[Cresterk]

Originally Posted by biplab3110

Took a test drive of the GLA 220d a couple of days back. Was contemplating a test drive of the BMW X1 18d, weather permitting in Mumbai. Read through all 12 pages of this forum discussion and am having second thoughts even about the test drive.
Interestingly, I watched all the drive reviews of the 18d which got posted in last ten days. One leading channel even went on to say that the X1 will continue to be the leader in this segment. Yes, everyone did point out the not so good NVH levels, the stiffer ride quality, and the thoughtless center console with the lid opening the wrong way, but overall everyone seemed quite Ga Ga over the car. Makes me wonder, should I stop watching these videos? (I have a lot more faith on the Team-BHP forum discussions).

Generally youtubers have no obligation to be honest. If they don't praise the car and create hype around it, they won't be invited to the next launch. If you don't have access to the latest cars, then your views go down and your channel will eventually die.

[bottle]

Originally Posted by biplab3110

Took a test drive of the GLA 220d a couple of days back. Was contemplating a test drive of the BMW X1 18d, weather permitting in Mumbai. .

I am owner of previous gen X1, I had taken a test drive of the new X1 as soon as it launched, within city it felt really nice to drive, suspension was great steering was great and seats were really comfortable compared to previous gen.

After that I took a lot of other cars test drive and exactly 30 days later I requested for a 2nd test drive. For some reason the car wasnt in great shape, seats were wrinkled and there was a few rattles and generally the car didnt feel like a good place to be in (my experience after driving other cars from mercedes, mini, audi) . I know that its a abused demo car but it felt a lot worse than my 6 year old 2nd car.

I would suggest you anyway go ahead with a test drive before you come to a final conclusion. Dont hesitate to drive any and every car before you take a decision.

I drove the GLA 220 also and even though it was good i didnt feel it justified the price . When you are spending 60+ lacs please make sure you get the best your money can buy

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by clementj

He picked up an Audi Q3 CBU finally as it was offered at 52L on the road.

This was PP or the Technology version, and CBU road tax = 20%? Did your friend compare CBU vs CKD version of the Q3 and any observations if any between the two?

Originally Posted by Cresterk

Generally Youtubers have no obligation to be honest. If they don't praise the car and create hype around it, they won't be invited to the next launch. If you don't have access to the latest cars, then your views go down and your channel will eventually die.

Looking at many US based YouTube reviews, many folks just rent the car they want to review. Seems like a much better way to provide honest reviews without depending on OEMs. But you’d likely miss out on the latest launches when the hype is at the peak. But if the YouTubers make no money from OEMs and only from views, there is a viable business case for waiting a bit and drive available cars a little later.

Originally Posted by Pyrotek

It is as fascinating as it is inexplicable. Looks like the argument on value has been thrown out of the window. The average Indian luxury car customer just wants the brand for brand's sake, it appears. If the X1 remains the highest selling luxury SUV, I hesitate to think what's next. Maybe, a 1.0 litre, 3 cylinder engine next?

It begs two questions, is the entry level luxury car buyer a true wannabe? If not, then what defines luxury car brands - their years of heritage is based on providing most luxurious features or best in class core car - power, handling/ride, build quality? Is the luxury brand value at the risk of diluted if OEMs down this path?

[clementj]

Originally Posted by Lux_Noob

This was PP or the Technology version, and CBU road tax = 20%? Did your friend compare CBU vs CKD version of the Q3 and any observations if any between the two?

It's was Premium plus and it was on the road in Chennai. He did not get to compare the CBU and CKD.

[CarsAndDrives]

Did a short test drive of the X1 3cylinder petrol. It pulls through fine in the city and is very refined at it. But once you start to push it to the limits, it appears to loose steam quickly. Also the MID for the driver seemed very tiny and was a bit hard to read when compared to the ones on the 3 series MID display. Spacewise it is pretty good - both cabin and the boot. Handling is pretty good and the road bumps are absorbed with no issues. The engine is probably the biggest mental block once you drive the GLA and XC40. The most premium of the lot is definitely GLA for sure.

