It doesn't feel like an entry-level SUV and the driving experience itself is exceptionally smooth but the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) feels a bit hesitant.

BHPian SatishChour recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Embarking on a journey in the UK meant adapting to new roads, and there was no better way to do it than with my pre-worshipped 2011 Audi A4 Avant. You can find my experience of buying the A4 Avant and my UK driving experience in this post.

A year later, armed with a full UK driving license, the search for the perfect successor began.

The diverse UK car market offered a unique set of challenges and choices.

Varied Landscape:

Disclaimer: Prices are presented in INR after roughly converting it from GBP.

The UK car market is completely different from the Indian car market. The cheapest new car in the UK starts from 13 Lakh which is the Kia Picanto (a Hyundai Santro sibling). Note that I am not considering the Citroen Ami (which starts from 7 lahks, and really cannot be considered a full-blown car).

Having previously owned a Hexa in India, I yearned to once again get behind the wheels of an SUV for its spaciousness and commanding view. In the realm of decent-sized SUVs in the UK market, there are choices such as the Hyundai Tuscon, Kia Sportage, and the Skoda Kodiaq that are priced between 28L to 38L. However, with the starting price of 35L, it becomes really hard to ignore the allure of a luxury brand and the prospect of embracing both sophistication and the elevated driving experience that comes with the 2023 BMW X1.

Before the budget was approved by the home ministry, I explored the valuable and best-selling EV of the UK, MG4 EV.

The UK's 2nd best-selling EV, 2nd to Tesla.

My first dealership visit in the UK was to MG, I test-drove MG HS and did not appreciate the bulky feel and bouncy ride quality. Unfortunately, I did not get a test drive of the MG4 EV nor did I get a callback from MG, which they had claimed they would once the test drive car was available. This did leave me rather disappointed.

An EV scheme offered by my company triggered an immense interest in buying a Tesla Model Y through that scheme. After applying for the scheme, I called the nearest Tesla dealer, which was 35 miles away from where I live. The dealers offered me an overnight test drive, i.e., you can pick up the car from the showroom at the end of the day, drive all you want (you can charge it for free at any Tesla charging station), and drop it back when the showroom opens the next day. This was a really special test drive, getting to drive 70 miles to and fro on the Motorway.

Here are some pictures of the Model Y that I drove

The minimalistic design takes a little getting used to.

The missing transmission hump makes loads of legroom.

The Model Y parked on my driveway.

The driving experience was truly unparalleled, surpassing any previous encounters on the road. In all my years of driving various vehicles, none have offered the same level of serene and enjoyable driving pleasure as this one. If it were not for the EV scheme getting disapproved due to my residence status, I would have been writing ownership experience of a Tesla today.

Following the MG and Tesla challenges, I conducted extensive research to discover that most banks refuse to provide car financing to individuals with less than a 2-year residency status. Fortunately, two exceptions were found: VW Group and BMW, both of which offer car finance to such residents. This narrowed down my choices to vehicles within BMW and VW Group, including Bugatti, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, Audi, VW, and Skoda. I excluded the first four from the VW group, as I was planning to get die-cast models of these brands, so didn't make sense to buy the real ones.

Among the remaining options - Audi, VW, Skoda, and BMW - VW and Skoda fell short in terms of the luxury quotient, presented by Audi and BMW for 5-6L more.

While I came close to finalizing a manufacturer-approved 2020 BMW 5 Series, listed at 20L, the plan was abandoned due to an unsatisfactory exchange price offered for my A4 Avant.

After thorough consideration and discussions with my partner, we opted for a new car rather than a pre-owned one. Considering the Audi Q3 awaited a much-needed facelift, the recently updated 2023 BMW X1 emerged as the obvious and preferable choice.

Dealership Experience:

Returning to the dealership after the initial visit for a test drive of the pre-owned BMW 5 Series was admittedly a bit awkward, especially considering I left without making a purchase. Nevertheless, any apprehension was swiftly dispelled by Kyle's warm and welcoming demeanor during my return. His friendly approach and evident enthusiasm to assist me in acquiring a new car made the transition remarkably comfortable.

The entire process of finalizing the deal, sorting out the financing details, and customizing the car was smooth and hassle-free. The overall experience with the dealership, from customer service to the intricacies of the transaction, remained commendable.

