Image: BMW press kit
The X1 delivers genuine BMW comfort, a feature-rich cabin and the best rear-seat space in its segment, even if hardcore driving purists will miss the older car's edge.
The third-generation BMW X1 is the friendliest, most spacious and most feature-loaded X1 yet, with a long-wheelbase cabin tailored to Indian buyers. It softens the traditional BMW driving edge in favour of comfort, refinement and tech, but remains the best driver's car in the entry luxury SUV segment. The new iX1 electric variant brings BMW ownership within reach at an unusually aggressive price.
The new X1 follows BMW's now-familiar template: an enlarged kidney grille, sharper LED headlamps, and creased surfaces that give the car a more aggressive stance than its predecessor. It is an evolution rather than a revolution from the side, with 18-inch alloys, roof rails, a shark fin antenna and a panoramic roof that runs almost the full length of the cabin. The rear gets 3D-effect tail lamps, a sportier diffuser and an electric tailgate. Faisal Khan finds the closed-grille treatment on the iX1 awkward, while the M Sport bumpers and badging are standard fitment across all four variants in India. Ground clearance sits at roughly 170-175 mm unladen, adequate for Indian conditions but not class-leading. The long-wheelbase body adds 116 mm of length and 112 mm of wheelbase over the international short-wheelbase car, giving the X1 a more substantial road presence. It is the best-looking X1 yet, even if it no longer feels distinct from the larger X3.
The cabin is where the X1's transformation is most obvious. A curved display housing a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 10.7-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard, paired with a redesigned floating centre console that frees up storage where the transmission tunnel used to be. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a Harman Kardon system with 12 speakers, wireless charging with a clamping mechanism, ambient lighting in 15 colours, and front massage seats are all on board. The panoramic glass roof spans roughly 9 sq ft and stretches over rear occupants. MotorOctane rates the second-row comfort as the best in the segment, with good knee room, recline angle and a small centre tunnel. The flip side: the gloss of the dashboard hides a fair amount of hard plastic on the lower door panels and centre console, and several reviewers found the touch-only menu structure overly complex with no rotary iDrive controller to fall back on. Rear AC vents, two USB-C ports and isofix mounts are standard.
India gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel making 148 hp and 360 Nm, and a 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol with 134 hp and 230 Nm, both paired to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic. Diesel does 0-100 kmph in around 8 seconds, petrol in roughly 9.2 seconds. The diesel is the pick: refined, torquey and capable of 12-13 kmpl in the city and 16-18 kmpl on the highway. The all-electric iX1 eDrive20L uses a single front motor producing 204 hp and 250 Nm, drawing from a 64.7 kWh usable battery for a claimed 531 km range and a real-world figure closer to 400 km. Faisal Khan rates the iX1's 0-100 kmph time of 8.39 seconds as underwhelming for an EV given the 2,000 kg-plus kerb weight, with no paddle shifters, no launch kick and only modest torque. AC charging takes 6.5 hours on the bundled 11 kW wall box; DC fast charging hits 10-80 percent in 29 minutes at up to 130 kW. Across powertrains, outright thrust has been dialled back compared with the previous X1.
The new X1 trades stiffness for comfort. The steering is lighter and easier to live with in city traffic, the suspension absorbs broken surfaces and speed breakers more gracefully than the older car, and cabin insulation has improved. On the diesel and petrol, this still translates to the best driver's car in the entry luxury SUV segment, with the most communicative steering and tightest body control among the three Germans. The iX1 is a different story: the extra weight from the battery pack introduces noticeable body roll, the suspension can feel busy on broken roads and the steering loses the consistency BMW buyers expect. Level 2 ADAS is standard with adaptive cruise, lane keep assist and adaptive recuperation that uses traffic data to brake regeneratively. Visibility is good thanks to large glass area, though the bonnet edges are not visible from the driver's seat. Six parking sensors and a reverse camera with adaptive guidelines help, but a 360-degree camera is missing.
Fit and finish at eye level is what you expect from a BMW: tight panel gaps, plush soft-touch surfaces on the upper dash and doors, and a reassuring thunk when the doors close. Look lower and the cost-cutting becomes visible, with hard plastics on the lower dashboard, centre console sides and lower door panels. The seat illumination is missing despite the otherwise comprehensive ambient lighting setup. Eight airbags are standard including A-pillar bags, along with ESP, cornering brake control, isofix mounts and tyre pressure monitoring. The boot is the biggest in segment at 490 litres, expanding to 1,600 litres with the 40-20-40 split folded, though the iX1 swaps the spare wheel for a tyre inflator to free up battery space. The diesel and petrol get a space-saver donut spare. The 5-year unlimited-kilometre Service Inclusive Plus pack costs around Rs 2 lakh and covers brake pads, discs, clutch and wipers in addition to standard fluids and filters.
Pricing is where the new X1 surprises most. The petrol starts at roughly Rs 46 lakh ex-showroom, the diesel at around Rs 50 lakh ex-showroom, and the iX1 eDrive20L electric is positioned aggressively at approximately Rs 51.93 lakh on-road Mumbai, making it the most affordable BMW and the most affordable luxury car in India. On-road, the X1 range works out to roughly Rs 55-63 lakh depending on variant. That undercuts the Mercedes EQA significantly and makes the Volvo EX40 look overpriced. Against the petrol Audi Q3 and Mercedes GLA, the X1 offers more rear space, more features and the strongest driving credentials in the segment. Warranty is two years unlimited kilometres extendable to six years unlimited or eight years up to 2 lakh km, with five years of 24x7 roadside assistance. For buyers stepping into their first luxury SUV who value comfort, space and tech over outright sportiness, the X1 is the segment's most rounded package.
TeamBHP's community consistently rates the X1 as the most rounded entry-luxury SUV, with owners praising the long-wheelbase rear-seat comfort and diesel refinement while flagging the touch-heavy interface and lack of a physical iDrive controller as daily annoyances. Long-term reports highlight the diesel's real-world efficiency of 16-18 kmpl on highways and the importance of opting for the Service Inclusive Plus pack to cap maintenance costs over five years.
"Calls the X1 the best driver's car among the three Germans in the segment, but wishes BMW had retained the previous car's outright performance instead of softening it."
"Praises the sharp styling, modern cabin and Harman Kardon audio, but flags the missing four-wheel drive option and 18-inch wheels as a step down from international X1 spec."
"Loves the iX1's pricing and rear space but is openly disappointed by the lack of BMW driving character, calling out body roll, vague steering and a stiff yet noisy ride."
"From a used-car perspective, finds the new X1 strikingly futuristic in person and rates the cabin tech, M Sport seats and panoramic roof as genuine upgrades over the previous generation."
"Comparing earlier-generation X1 and C-Class as used buys, notes the X1 was always the more involving, fuel-efficient choice but has now shifted toward comfort with the new model."