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by CarsAndDrives

Did a short test drive of the X1 3cylinder petrol. It pulls through fine in the city and is very refined at it. But once you start to push it to the limits, it appears to loose steam quickly. Also the MID for the driver seemed very tiny and was a bit hard to read when compared to the ones on the 3 series MID display. Spacewise it is pretty good - both cabin and the boot. Handling is pretty good and the road bumps are absorbed with no issues. The engine is probably the biggest mental block once you drive the GLA and XC40. The most premium of the lot is definitely GLA for sure.

XC40 for sure, but GLA petrol is fairly mundane to drive. Q3 would make the cut too but XC40 is slightly more fun but the former trumps all the cars in the category with its engine/gearbox refinement and handling. It’s worth a TD unless interiors are dealbreaker (least attractive here barring the infotainment system).

[Rob_Goa]

Originally Posted by Rob_Goa

Firstly, had the pleasure of being the first owner of this New X1 2023 in India.!! I take great pride in this.

And most importantly, if I've to buy a car today, after almost 5 months of ownership, it still emphatically will be this X1 without a doubt. Even though the flaws list is big, they are just minor adjustments to get it right the next time around, otherwise in all sense the car is an absolute beauty!

[GoBlue]

Originally Posted by clementj

In comparison, the GLA 220d or the Q3 45TSI would be far more entertaining on the road and that alone will be enough for some to skip this version of the BMW X1.

Does Q3 get the 45 TFSI tune in India?

That was offered starting Q5/A6 AFAIK.

Q3 with the 45 tune would've been a brilliant car to drive.

[clementj]

Originally Posted by GoBlue

Does Q3 get the 45 TFSI tune in India?

It was an error. I was referring to the Q3 40TFSI.

And I agree that the 228 bhp version would have made it an even more entertaining car to drive. I had thought that Audi would launch the Q3 sportback in this tune to sufficiently differentiate it from the standard version but that did not happen.

[Lux_Noob]

Originally Posted by clementj

It was an error. I was referring to the Q3 40TFSI.

And I agree that the 228 bhp version would have made it an even more entertaining car to drive. I had thought that Audi would launch the Q3 sportback in this tune to sufficiently differentiate it from the standard version but that did not happen.

Then there would be very little reason to buy Q5!

[flipflop]

I really don’t understand the X1! It’s not such a great car to drive, is quite cramped and is so expensive! Recently, I test-drove one and it left me wondering why anyone would buy this except for the brand name when there are so many more fun-to-drive cars with more space for half the amount!

[smilenow]

Originally Posted by flipflop

I really don’t understand the X1! It’s not such a great car to drive, is quite cramped and is so expensive! Recently, I test-drove one and it left me wondering why anyone would buy this except for the brand name when there are so many more fun-to-drive cars with more space for half the amount!

The world works on perceptions. That badge alone is more than enough for the new money in town and there is ample amounts of it given our country's massive upward mobility wherein new kids are earning very decent corporate packages. The dream of owning a BMW from young teen-age years is too hard to ignore when finally the car is within your financial reach.
For eg -
I too would have gone for the X1 instead of the tucson I bought (while waiting for the new Kodiaq) had they offered a 360 camera since I need such a visual aid in congested parking and traffic situations. I don't drive that fast ever for 150 BHP to feel underpowered to me. Sure the seltos gets a 160 BHP mill at one third the price. but who cares when it comes to "shauk". The heart rules over the head in these matters.

[Fiero]

Originally Posted by flipflop

I really don’t understand the X1! It’s not such a great car to drive, is quite cramped and is so expensive! Recently, I test-drove one and it left me wondering why anyone would buy this except for the brand name when there are so many more fun-to-drive cars with more space for half the amount!