Customization options:

In the UK, the BMW X1 offers an array of single customizations and two enticing packages:

• Techno Pack (additional 1.6L): This package includes convenient features such as easy access, Adaptive LED headlights, and folding mirrors.
• Techno Plus Pack (additional 2.9L): Building upon the Techno Pack, this upgraded option introduces a heads-up display, Live Cockpit, Wireless Charger, and Parking Assistant Plus (Note that parking assistant is included as standard).

While both packages add noteworthy enhancements, I find myself inclined to advocate for the Techno Pack to be a standard inclusion.

In my configuration, I decided against opting for either of these packages, as my customization preferences had already significantly elevated the overall cost. My tailored choices included:

• Metallic Paint (60K)
• Panoramic Sunroof (1.2L)
• Letherette Perforated Oyester Seats (70K)
• Larger 18-inch alloys in place of the standard 17-inch (70K)
• Sun protection glass (30K)

On top of my personalized selections, the dealership pleasantly surprised me with a goodwill gesture—an offer of Harman/Kardon speakers valued at 66K. This added touch exemplified their commitment to enhancing the overall driving experience.

My 4-year-old was excited to uncover the new X1

With Kyle

First Impressions and Driving Experience:

The SUV manages to live up to its hype of being the previous version X3 for its size, it looks and feels one size up and in no way feels like an entry-level SUV due to the luxurious interiors and top-notch quality touch all over.

Here are some interior pictures

High-quality feel everywhere up front.

The panoramic sunroof makes for a huge sense of space, a must for the UK's gloomy weather.

Missing iDrive controller

The complimentary Harman/Kardon

View of the dual screen from behind the wheel

Massive 500L boot space

The sDrive 20i, unfortunately not available in India, boasts a 1.5L 3-cylinder petrol engine generating a robust 170 bhp (150+20), unlike the 134 bhp of the 18i in India. This sDrive 20i incorporates a mild hybrid technology, featuring an additional battery-powered 20 bhp which helps for quick acceleration when needed and also contributes to fuel efficiency, especially during leisurely city drives.

The driving experience itself is exceptionally smooth, with "Sport Mode" being my current favorite for its sharp throttle and steering response. I am sure it will change to "Efficient Mode" soon when my visits to the petrol station increase.

The ride quality was a bit harsh, and as I suspected, it was the incorrect air pressure. The ride got plush after reducing it to the recommended unit.

Summing up my experience with the new beast

Here's a concise overview:

Positives:

• "Luxury" with a capital "L": The opulence of the vehicle is truly unmatched.
• A 500L Carnivorous boot space: It effortlessly outpaces my previous Audi A4.
• Spacious for an entry-level SUV: Surprising roominess that enhances the overall driving experience.
• Refined, powerful, and hopefully efficient 3-cylinder engine: The engine delivers a perfect blend of refinement and power, with an optimistic outlook on efficiency.

Scope for Improvement:

• Questionable Parking Assistant: I tried the BMW parking assistant at an empty parking lot, and the X1 abruptly ended the manoeuvre and forgot to apply brakes which led to crashing into the bushes, luckily there was no damage. Here is a short video of this incident.
• Hesitant DCT: Navigating busy roundabouts can be a bit challenging due to the hesitant nature of the Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT).
• Comfort access: Making it a standard feature would elevate the overall convenience.
• Touchscreen controls: Managing everything via a touchscreen can become tricky while driving, should BMW bring the iDrive back to X1.
• Pricey Adaptive Cruise Control option: The cost of it is an additional 4.6L due to the package offer, which is way higher than what it costs in Audi Q3, which is around 80k.

Here are some parting glimpses of this black beauty

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.

With a bare minimum mileage of around 22,000 kms in 4 years, I had to part ways with my Tata Nexa because I was moving to UK.

BHPian SatishChour recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Now isn’t that a catchy headline, but it is true unlike most clickbait on YT.

Writing this post to share my experience of selling my Hexa in Bangalore and buying a pre-worshipped Audi A4 Avant in the UK. Also, some experience about driving in the UK.

Selling my Hexa:

When I got my Tata Hexa XTA in 2018, I had never thought I will be selling it just after 4 years. The whole idea behind shelling out our hard-earned 20+ lakhs on this SUV was to keep her for at least 10 years. I was happy with my Hexa, loved the ride quality, high driving position and of course loads of space. Many things changed from 2018 to 2022, including our requirement for a 7-seater and the thought to leave India and settle abroad kept creeping in. Somehow things worked out and we grabbed an opportunity to move to England in the first quarter of 2022.

