BMW X1 - Family Car Content
Discussion
My other half's car for the last 5 years has been a Mercedes ML350cdi. To it's credit it's was one of the most comfortable cars we've owned. Incredibly practical for a family of five but it was becoming costly. Last year we spent £1k on incidental repairs not including servicing etc. This year the A/C pump packed up but it also developed a timing chain rattle on cold. Frustrating as it only had 104k on it, full service history too but a timing chain replacement was an engine out job, £4k+ and even a local specialist wouldn't do the job. It was likely a tensioner but either way it sealed it's fate.
The initial hunt was for a Merc GLA250 petrol as her driving has dropped from 100 motorway miles commute a week plus short runs to 40 local miles a week. It seems the GLA250 is quite a rare car and finding one that wasn't miles away and within budget felt a bit fruitless.
I suggested she consider the BMW X1 which appeared to get a lot of praise in this segment, after many Youtube videos the mrs really warmed to the look of the car. We went and test drove one less than an hour from home and came away with this.
It's a 2017 X120i XLine with 76k on the clock.
Along with some of the exterior trim to be a bit more "off road" looking, the Xline comes with these wheels. Tidy condition and look quite nice but a total ball ache to clean! Being only 18" wheels, the ride quality isn't too harsh though.
Interior is really smart. A switch style gearknob vs this 4ft long gear stick wouldn't have gone amiss but can't really grumble haha
Personally I've never been a big SUV fan but the ML and the mini-SUVs I thought were largely pointless but both won me over. This is very practical with kids, it's much easier to park and nip about it. I would say the steering is almost a bit too quick, like a hot hatch but it goes well. Only 190bhp but being turbo charged it goes well, not as gutsy as the diesel V6 in the last car but ripe for a re-map (~260bhp).
The initial hunt was for a Merc GLA250 petrol as her driving has dropped from 100 motorway miles commute a week plus short runs to 40 local miles a week. It seems the GLA250 is quite a rare car and finding one that wasn't miles away and within budget felt a bit fruitless.
I suggested she consider the BMW X1 which appeared to get a lot of praise in this segment, after many Youtube videos the mrs really warmed to the look of the car. We went and test drove one less than an hour from home and came away with this.
It's a 2017 X120i XLine with 76k on the clock.
Along with some of the exterior trim to be a bit more "off road" looking, the Xline comes with these wheels. Tidy condition and look quite nice but a total ball ache to clean! Being only 18" wheels, the ride quality isn't too harsh though.
Interior is really smart. A switch style gearknob vs this 4ft long gear stick wouldn't have gone amiss but can't really grumble haha
Personally I've never been a big SUV fan but the ML and the mini-SUVs I thought were largely pointless but both won me over. This is very practical with kids, it's much easier to park and nip about it. I would say the steering is almost a bit too quick, like a hot hatch but it goes well. Only 190bhp but being turbo charged it goes well, not as gutsy as the diesel V6 in the last car but ripe for a re-map (~260bhp).
That's lovely 
I did laugh at the gear lever comment though - you've not driven a Defender recently then.....
I tried one the other day, a very competent car with lots of room. I was contemplating downsizing from my X3, however an X2 M35i has grabbed my attention.
My wife has a 2019 Countryman All4 which is essentially the same car in different clothes. She's had it from new and it's been really good, with just brakes, tyres and servicing.
I did laugh at the gear lever comment though - you've not driven a Defender recently then.....
I tried one the other day, a very competent car with lots of room. I was contemplating downsizing from my X3, however an X2 M35i has grabbed my attention.
My wife has a 2019 Countryman All4 which is essentially the same car in different clothes. She's had it from new and it's been really good, with just brakes, tyres and servicing.
Ranger 6 said:
That's lovely
I did laugh at the gear lever comment though - you've not driven a Defender recently then.....
I tried one the other day, a very competent car with lots of room. I was contemplating downsizing from my X3, however an X2 M35i has grabbed my attention.
My wife has a 2019 Countryman All4 which is essentially the same car in different clothes. She's had it from new and it's been really good, with just brakes, tyres and servicing.
I'm very taken with it and my other half is very pleased. I'm quite glad she opted for this over the GLA. At heart I'm a Merc man but do love a BMW but the interior of this feels like mini-luxury car. It does a good job of feeling a bit special and feels well put together where the A/GLA interiors do feel more plastic. I did laugh at the gear lever comment though - you've not driven a Defender recently then.....
