The X1 was considered by some as the ugly duckling of the BMW family, especially during the E84 generation sold between 2009 and 2015. That was no longer the case with the subsequent F48 while the newly released U11 has received a warm welcome from fans of the Bavarian brand. Its market launch is scheduled for next month, but plenty of dealers already have the compact crossover on their showroom floors.
Such is the case with a BMW dealer from Bratislava, Slovakia as it’s recently taken delivery of a shiny new 2023 X1 in the xDrive23i guise. It’s the most potent gasoline model that will be available on launch, with the M35i to take that role next year by featuring an updated B48 engine with a rumored 315 hp. This one has 218 hp on tap, which is good for a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.1 seconds and a top speed of 145 mph (233 km/h).
What makes this 2023 X1 a bit more special is the color choice since Cape York Green is debuting with BMW’s entry-level crossover. In addition, those 20-inch wheels are the biggest ever fitted from the factory to an X1. Featuring the M Sport Package, it also has Shadowline upgrades to black out certain parts of the body, including the kidney grille.
The interior represents a major departure from the old X1 since it has been equipped with BMW’s Operating System 8. As we’ve already seen in the 2 Series Active Tourer, it does away with the iDrive controller. This won’t become the norm as the German luxury brand has said some models will continue to have the rotary knob so it’s not going away completely.
Just like in the minivan, the two screens are a tad smaller than what you’ll find on a 3 Series LCI or a more expensive BMW model. The fully digital driver’s display measures 10.25 inches and is accompanied by a 10.7-inch touchscreen. The latter serves as the only gateway to the climate settings as there aren’t any separate controls anymore. As you can see, the center console has been greatly simplified to significantly reduce the number of physical buttons.
Overall, the U11 represents a major departure from the model it…
