2023 BMW X1: Observations by previous gen model owner post test drive

Low speed is as good as old one. No problem there. The car has 3-4 modes including Sport mode but did not find any noticeable difference.

BHPian Wanderers recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Took the test drive of 18d M Sport. 18i would only be available from Jun-23 onwards even for test drive. You can book one though. Since we also own the previous generation 20d M Sport, this one accelerates well till 60-70 K/h but looses steam thereafter (low on torque) unless you use paddle shift which has a boost mode built into it as you can really hear a loud exhaust sound and car behaves aggressively but you are limited by the redline. So you may feel a boost but actually not a great show like a Swift overtaking which is normally expected in such cases.

Low speed is as good as old one. No problem there. The car has 3-4 modes including Sport mode but did not find any noticeable difference. Need to drive for a longer distance to find the true benefit of sports mode.

In terms of cabin quality it looks really good except for window switches on doors. Seats are excellent and massage function is noteworthy. Rear seats have more legroom now but only 2 can sit comfortably. No change in boot.

The touchscreen is fantastic but large curve layout has brought the dashboard closer to the driver and so the cabin looked smaller than previous generation. Centre armrest and gear selector switches are all good but will never forgive BMW for not changing the side for right hand driven market such as ours. Some of the switches are angled towards co passenger and even storage space opens on the co passenger side. Music system is good but not great as I guess woofer is missing (did not check).

Outside design looked excellent but more prominent in light colors. Our test drive car was the new color (Storm Bay I guess) which made the car look smaller than it is.

Overall summary, I am not buying and will wait for X3 facelift or new model.

For those who are interested, deliveries are available within a month, seemed to me even immediate. Discount- Yes there is 3 year warranty worth 46K is offered as deal along with corporate discount- 50K to 100K depending on company. Exchange bonus of 35K and also BMW secure for tyres are offered free without much fuss. Add some discount on insurance as well. You can expect overall benefit of 2 lakhs and may be little more.

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