Review – BMW X1 & iX1 (2022) – Driving on a glacier!

When we stand on the glacier in the morning, the sun has yet to rise above the mountain. It is -10 and being outside without gloves is actually almost impossible. So after a brief chat from the instructor, we were only too happy to dive back into the BMW X1, which features both seat and steering wheel heating. Tasty and obviously optional, but BMW brought the fattest versions for this introduction: the xDrive23i, xDrive23d and xDrive30e. The iX1 comes only as an xDrive30, so that choice is quickly made.

Plugs most interesting

For the Netherlands, the plug-in hybrids – you also have an xDrive25e – and the BMW iX1 are the most fiscally interesting. This is evident just by looking at the starting prices. In fact, for 49,650 euros you can get into an X1 sDrive18i with front-wheel drive and 136 hp, but for 50,986 euros you also have an xDrive25e with 245 hp, all-wheel drive and an electric range of up to 92 kilometers. With a starting price of over 55 grand, the iX1 is a bit more expensive, but you get 313 horsepower in return. The very most expensive X1 you can buy is the xDrive23d, which goes for 61,315 euros on the price list. With 211 hp no doubt a fine power source, but we did not drive it in Austria because that is not the focus for the Dutch market.

Weighty

We go back a day. In fact, on the first day in Austria, the glacier was not yet open. That’s why BMW sent us out on the road first with the xDrive23i, then with the iX1. The 218-hp xDrive23i proved to be a fine powertrain. The seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission shifts smoothly and quickly, and in fact you never feel like you’re short of power. Until you get into the 313-horsepower iX1, because its overabundance of horsepower and direct power delivery makes it feel even faster than the xDrive23i. This is evident when you look at the figures, because while the xDrive23i sprints to 100 km/h in 7.1 seconds, the iX1 takes just 5.6 seconds.

What you do notice immediately when you drive both cars right after each other on public roads is what the extra weight of the electric powertrain does to the driving characteristics of the car. To illustrate, the gasoline iX1 weighs over 1,500 kilograms, while the plug-in hybrid versions put in over 1,830 kilograms and the iX1 notes a whopping 1,985 kilograms! You notice while driving that BMW has made the dampers on the iX1 and plug-in hybrids stiffer to keep that weight in check. Again, it’s not like you’re bouncing across the road, but the xDrive23i was noticeably more comfortable.

Wireless braking

Over to the glacier again. So by now we are in the warm X1 and are getting an explanation from engineer Michael Straub about the X1’s braking system. In fact, BMW applies the same “brake-by-wire” system to all versions of the X1, meaning that there is no longer a physical connection between the brake pedal and the brakes. That sounds pretty terrifying at first, until you start driving it. Because what the system does is ensure that you always have the same pedal feel, whether the car brakes on the regenerative effect of the electric motors or on the physical brakes. We have seen this differently in the past with plug-in hybrids and electric cars.

Another advantage of brake-by-wire is that all X1s have the same braking system. This is obviously convenient on the cost and production side, but it also means that an iX1 brakes virtually the same as an X1 on gasoline or diesel. So you don’t have to get used to it when you switch from one version to another.

Riding on the glacier

We grab the xDrive30e, with 326 hp the most powerful version of the BMW X1, for the course up the mountain. Of course, we put the car in sport mode and partially disable the traction control. What is striking is how well the X1 stays balanced on these snowy roads. The suspension does not let itself go crazy, and the electric motor on the rear axle, in conjunction with the internal combustion engine driving the front wheels, ensures that you always have grip. The X1 even indulges in playful handling: step on the gas in the middle of a corner and the direct power of the electric motor makes the rear end step aside for a moment. No X1 customer is likely to do this, but it’s nice to know it can be done!

So are there any downsides to the X1? Yes, for example, it is a shame that BMW’s new iDrive 8 system no longer has a rotary knob on the center console, and we found that the steering provided just a bit too little feedback for a BMW. However, these need not be dealbreakers. BMW has established a strong player in the market with the new X1, with customers also having every choice of powertrains. We are sold!

Check out our video of the X1 on the glacier below, with some spectacular footage: