BMW has just revealed the third generation of its smallest SUV offering, the X1. Offering subtle design changes, gradual changes to the interior technology, and for the first time an all-electric powertrain offering, here’s everything you need to know about the all-new 2022 BMW X1.
Exterior: Bigger in every regard
The third generation of the BMW X1 has considerably grown in size, giving it that nice enhanced stature and a sort of miniaturized X5 feel. It is 53mm longer with a length stretching 4500mm, 24mm wider with an 1845mm width, and a considerable 44mm taller with a height of 1642mm over the previous X1. At 2692mm, the wheelbase has also grown by 22mm. The luggage capacity measures 540 liters (490L in the case of iX1) and can be expandable up to 1,600 liters with the rear seats folded.
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Design-wise, the 2022 BMW X1 looks more genteel with the large kidney-shaped front grille with active air flaps, flanked by sharper-looking one-piece trapezoidal LED headlamps with their own individual C-shaped DRLs, along with sharp body lines on the bonnet. Those sharp lines make their way over the back as well, with crisp and very much highlighted details at the rear, along with those protruding LED tail lamps that give the rear a very menacing look. BMW has offered the new X1 with 17-inch alloys, which can go up to 21-inches, depending on the trim.
Talking about the BMW iX1, the electrified version of the SUV, it gets some distinguished elements when compared to the standard model. These include a closed front grille with the ‘i’ badge, blue highlights instead of chrome elements, and ‘iX1’ badging on the boot.
Interior: Goodbye Buttons, Hello BMW
The interior is where you see a starking difference over the previous version, with the X1 now being offered with a dual cockpit-style curved floating display which is split into a 10.2-inch driver’s display and 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The dashboard has a sleek line running the length of it with AC vents integrated nicely within it.
The X1’s dual displays come with BMW’s new iDrive 8 system, due to which physical buttons have taken an exit from the vehicle, with most of the commands now being driven via voice assistance. Any buttons which are left like the paddle shifter, volume dial, and drive & traction modes. The latter are now neatly placed on a brand new floating center console between the front seats.
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Features on offer
Although no official variant-wise feature list has been announced by BMW, it gets all the necessary feel-good features like a panoramic sunroof, dual-zone climate control, wireless Android Auto and Apple Carplay, an optional 205W 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system, ventilated seats with power adjust, memory & massage function for front seats, ambient lighting, heads up display (HUD), wireless charger, park assist, 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control with brake function, lane-following assist, autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and front-collision warning will be on offer on the X1.
Powertrain Options
The new-gen BMW X1 comes with multiple powertrain options. Starting with the ICE powertrain, its 2.0-liter TwinPower turbo diesel engine now works on a Miller combustion cycle and gets a new direct & port injection fueling system, kicking out 241hp (+13hp) of peak power and a 400Nm (+50Nm) of maximum torque. It now also comes mated to a new 8-speed automatic transmission, instead of 7-speed DCT.
The other engine options include 1.5-liter, 3-cylinder petrol, 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-petrol, and 2.0-litre, 4-cylinder turbo-diesel, the latter two comes paired with a 48V mild-hybrid system, which gives a performance boost under hard acceleration. Two plug-in hybrid powertrains are also on offer that care claimed to deliver an electric-only range of up to 88km.
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All Electric Offering
For the first time ever, the X1 comes in an all-electric version called the iX1. It comes equipped with a 64.7kWh li-ion battery pack, which has a WLTP claimed range of 438 km. That 64.7kWh battery powers a set of electric motors, one at each axle which put out a combined 272PS of max power and a peak torque of 494Nm. However, the output level can be pushed to 313PS under hard acceleration with a temporary boost function, allowing the EV to complete the century sprint in just 5.7 seconds, before attaining a top speed of 180kmph.
A cool aspect of the iX1 is the sound it will make while driving because BMW has collaborated with legendary music composer Hans Zimmer to produce the artificial driving sound of the iX1.
Expected Arrival?
The third-generation BMW X1 will first make its launch in the European countries in October 2022, so we can expect it to hit our shores probably in the first half of 2023. Once launched, it will go up against the Mercedes-Benz GLA, Volvo XC40, and Volvo XC40 Recharge.
