 | Positives: More aggressive and attractive styling, spacious interior, quick acceleration, great handling, slick infotainment system. |
 | Negatives: Noticeable turbo lag, over-reliance on touch controls. |
 | Bottom Line: The little X1 is the best it has ever been. It drives great, looks way better than before, and the interior changes are more significant than the exterior ones. |
Driving Experience
The engine may not have changed for the 2023 X1, but the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine makes 13 more horsepower to the tune of 241. It also gets standard all-wheel drive and the FWD model is no longer available. The X1 also gets a new 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission that replaces the old 8-speed automatic. BMW also revised the suspension to make it handle better than the last X1, which was still pretty good to drive.
Ride Quality: Ride quality is on the firm side, and you can certainly feel the road. The good news is that the dampening is good, so it's not upsetting.
Acceleration: The X1 launches to 60 mph in a quick 5.4 seconds, which is a significant improvement over the 2nd-gen X1's 6.3 time. You just have to live with some noticeable turbo lag.
Braking: Brakes are progressive, firm, and they have good pedal feel, as well.
Steering: We like the steering for its effort and precision. It's also nicely on-center at highway speeds.
Handling: The X1's body control is excellent. The updated suspension, even without the optional M Sport package that provides an adaptive suspension system.
Technology
The X1 with the optional Premium Package provides twin 12.3" screens for the configurable instrument cluster and the infotainment system, all wrapped up in a single frame that spans a significant percentage of the dash. The system is very attractive, and the fact that a similar setup occurs in BMW's higher-end models means the X1 has really come along in terms of tech. The X1 also comes with standard navigation is standard, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and optional fare includes, a head-up display, a Harman Kardon premium audio system, and a 360-degree camera.
Infotainment System: We love how the screen looks and its easy navigation of menus. What we don't like is the fact that BMW moved the climate controls exclusively to the touchscreen, and there are no more buttons and knobs for adjustment.
Controls: While there are some audio controls on the floating center console, there are no more physical controls on the center stack. The shift lever is also too small to operate quickly. While the new one certainly is space-saving on the center console, we miss the old more traditional one.
Styling
Oh, how far the X1 has come in terms of attractiveness. The new X1 is thicker, more aggressively styled, and the result is a sportier, more premium-looking X1 than ever before. The cabin is starkly different from the last X1 thanks to a totally redone center console and center stack. It looks more open and even sportier than before. Everything from the seats to the dash to the door handles looks racier than before.
Front: The large kidney grilles are significantly sized and now take up a good portion of the X1's maw. Good thing they're not as massive as the ones on the new X7. The bracketed headlights look great, too. The lower fascia is a bit complex, but it still fits the front fascia well. Matte silver side mirrors match the grille trim.
Rear: The new taillights with their upswept outer edges look way better than the old, more conventionally shaped versions. We like the notched-out roof spoiler, too. We do miss the twin round exhaust ports on the old one, and we're bummed that the new X1 has the exhaust exiting the bottom, nowhere to be seen.
Profile: The most noticeable profile change in the redesign is the thicker and more squarish front end. The wheel wells also appear to be larger with a prominent crease around the front wheels that extends to the base of both doors. The roofline is also a bit more sloped for a slightly more aggressive side view.
Cabin: The new interior is far more modern and not just because of the big dash screens. The new steering wheel hub shape looks great, and the center console is now a floating unit that opens up the center nicely. The big wireless phone charging dock is very well done, except for the fact that it makes your phone more visible and distracting. The two-tone interior is very sporty especially in red/black.
Comfort
For a small luxury crossover, the BMW X1 xDrive28i is remarkably comfortable and roomy, offering more room than larger crossovers. The seats in all five positions are also very comfortable and accommodating.
Front Seats: The broad seats are excellent with good bolstering and cushioning. We love the thigh bolsters on the optional Sport seats, which help reduce fatigue. They're worth way more than their $400 asking price.
Rear Seats: Although the rear seats haven't gained any legroom over the last generation X1, there's only an inch less than the Audi Q5 and the Lexus RX. There's actually almost a half inch more legroom in the X1 than the bigger X3.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): Sound deadening is good with no errant cabin noises and minimal wind and road noise. Build quality seems top-notch.
Visibility: Visibility all around is very good with a manageable pillar size and a good seating position.
Climate: The X1's climate system provides plenty of airflow, and the heated seats work very well. We just wish the touch controls were physical buttons.
Safety
The X1 is one of the safest vehicles in its class, and that's reflected in its score from the IIHS. The list of standard safety features is long, and optional tech is also very helpful.
IIHS Rating: The X1 gets the Top Safety Pick+ rating with only the slightest demerit due to "marginal" seat belt reminders. Otherwise, it scores just about perfectly in every category including crash avoidance and mitigation.
NHTSA Rating: Not tested.
Standard Tech: The X1 comes standard with Parking Assistant, Backup Assistant, front and rear Head Protection System, Active Driving Assistant with Frontal Collision Warning, Active Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, and Front and Rear Park Distance Control.
Optional Tech: Our tester came with Front Collision Warning with City Collision Mitigation for $400.
Storage/Cargo
The X1 xDrive28i is remarkably roomy inside for a vehicle its size, and the redesign of the center console offers up some much-welcomed interior storage options. There's a tad less cargo space, but it's still very practical.
Storage Space: The floating center console allows for a huge storage binnacle underneath. The big cupholders, large phone dock, and sizeable door pockets make for excellent reachable storage options. .
Cargo Room: The X1 actually shrinks a tad in the cargo hold, from the last generation's 27.1 cubic feet behind row two and 58.7 cubes behind the first row to 25.7 cubes and 57.2 cubes, respectively. The good news is that it's more capacious than the Audi Q3 and the Mercedes GLC. The X1's load floor is also low, wide, and flat.
Fuel Economy
The new X1's EPA rating is slightly better than the 2021 model, which is marginal but welcomed. In testing, we drove largely in Sport mode to maximize the driving experience. Our numbers were a bit lower than the EPA estimates, but the X1 should be able to meet it in Comfort mode and normal driving habits. 34 highway mpg is very good for the power output.
Observed: 25.4 mpg.
Distance Driven: 141 miles.
Audio
Our X1 came with the optional Harman/Kardon Premium System as part of the $4,200 Premium Package. The sound quality is very good, and there was no distortion. The system provided ample bass and good clarity. It's expensive, but you do get Live Cockpit Pro with a Head-Up Display, heated seats, Active Driving Assistant, and a wireless charging dock along with it, just to name a few of the features.
