BMW X1 gets almost everything right – except the transmission

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If you have your heart set on a BMW, the all-new X1 compact SUV is the least expensive model in the German automaker’s Canadian lineup. It lists for $45,800, which means you can buy one for about $49,000, once all the other charges are tacked on – but before taxes. In Ontario, that’ll make it about $55,000 out the door for the most basic version.

Now that’s out of the way, is it worth it?

It feels like a BMW, which means the leather steering wheel is thick in your hands, and the controls are intimidating in a stark and efficient way. You can get in and just drive, but if you’re not familiar with the vehicle’s myriad settings, it’ll always feel like you’re missing out on something. Perhaps the display screen for the gauges would be more visually appealing if it was set to Expressive mode or maybe the fuel consumption might improve if you input your destination so the X1 could suggest a more relaxing route.

This is the third generation of BMW’s smallest SUV, and like most next generations, it has increased slightly in size.

BMW says the extra size, which is a few centimetres, creates “a noticeable increase in shoulder and elbow room” and perhaps that’s true, though without a previous-generation X1 to jump into for comparison, we’ll have to take the maker’s word for it. What I can say is that the vehicle does not feel cramped, even with a passenger in the front seat. Three adults in the back seat will start to grumble fairly quickly, however.

The most noticeable change is the large curved display screen that seems to be a continuation of the instrument cluster, and which sweeps across the centre of the dash and is angled toward the driver. It gives the impression of a large and expensive piece of glass, though it’s actually two medium-sized and expensive screens. It’s well integrated into the cabin and effective for displaying information or even digital artwork in one of its three My Modes settings.

All the ambient light and calming graphics don’t have much to do with driving, but they create a pleasant environment for effective decision-making. I was oblivious to all this, however, when I first jumped into the car in Palm Springs, Calif., and set off up the Pines-to-Palms Highway. I just needed to get where I was going, and had no need for the car to welcome me as I settled in, and serenade me as I drove.

The X1 is not an especially fast vehicle – its 241-horsepower engine will accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres an hour in 6.4 seconds – but it’s not slow and it does handle exceptionally well. There seems little point in slowing down around the curves and if you do mess up, its advanced traction and stability control systems will apply either braking or power to whichever wheels need them. Like almost all vehicles these days, the BMW’s computer is a lot smarter and quicker than the driver, and the X1′s is smarter than most.

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It goes too far with the transmission, however. The low-profile shift lever, now more of a toggle bar on the centre console, allows you to select only “D” for Drive or “L” for Low, but not any individual gear. In other words, I could not downshift to prepare for a corner or to slow the car descending a hill. All I could do was brake and the X1 would then choose the most appropriate of the seven gears.

I don’t remember ever driving a car that would not let me downshift manually, and it was unsatisfying in a sporty vehicle to only be able to brake for corners. I raised this point with Nick Gerstner, a product manager with BMW of North America. After all, what would an X1 driver do if descending a mountain where the road recommends a lower gear? Hope the car understands the need?

“In the X-Line or the base model, there’s no sequential shifting you can do on your own,” he confirmed. “It’s because the shifter went to the toggle to align with the new design language, and the regular sport steering wheel doesn’t have the shift paddles, so it doesn’t allow you to do that” – to select a specific gear. In other words, you have to trust the computer to read the pitch and the angle and the yaw properly, and choose the best gear for the moment, but it will not prepare beforehand, just instantly as the need arises.

There’s a solution to this and it costs more money, of course. You can upgrade your X1 with the $2,700 M Sport package, which doesn’t increase the power but does provide a steering wheel that includes paddle shifters. In other words, the toggle lever on the console is too preoccupied with looking good to help you actually drive for yourself, but the paddle shifters will let you, just like a Formula One racer.

Frankly, I’d pay the additional cost for the better suspension and the sport seats that come with the M Sport package, but that’s not the point. Sometimes, I want to choose my own gear, and it’s downright annoying that the base X1 won’t let me do that.

Tech specs

• Base price/as tested: $45,800/$48,545, plus freight and pre-delivery inspection, dealer fees and taxes.
• Engine: Two-litre, twin-turbo four-cylinder; 241 horsepower, 295 lb-ft of torque
• Transmission/drive: Seven-speed dual-clutch transmission/all-wheel drive
• Fuel economy (litres/100 km): 9.4 city, 6.9 highway, 8.4 combined (premium gas required)
• Alternatives: Mercedes-Benz GLA, Audi Q3, Cadillac XT4, Lexus UX, Jaguar E-Pace, Volvo XC40

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Looks

The X1 is a good-looking SUV, especially in the “Utah Orange Metallic” paint of the test car (which costs an additional $895 over plain white or black). There are no polarizing creases in the sheet metal, and the integrated spoiler above the rear tailgate adds a subtle sleekness to the overall length. Most important for BMW-philes, the kidney grille at the front is not too large or too small, and not offensive to more delicate sensibilities.

Interior

That curved glass display for the 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 10.7-inch centre screen makes the car seem both wider and airier, thanks also to removing many of the analogue switches and dials. There are still some traditional buttons and knobs on the console, but most of the climate and entertainment controls are now digital. This isn’t a problem in Palm Springs, but can be more of an issue in a Toronto or Calgary winter when freezing temperatures cause LCD screens to respond sluggishly or not at all. It’s the price you pay for aesthetics.

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Performance

There’s no excess of power, though the twin-turbo four doesn’t feel underpowered either. It’s enjoyable on a curving road, but the inability to select a gear is a deal-breaker for the base model.

Technology

You name it, it’s available as either standard or an option. Probably an option that costs more. There’s even an interior camera for checking the car’s interior with your phone, which is especially handy if there’s a thief behind the wheel, driving your car to a shipping container at the docks in Montreal.

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Cargo

It’s quite spacious, given its small footprint. There’s 540 litres of cargo capacity behind the rear seats, and if those split 40/20/40 seats are folded flat, that increases to 1,600 litres.

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The verdict

The X1 is a nice little SUV and it’s a sporty drive, without being pretentious or too ambitious. If you want to enjoy the drive fully, however, then make sure you upgrade to the M Sport package, so you can stay in charge of the transmission.

The writer was a guest of the auto maker. Content was not subject to approval.

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