Wheels

BMW X1 sDrive 2.0 (A)

AT A GL ANCE

IN A NUTSHELL

ENGINE 1,998cc, turbocharged

inline four

POWER 189bhp

TORQUE 280Nm

0-100KM/H 7.7secs

TOP SPEED 225km/h

TRANSMISSION 8-speed Steptronic

automatic

TESTDRIVE & ENQUIRIES

Performance Motors

PLUS

A crossover that wears the Bavarian’s

pledge to delivering a great balance of

utilitarian space and driving dynamism

MINUS

Its relatively pricey price-tag

VERDICT

A great crossover that will surely meet

most of your SUV expectations while

keeping size to a sensible proportion

TEL 6319 0100

even be a smile-inducer for some,
especially since corner-carving in a SUV
is relatively unheard of. Power-wise,
the baby BMW SUV handles the steep
Bukit Timah inclines with a brush of its
shoulders, pulling cleanly away without
a hint of hesitation or turbo lag. That
said, the 2.0-litre powerplant responds
quickly, plying copious amounts of
torque in most of the engine’s usable
power band to allow for a quick and
safe overtaking manoeuvre. Want
more? Toggle Sport mode and watch
the engine rev limiter climb to the red
zone. For fuel-saving frugality, the X1’s
2.0-litre box is capable of sipping juice
gently. For starters, we were rewarded
with a decent fuel consumption figure
of 11.8km per litre, given our driving
antics to draw the car’s character out.
Overall, the BMW X1 is an alternative
to consider if the 2 Series Gran Tourer
is not up one’s alley. The BMW X1
provides an great avenue for transporting
the “outdoors” closer to the outdoors,
sucking up most bulky items while
ferrying the people who are immediate
concern to your adventure, along with
you an optimally sized fun carrier.

March 2016 // 31