Covid made sure that our Hexa didn't munch the highway miles it was supposed to. With a bare minimum mileage of around 22,000 kms in 4 years, I had to part ways with it. Shout out to the fellow BHPian who bought it from me. From the latest news from him, he has upgraded to LED headlamps, fog-lamps and got a Teflon coating as well. So, I can be pretty sure that she is being treated well.

Some parting pictures of our Hexa:

Handing over the keys to the new owners.

Renting a car in the UK:

Once we landed in the UK, one of the priority items in my to-do list was to get myself a drive to help scout a rented house as soon as possible. Public transport would not be helpful for the scouting with our toddler.

Renting a self-drive car in the UK is same as in Bangalore, only difference, there is no door stop delivery (at least not in the town we lived). I found a couple of car rental shops in Swindon. On visiting the first one - the initial response was that they cannot rent out on Indian driving license (they wanted an International DL).

After a little bit of pursuing and explaining, they accepted my driving license as it was in English and had an electronic chip too.

Unfortunately, they did not have a car to rent immediately, all they had was a cargo van. So, I walked over to my 2nd option – they too did not have a car right away, it was only available a week after. Dejected, I walked back to and took the cargo van - as I did not have any choice and really needed a drive.

The renting process was easy – all they needed was my DL and my passport copy. The cost was for the cargo-van was £210/week.

Here are some pictures of my first cargo van ever - Peugeot Partner. I have to say that it was tricky driving without a rear-view mirror but a fun experience non the less:

My daughter enjoying the front 3 seater while she can.

Driving experience in the UK:

I have been driving since I was 16 and with 22 years of driving experience in India, driving all types of cars ranging from an old column shift Ambassador to the latest Automatic Hexa, I must say that it wasn't easy to drive in the UK.

First day of my driving and I got honked at and shouted at by 2 or 3 people on the way. I had no clue as to why. Based on suggestions from colleagues/friends, i decided to get a session of driving lesson to help me understand what I was doing wrong. And finally, after a one-hour class from Mr. Omar (from Pakistan settled in Swindon from 25 years) I understood what I was doing wrong.

Here are some of the driving habits I had to learn:

• Sticking to your lane on a roundabout - I realized the reason behind the honking and yelling. Even without lane marking you are supposed to stick to your lane when going around the circle.
• No over speeding on empty roads - This was one real bad habit I picked up over the years driving in Bangalore. The moment i saw a patch of good road, I would hit the gas hard, which was like an immediate release from all the stress caused by traffic and bad roads. This is not recommended in the UK, as there are speed cameras in most places and over speeding attracts heavy penalties.
• Giving priority to others on a roundabout (circle) - All circles in India are mostly governed by traffic lights, to my surprise there are no traffic lights in Swindon on round abouts. It is up to the drivers to be decent and respect each other and give priority based on direction (vehicle approaching from the right gets priority – that is simple and easy to remember).

Some basic differences I could easily notice driving in India vs the UK:

• Everyone follows rules.
• Everyone uses indicators religiously.
• No one honks, unless you make a mistake.
• Strict Lane discipline.
• Everyone drives close to speed limit, for example, if the speed limit in city is 30 mph, people do 28-29 mph (i.e., close to 50 kmph) which is pretty fast on city roads. So no scope for mistakes.
• Unmanned (no signals) at round abouts.
• “Give Way” signals on the road are always followed.
• No tail gating.
• No overtaking (unless there is additional lane to overtake, say on a motor way).

After all these learnings, I was confident driving on the streets of Swindon, and it was also time to switch from a cargo-van to a family hatch back – So I picked a Vauxhall Corsa for £199/week:

After close to 3 weeks of moving to a different country, our house was almost setup and now the £199/week for a rented car started to look like an unnecessary expense, we had 2 options - start using public transport or buy a car (new or used). Obviously, I went with more economical choice is what a non-petrol head would have said.

To be honest, I had done my research back in India on buying a car in the UK (even before my visa had arrived). I had found that I could get my hands on a brand-new BMW 2-Series or an Audi Q2 or even an Audi A6 with a down payment of £4,000 and under £350 monthly EMI. But I did not know the exact cost of living, so desire to own a brand-new German luxury car was drowned by logic and we decided to go for used car to avoid EMI.

Now, I know the Japanese and Korean brands are reliable than the German luxury brands, but the heart wants what it wants.

