Now in its third generation, the 2023 BMW X1 does a great job of continuing the sporty small SUV ethos it started with back in 2009. The newest interpretation gets longer, wider, and more powerful, all aspects that overall make it a little bit more usable and a little bit more fun to drive. Unfortunately, though a hybrid and electric version is now on sale in most of the world, currently, North America only gets the 2023 BMW X1 in one flavor: X1 xDrive28i. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
All U.S. BMW X1 models come with a turbocharged four-cylinder making 241 horsepower between 4,500 and 6,500 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque between 1,500 and 4,000 rpm. This is a noticeable increase over the outgoing version, and the aided traction of standard xDrive and a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission allow the little crossover to scoot from zero to 60 mph in a BMW-estimated 6.2 seconds, and a Car and Driver verified 5.4 seconds. That’s a seriously impressive performance for this segment and bests both the Volvo XC40 and Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 by over half a second.
The M Sport Package adds paddles behind the steering wheel, capable of enabling a “Sport Boost” function when the driver pulls the left-hand paddle for a full second. It also adds larger wheels – up to 20-inchers – and an adaptive suspension, along with more aggressive bodywork and Shadowline trim. In our 2023 BMW X1 review, we admired the small SUV’s hot-hatch feeling handling.
The official fuel economy figures of the 2023 BMW X1 are 25 city / 34 highway / 28 combined, which isn’t groundbreaking but is good for the segment. It sits between the Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 and the Volvo XC40 we mentioned earlier, and since its performance far exceeds both, we don’t see much of a problem with that.
The 2023 BMW X1 is plenty roomy, offering seating for up to five passengers and as much as 57.2 cubic feet of room behind the front row and 25.7 cubic feet of space behind the…