I tried one the other day, a very competent car with lots of room. I was contemplating downsizing from my X3, however an X2 M35i has grabbed my attention.
My wife has a 2019 Countryman All4 which is essentially the same car in different clothes. She's had it from new and it's been really good, with just brakes, tyres and servicing.
Gear stick wise, it's not as bad as some I admit! haha I've not driven a Defender but the old Shogun Sport I owned had a gearbox that was like stirring porridge!
But with this being an auto, it would have been nice if they'd used the little stubby gear selector from other models but I suspect it's a cost thing as this is that old school auto feel. I must say I'm intrigued as to the size differences from X1, 2 and 3 as this doesn't feel compact inside. Four of us in it yesterday and I had my driving position as I would normally, my 8 year old had plenty of left room behind me and looking at the seating position, I think I'd be able to fit in the back with my driving position so it's a roomy small car.
I can imagine the X2 M35i would be a blast to drive, I doubt many people would expect one to have 300bhp. One thing I find with driving this X1 quickly is the seats are quite flat, so it doesn't encourage you to chuck it around despite the steering being very quick. That said, it could use a little more power and given that we're not far from a firm that uses Avon Tuning maps, there may need to be a visit in the future!
We got a 2016 20i (B48 I believe?) xDrive, 50k miles, last year. Been super - gets 45mpg on a long journey, lots of space, rear seats move forward and back, comfy.
Only fault - pan roof - fixed under BMW warranty.
Ours is black interior with red lighting, really like this interior style too.
NB we have basic Hifi, but my last bmw had HK which i'd say is worth it if you can
Only fault - pan roof - fixed under BMW warranty.
Ours is black interior with red lighting, really like this interior style too.
NB we have basic Hifi, but my last bmw had HK which i'd say is worth it if you can
chocolatefingers5000 said:
We got a 2016 20i (B48 I believe?) xDrive, 50k miles, last year. Been super - gets 45mpg on a long journey, lots of space, rear seats move forward and back, comfy.
Only fault - pan roof - fixed under BMW warranty.
Ours is black interior with red lighting, really like this interior style too.
NB we have basic Hifi, but my last bmw had HK which i'd say is worth it if you can
Good to hear positive things about these. No sunroof to worry about on this one although I am partial to a pano roof I must admit. The interior lighting is really smart, orange or white seem to be the options. I like how they went to the effort of putting the lighting in the back doors to match the fronts etc. Only fault - pan roof - fixed under BMW warranty.
Ours is black interior with red lighting, really like this interior style too.
NB we have basic Hifi, but my last bmw had HK which i'd say is worth it if you can
Hi-fi wise, we have the standard one which is adequate. Never going to tear your face off but the other half has music on more in the background. I quite like how all of them have little subs under the front seats. Clever ways to get more depth to the sound.
Alex_225 said:
....I must say I'm intrigued as to the size differences from X1, 2 and 3 as this doesn't feel compact inside. Four of us in it yesterday and I had my driving position as I would normally, my 8 year old had plenty of left room behind me and looking at the seating position, I think I'd be able to fit in the back with my driving position so it's a roomy small car......
The X1 is about the same as the very early X3, the X2 is basically the same dimensions as the X1, wheelbase, ground clearance etc etc, except the back is much more hatchback and you lose boot space as a result.I'm hoping the M35i will be similar to my 35d, but will have to wait until the stars align with budget and the right one first.
Ranger 6 said:
The X1 is about the same as the very early X3, the X2 is basically the same dimensions as the X1, wheelbase, ground clearance etc etc, except the back is much more hatchback and you lose boot space as a result.
I'm hoping the M35i will be similar to my 35d, but will have to wait until the stars align with budget and the right one first.
Aah ok, so it's a bit like the X4 vs X3? Similar but a different look on the back. I'm hoping the M35i will be similar to my 35d, but will have to wait until the stars align with budget and the right one first.
Yeah we looked at an older GLA45 as a possible options but the maths weren't working for now. Not much more to buy but much more significant to run. Also, where the 135/140 and A45 have a certain image, the GLA45 doesn't so much and the X235i is going to be quite an unexpected, bloody quick car.
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