So, my filter always had BMW, Mercedes and Audi under £7000 with Automatic transmission within a radius of 5 miles of Swindon. These set of filters took away many other options, but this is what I was looking for, as the Automatic would be handy for my wife to drive around too.

My first encounter was a 2006 BMW 1 Series 120D M Sport – the price was a mouth-watering £1700, but I was disappointed at the very first look itself, a huge hole in the bumper (could have been repaired) and several scratches as well. The body work too was damaged with scratches in multiple places and last but not the least there was lot of rust under the body. Test drive was disappointing too, coming from a high seating position of the Hexa, the sporty seating was a little too low for my choice.

Here are some pictures of the 120D I did not go for:

Underbelly rust.

My second test drive was of a 2011 Audi A3 with just 86,000 miles on the clock and for under £5000 – it was perfect. Although, it was in a better shape compared to the 120D its interiors were really worn out and it had too many broken bits inside like the driver arm rest was dangling and parcel tray was broken, I also noticed rust on all 4-disc brakes, having a rust free car in this climate is not easy though.

After making a lot of calls and missed chances (missed a wonderful 2012 C-class and a 2014 3-series they were gone within hours of the ad being posted), I finally found a 2011 Audi A4 Avant with 113,000 miles. Now compared to the A3, it had done 40,000 miles more, but was maintained very well and had no broken bits or rust.

Before I move on to the details of the A4, let me share my 2 cents on what to look for when buying a used car in the UK (there could be more, but this is what I stuck to).

Things to check before buying a used car in the UK:

• MOT (Ministry Of Transport) Certificate: UK MOT conducts test every year on all vehicles to confirm the road worthiness of a car based on mechanical condition, pollution test and safety. Right from tyre life to head light adjustments, everything is tested. If your short-listed used car has a long MOT (mine has a 12-month MOT) then you can rely on it.
• V5C Logbook: This is a log book to track vehicle registration and taxation.
• Warranty: You get this peace of mind when you're buying from a dealer, although a private seller may sell for lesser price. But for me warranty is a better option.
• Mileage:
• The vehicle should've done approximately 10,000 miles per year, too low could mean it was left unused for a long time, too high could mean too much wear and tear.
• Underbelly Rust: This is very common in the UK, thanks to the weather, so keep an eye on the condition under the belly of your shortlisted car.
• Number of previous owners: Lesser the better, because you cannot track how well or bad the previous owner had used the car.
• Insurance: As I was buying it with Indian DL, my insurance was a little expensive, almost £100 per month. So, make sure you buy the right insurance.
• HPI Check: This is usually already done by dealers, but if you're buying from a private seller, it is important to spend a few pounds (approximately £9) to get this check done to ensure the car isn't stolen.

The A4 i shortlisted ticked all the boxes and the test drive too was smooth. I can only compare it with Hexa, I know it isn't the right comparison, but that is the only other 2L diesel I had driven. And this A4 was way smoother and powerful than the Hexa.

The buying experience was simple – £250 deposit and booked the car, made full payment next day and got all the necessary documents done like VC5, Insurance, Road Tax.

Thanks to 20-year-old Lucas, I got a good deal on my insurance (I found that other insurances were way more expensive than £100/month due to my Indian DL).

Below is the picture of "The Monk(boy) who sold his(dealers) Ferrari (Audi)" (I did take his permission to post his picture online):

Here are first pictures of my first German luxury car:

Both the Corsa and the A4 together.

Electronic parking brake in a 11 year old car.

Dials look beautiful at night.

Likes:

• Aged very well, still looks beautiful and modern from every angle.
• Plush ride even after a decade.
• Comfortable seats.
• Power - put it "S" mode you can grin all the way (up to 30 mph in the city).
• Interior and paint quality is supreme.
• Huge boot space (it is a station wagon but doesn't look like one).

Dislikes:

• Missing modern tech like touch screen and Android Auto (My Hexa didn’t have Android Auto either, so no complains about that).
• Too many control buttons (picture for reference):

• The start key is on the left-hand side; I keep forgetting to take it out when stepping out of the car.

Mods planned:

None – as the MOT goes for a toss if the vehicle is modified, and I don't want to risk it yet with my first car in a different country.

With the sun setting on the pandemic, looking forward to more road trips with the A4 than we did with our Hexa.

Cheers!

Check out BHPian comments for more insights and information.