Following its debut final month, the third era of the BMW X1 launched into a European tour, permitting automotive journalists and potential clients to get a better look previous to its market launch this autumn. Final weekend, the SUV was showcased in Greece, and we have been there to see it in individual.

The X1 seems barely higher from up shut than within the pictures, which is the case with a lot of the current BMW fashions. The physique is extra sculpted than earlier than, with the matte-effect paint of this instance highlighting BMW‘s new type of surfacing. The entrance seems taller as a result of positioning of the enlarged kidney grille and the extra inclined LED headlights, whereas the bumper is now nearer to the sportier X2. The cleaner windowline, the glossy door handles, the toned shoulders and the slimmer LED taillights are welcome updates, making the SUV look bigger for a better street presence.

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Each variants of the X1 we got here throughout have been fitted with the non-compulsory M Sport package deal which incorporates extra angular intakes on the entrance, body-colored wheelarches, and a sporty rear apron with a glossy-black factor above the diffuser. In addition they got here fitted with matching units of 20-inch wheels by BMW Particular person which improve proportions, mixed with a frozen grey shade for the outside.

Be aware that there isn’t any seen exhaust to both of the fashions, with BMW being decided to not be a part of the fake tailpipe pattern – we’ve to provide them credit score for that. Our current scoop tales verify that the extra highly effective X1 M35i xDrive variant will characteristic quad tailpipes which aren’t restricted to the full-blown M fashions anymore.

The brand new X1, like the two Sequence Energetic Tourer, relies on an developed model of the UKL platform however its footprint has grown in comparison with the mannequin it replaces. Extra particularly, the X1 gained an additional 43 mm (1.7 inches) in size, measuring 4,500 mm (177.2 inches), with 23 mm (0.9 inches) of them added between the axles leading to a 2,692 mm (106 inches) wheelbase. Nonetheless, the mannequin retains a protected distance from the bigger X3 which can also be getting a brand new era within the coming years.

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On the occasion, we received to pattern two totally different specs for the inside – one with black microfiber upholstery and blue stitching, and one other with Oyster Venasca leather-based. Each got here with the brand new sports activities seats which feel and appear very nice, providing a wonderful quantity of consolation and assist. We additionally received our arms on the marginally overdesigned three-spoke steering wheel with a really thick rim setting the stage for the presumably driver-centric character of the SUV.

The last word spotlight of the inside is the brand new standard-fit  BMW Dwell Cockpit Plus incorporating a ten.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a ten.7-inch touchscreen for the infotainment, with a somewhat massive hole between them. The curved panel proved to be attention-grabbing, to say the least, trying considerably extra fashionable than the extra conventional setup of the earlier era.

The brand new iDrive Working System 8 has already discovered its approach in a number of new BMWs after being launched within the iX, bringing recent graphics and extra options into the combo, freed from the usability nightmares of the previous. BMW went for a clear look with out bodily buttons or shortcuts, however at the very least the local weather controls are all the time seen and accessible on the underside of the touchscreen, and voice management is claimed to be improved.

The inside high quality stays top-notch as with the earlier X1 which was class-leading on this space. Smooth padded plastics are masking most areas, with steel inserts on the dashboard and doorways matching the non-compulsory Harman Kardon audio system. One other spotlight is the floating middle console which seems cool however it sacrifices some house from the storage compartment within the armrest, with a much less helpful second tray beneath. BMW is aware of that almost all of us carry massive smartphones so that they added a devoted wi-fi charging house for it within the decrease a part of the middle console, with a harness conserving it in place always.

Sitting on the again, you possibly can really feel the additional roominess in comparison with the earlier era, with ample legroom and loads of headroom. It can nonetheless be slightly bit tight for 3 adults however it’s now barely extra accommodating for taller passengers, even with the non-compulsory panoramic sunroof. Facilities on the again embrace two USB-C ports for charging and A/C vents that are a must have within the phase. Optionally, BMW is providing sliding rear seats however solely within the petrol and diesel variants because the PHEV and BEV fashions don’t get the identical freedom in packaging as a result of batteries. Lastly, some variants get reclining seatbacks.

Boot house has additionally grown to 540 lt (19.1 cubic ft) for the petrol and diesel variants, or 490 lt (17.3 cubic ft) for the PHEV and BEV fashions. All of them have a sensible form with the distinction occurring within the further compartment below the boot’s ground. From the seems of it, you would simply match a few massive suitcases because of its size.

When it comes to powertrain choices, the BMW X1 shall be supplied in petrol, diesel, plug-in hybrid, and totally electrical (iX1) type. That is the primary time the Bavarian firm provides that many choices of their entry-level SUV, following the instance of the bigger X3. Those we noticed on the occasion have been the petrol-powered X1 xDrive 23i and the plug-in hybrid X1 xDrive 30e.

The primary is fitted with a turbocharged mild-hybrid 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 215 hp (160 kW / 218 PS). As for the plug-in hybrid, it comes with a turbocharged 1.5-liter three-pot and a rear-mounted electrical motor producing a mixed 322 hp (240 kW / 326 PS). Much more spectacular is the marketed WLTP vary of the X1 xDrive 30e, with preliminary figures stating 89 km (55 miles).

Sadly, we didn’t get the possibility to drive the BMW X1 as a result of the fashions have been pre-production prototypes, with the finalized product arriving in three months’ time. The market launch of the brand new X1 is scheduled for the final quarter of 2022, one thing that applies not solely to Europe but additionally to the US. Petrol and diesel fashions will come first in October, with the plug-in hybrid following in November.

Costs for the entry-level X1 sDrive18i begin from €36,920 ($37,593) in Greece, from €43,900 ($44,700) in Germany, and from £36,225 ($43,577) within the UK however the associated fee wildly will increase as we transfer additional as much as the lineup. Rivals of the mannequin embrace the soon-to-be-facelifted Mercedes-Benz GLA, the Audi Q3, the Volvo XC40, and the Alfa Romeo Tonale. Our subsequent assembly with the brand new X1 shall be scheduled in just a few months’ time when will hopefully have the possibility to drive it and see if BMW’s engineers managed to enhance the already distinctive suspension setup of the outgoing mannequin.

Photographs: Thanos Pappas for CarScoops, Giorgos Karagiorgakis for BMW Hellas