahead, yet you are not so high as to feel like you're driving a bus.
The only engine in Canada is a 2.0-litre, turbocharged, four-cylinder (241 horsepower/258 lb-ft of torque) that asks for premium fuel and delivers 10.2 litres/100 km in the city, 6.5 on the highway - less if you punch around that turbo and take advantage of a powertrain capable, says BMW, of launching to 100 km/hour in 6.7 seconds. BMW says that under normal usage you'll get 969 km on a tank of fuel. The standard gearbox is an excellent eight-speed automatic.
The point is that dynamically, well, the X1 is as competent as you'd expect from BMW. The steering is almost ideal for cruising comfort and for many reasons, least of all curb weight, the X1 feels superbly planted and relatively roll-free. The ride here is neither too soft nor too firm and road noise is just a bit generous compared to a 3-Series sedan.
Alas, rear visibility is lousy and, despite plenty of headroom, there's nowhere for lanky legs in the back. Younger kids will be fine in the rear, but adults won't be thrilled to spend much road trip time back there.
At least the cargo area - the boot - is, well, almost huge. The storage area is 420 litres in normal mode and it expands to more than three times that with the rear seats folded flat. And the raised ride height makes this all very easy to access.
Two other points: the rear seatbacks can tilt in 10 different positions and the 40/20/40-split design offers all sorts of creative opportunities to store your goods when on the road.
BMW says if you fold flat the middle piece of the seat, you can load up a couple of golf bags and stuff in luggage on either side. Or two big golf bags will fit nicely in the rear with the seatbacks fully up - or you can carry four pairs of skis.
Finally, the overall cabin layout is familiar and all-BMW. The materials, the fit and finish and all that are what you'd expect. BMW Canada is offering the X1 with all sorts of standard gear, including the very fancy "BMW Assist" technology package. The sub-$40,000 X1 is nicely equipped, though it's possible to add options that send the final price to nearly $50,000.
For the time being, the X1 does not face much head-to-head competition, at least among small, premium SAVs or SUVs with four-cylinder engines. The Acura RDX, though, is a definite rival, as is the Audi Q5.
But no one at BMW Canada is blind to the marketplace and even BMW Canada admits that cross-shoppers could very well look at Toyota's RAV4, the Volkswagen Tiguan, Nissan's Rogue and even lower-priced versions of the bigger X3.
Some of these come with more status symbol credits than others, and BMW would like to think its X1 (and of course the X3) confer the most status of all.