{"id":38952,"date":"2022-12-23T14:54:24","date_gmt":"2022-12-23T19:54:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=38952"},"modified":"2022-12-23T14:54:24","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T19:54:24","slug":"bmw-x1-best-bmw-suv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autosector.com\/?p=38952","title":{"rendered":"VIDEO: Is the BMW X1 Really Bavaria’s Best SUV?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The BMW X1<\/a> is easily one of the most popular Bimmers on sale and it isn\u2019t hard to see why. It\u2019s small enough to still be fun, it\u2019s cheap enough for most middle-class folks to afford, and it\u2019s still spacious enough to be a practical, family hauler. This new X1 completely new and it\u2019s the best looking X1 yet. However, is it actually good enough to be BMW\u2019s best SUV?<\/p>\n

In this new video from Autogef\u00fchl<\/em>, we get to check out the BMW X1 xDrive23i (28i in U.S.-spec) M Sport. It\u2019s probably the sweet spot in the X1 range, as it packs plenty of power, has an M Sport suspension, and it has M Sport looks. So it\u2019s the best looking and likely the most fun version of the X1. But surely that isn\u2019t good enough to make it the best SUV in BMW\u2019s lineup, especially with excellent cars like the X3 M40i<\/a>, right?<\/p>\n

If you take price into consideration, there is actually an argument that can be made for the X1 as BMW\u2019s top-dog utility vehicle. For starters, it\u2019s surprisingly spacious. Despite its small exterior dimensions, BMW has done a great job carving out space and maximizing its front-wheel drive architecture\u2019s packaging. Which means all passengers get great head room, rear passengers get pretty good knee room, and there\u2019s still plenty of trunk space left over.<\/p>\n

Surprisingly, it\u2019s also really fun to drive. It has unusually sharp steering for a car in its segment and it changes direction better than every one of its competitors. It\u2019s pretty easy to declare the BMW X1 as the most fun premium crossover on sale, even if that\u2019s a pretty low bar to clear. Combine that with a punchy engine and the X1 feels more like a big hot hatch than it does a family crossover. Word of advice, though\u2014get the M Sport package if for only the paddle shifters. Paddles aren\u2019t standard on the X1 and without them there\u2019s no way to shift gears manually. The shift lever has become a small toggle switch, that doesn\u2019t have the classic manual shift gate that all other BMW automatics do. When I tested the X1, it lacked paddles and, while driving on a very steep mountain road, I desperately wanted to control my gears but couldn\u2019t. So if you want to change gears on your own, get the M Sport package.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s a lot to like from the BMW X1 but if you want an incredibly in-depth exploration of everything it has to offer, check out this video.<\/p>\n