Australian New Car Buyer – June 2019

AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE | 43

M

ore compact yet more
costly than the X1, on which
it’s based, BMW X2 prices start
at $46,900 for the sDrive 18i.
This front-wheel-drive X2 runs
a 103kW 1.5-litre turbopetrol
triple matched with a seven-
speed double-clutch automatic.
M Sport specifciation with this
drivetrain costs $49,500.
The front wheel drive s20i M
Sport, with a 141kW 2.0-litre
turbopetrol engine/seven-
speed double clutch drivetrain,
is $55,900. BMW’s M Sport X
equipment package, included as
standard, features contrasting
grey body side skirts, wheel arch
edges, grille and rear bumper
inserts, 19-inch wheels and a
more richly furnished interior.
It’s also standard on the all-
wheel-drive X2 xDrive 20d, with
a 140kW 2.0-litre turbodiesel
engine and an eight-speed
automatic, priced at $59,900.
At the top of the range, the
$68,900 M35i runs a 225kW

2.0-litre turbopetrol with the

eight-speed auto and all-wheel

drive, plus the serious M gear,

including suspension, brakes

and differential. It reaches

100km/h from rest in a claimed,

and very rapid, 4.9 seconds.

The X2 is certainly more

agile than BMW’s X1. It’s

lower and shorter (by 7cm

and 8cm respectively), with

fi rmer suspension and sharper

steering. Though it’s too tall

and heavy to really rival a hot

hatchback for handling, the X2

is certainly at the pointy end of

the premium compact SUV pack

for driver satisfaction.

Despite its more compact

dimensions, the X2 is roomy

enough inside. The three-place

rear seat, with its 40/20/40

split-folding backrest, has

suffi cient head and knee

room for adults sitting in the

two outboard positions. The

470-litre cargo area behind it is

only 35 litres smaller than the

X1’s and usefully larger than

any popular small hatchback.

At least in high-grade M

Sport X trim, the X2 interior is

a pleasant environment. The

shapely front seats are fi rmly

supportive, the instruments

are models of simple clarity,

the infotainment system with

its luscious centre screen is

intuitive to navigate, and the

quality of materials is high.

But while there are plenty of

places to store small objects

inside the X2, there’s a shortage

of device recharging points.

Safety is also short-changed,

with no automatic emergency

braking or blind spot

monitoring. That’s ridiculous in

an SUV of this price.

Expect strong, frugal

performance from the X2’s

turbopetrol engines, though the

base 1.5 litre certainly won’t rip

your arms off.

Performance of the xDrive

20d, the only variant BMW

brought to the international

intro in Portugal, is also solid.

There’s some diesel noise

when the engine idles, but

BMW’s four is among the most

refi ned in its class. Road noise

levels rise a lot on coarse-ship

bitumen and the rear-view

mirrors generate wind noise at

motorway speeds.

The X2’s fi rm, non-adjustable M

Sport suspension means it’s not

that pleasant to ride in on second-

rate roads. It can verge on harsh

over poorly aligned motorway slab

joins and feel restlessly busy on

uneven backroads.

So the X2’s design might

bullseye the stylistic comfort

zone of the young, urban and

affl uent demographic BMW

aims to attract, but it’s a miss

when it comes to actual comfort

on the road. There is, of course,

a simple solution — just buy the

X1 instead.

By John Carey

BMW X2 FROM $46,900

THINGS WE LIKE

Handling, especially the precise

steering

Beautiful, effi cient interior design

The exterior looks pretty sharp, too

Supportive front seats

Tractable, frugal engines

Well equipped

THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE

Overly fi rm ride

Higher prices than X1

Road and wind noise levels can be

excessive

No automatic emergency braking

standard

SPEX (sDrive 20i)

Made in Germany

2.0-litre four-cylinder turbopetrol/

seven-speed dual-clutch auto/

front-wheel drive

141kW of power at

5000rpm/280Nm of torque from

1350-4600rpm

0-100km/h in 7.7 seconds (claimed)

5.1L/100km highway; 7.2L/100km

city; premium unleaded; CO2

emissions are 134gkm

Warranty: Three years/unlimited

kilometres

Standard: Six airbags, stability

control, parking sensors, cruise

control, camera, lane departure

warning, collision warning, 6.5-inch

touchscreen, navigation, traffi c and

speed limit information, M Sport

seats, suspension and steering

wheel, LED headlights, power

tailgate, 19-inch alloys.

Redbook future values: New

model, no history as yet

compare with ...

Audi Q3, BMW X1, Jaguar E-Pace,

Mini Countryman, Mercedes GLA,

Range Rover Evoque, Volvo XC40

Safety

Euro NCAP

Performance

Handling

Quality and reliability

Comfort and refi nement

Value for money

Overall

STARS