Car review: BMW X1 [Video]

WOW editor, Juliet McGuire, attended the BMW X1 launch last year. She also did a video review for Ignition TV, DSTV channel 189.

It really has gone from zero to hero the second time round, especially when it comes to looks, and the BMW X1 now resembles it’s older siblings, the likes of the X3 and X5.

The top of the range BMW X1 costs just about as much as a Land Rover Discovery Sport, but the rest of the range is competitively priced and with it’s new looks and modern interior, you may want to consider this as your next family car.

It may not have been a looker, but the previous X1 sold like hotcakes. BMW boasts 730 000 since it was launched back in 2010. The front now sports a large “kidney-shaped” grille, far more sporty-looking air intakes and the combination of BMW’s signature headlight clusters and fog lamps. The interior is just as impressive. I have found BMW’s interiors to be somewhat bland. They haven’t changed much and they weren’t exactly inspiring. But the new X1’s interior is modern and superbly refined.  Just take a look at the picture below. Isn’t it purrty?

Two petrol and one diesel engine will be available. I drove the xDrive20d on the launch this week along the gorgeous Garden Route and can say it was a very enjoyable experience. The 8-speed automatic transmission shifts so smoothly you hardly notice the gear changes. The engine purrs rather than growls, but the road noise is a bit overwhelming, we had to turn up the volume of the radio quite high when we were cruising at the national speed limit and the drone can get to you. To read the full BMW X1 review click here.