I couldn't agree more. I too after much deliberation and many test drives of the X1(old), XC40, GLA, bought a Tiguan instead (which was not initially really on the radar). Surely, the interior cabin look and feel of the Q3, X1 (new, but not old), GLA and XC 40 is better than the Tiguan (and even the Tucson which I don't personally like much), and that is exactly the point of these luxury brands - to offer that extra premium feel on the inside in comparison with the Tiguans and Tucsons of the world, at a 'slightly' premium price. But the price in India is ridiculous.

While I understand that the Tiguan interior and the Hyundai brand value may seem at first a little underwhelming to people looking to spend 40 odd lacs on a car, but the answer to that is certainly not to get willingly ripped off by spending an additional 15-20 lacs for that 'little bit more'. You get nothing extra (and often less) in terms of overall space, build quality, mechanicals and driving experience, so that isolates the inflated price to a better interior (15%) and brand value (85%).

Audi/BMW/Merc have managed to create a segment in India which doesn't exist in any mature market anywhere in the world, a segment where they command a 50% premium over their 'near-luxury' competitors like the Tiguans and Tucsons, which offer better space even.

All they need between them are 50000 brand conscious customers each year to buy into the brand and they can continue their low-volume high margin model. Not going to be very hard to find in a growing market like India.

[Fiero]

Originally Posted by smilenow

The world works on perceptions. That badge alone is more than enough for the new money in town and there is ample amounts of it given our country's massive upward mobility wherein new kids are earning very decent corporate packages. The dream of owning a BMW from young teen-age years is too hard to ignore when finally the car is within your financial reach.
For eg -
I too would have gone for the X1 instead of the tucson I bought (while waiting for the new Kodiaq) had they offered a 360 camera since I need such a visual aid in congested parking and traffic situations. I don't drive that fast ever for 150 BHP to feel underpowered to me. Sure the seltos gets a 160 BHP mill at one third the price. but who cares when it comes to "shauk". The heart rules over the head in these matters.

All depends on how you personally value the worth of a car. I'd say you are better off having saved big bucks on the Tucson over the X1. As nice as the new interior is (largely because its a new gen just launched), what does the car really offer over the Tucson justifying that price?

I don't know which version of the Tuscon you have, but I'd think that world over the BMW X1 18i and X1 18d are cheaper than the top Tucson Diesel AWD, and here, 15-20 lacs more. For what?

1-3 years from now, all the X1's other competitors, and even new gen Seltos' of the world will have new gen wow interiors, then what? So you have to ask yourself, what are the 'fundamentals' of a car which make it worth the price?

I just don't see it. Even heart over head will never mean that I spend 20 lacs for the same wine in a fancier bottle. Not to me.

[smilenow]

Originally Posted by Fiero

All depends on how you personally value the worth of a car. I'd say you are better off having saved big bucks on the Tucson over the X1. As nice as the new interior is (largely because its a new gen just launched), what does the car really offer over the Tucson justifying that price?

I don't know which version of the Tuscon you have, but I'd think that world over the BMW X1 18i and X1 18d are cheaper than the top Tucson Diesel AWD, and here, 15-20 lacs more. For what?

1-3 years from now, all the X1's other competitors, and even new gen Seltos' of the world will have new gen wow interiors, then what? So you have to ask yourself, what are the 'fundamentals' of a car which make it worth the price?

I just don't see it. Even heart over head will never mean that I spend 20 lacs for the same wine in a fancier bottle. Not to me.

You are absolutely correct in your assessment. You may not spend 20 lakhs more for the same wine in a fancier bottle, but the companies have ample amount of customers, where brand value rules over everything else. And since bikta hai toh woh bech rahe hain.

Take for eg the iPhone vs let's say a phone in 40K bracket.
Most of the people use the iPhone for Instgram and web browsing. But they will never downgrade to a phone despite other lower priced phones offering far more at a lower price point. The price of a Louis Vuitton bag is not of the bag but the brand and as humans we are in a race of "I am higher than you in the hierarchy of the world" which the brand communicates. Same goes for luxury watches. A 5 Lakh ruppe Grand Seiko won't tell teh time any different from a 2000 Rs Casio. Brands know this and they milk us. And people have ample money to burn. That's just how it is. Cheers.