The second-generation BMW X1 holds a special place in my heart. It was the first car I drove during a press trip as a car journalist. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. But it was also just a really good car, one that impressed the hell out of me on that sunny day in Mexico. So when it came time to drive this new third-generation, I had high expectations. And I’m happy to say that my early impressions are good. Very good.
I walked out of the hotel doors in Palm Springs, bright and early in the morning, only to be greeted by a fleet of brand-new BMWs to drive. It felt like walking into a candy story as a kid and seeing “Free” labels on every jar. One of the cars there was the heart-pounding, hair-raising BMW M4 CSL.
However, I still needed my morning coffee and preferred to have another journalist warm up those Cup 2 R tires on the surprisingly chilly desert morning. So I decided to snag something a bit tamer to start out with, something a bit more relaxed. That’s when I saw the BMW X1 and immediately jumped in.
My first stop was Starbucks, because it was on the way to the road I wanted to get to and I desperately needed coffee. After my caffeine pit stop, I head off down California’s highway 74 to a stunning scenic road through the canyons. While the X1 isn’t designed to be a proper sports car, any BMW worth its salt should be at least a little bit fun on a twisty road, so that’s where I headed.
But both my pit stop and the ride to the good road allowed me to sample the X1 in its natural environment, where customers are going to use it most—in traffic. The BMW X1 is going to be used as a family car, handling the day-to-day monotony of a daily commute, school run for the kids, and grocery getting. And it can handle all of those things well.
The back seat is plenty big enough for even adults, as I was able to sit in the…
