It’s important for luxury brands to get their most affordable vehicles right.
After all, these can be gateway vehicles for customers who may eventually upgrade to even more expensive (and more lucrative) models from the brand.
The BMW X1 represents not only an excellent entry point for the Bavarian brand, but an excellent compact premium SUV.
That’s why we gave it the title of Best Luxury Small SUV in our inaugural 2025 CarExpert Choice awards. Our praise also extends to its electric iX1 sibling, which earned the separate title of Best EV – Small SUV.
Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal.Browse now.
“The latest BMW X1 is not only a huge improvement over its forgettable predecessor, but it has leaped ahead of the pack,” said marketplace editor James Wong.
“No other premium small SUV offers the same combination of performance, refinement and everyday practicality the X1 does for the money.”
The X1 lineup is currently offered with a choice of three powertrains: a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine with front-wheel drive in the base sDrive18i, and a pair of four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines in the all-wheel drive xDrive20i and M35i xDrive.
That means the X1 covers all the bases with everything from an economical entry-level variant all the way up to a hard-charging performance flagship.
In our most recent review of the M35i xDrive, we called it a “really well-rounded small performance SUV”.
“The X1 M35i is a pretty potent wet-weather weapon, and a well-driven one would give many hot hatches a run for their money in any conditions,” we concluded.
But you don’t need to step all the way up to the M35i to get a BMW X1 that’s enjoyable to drive.
“Bavaria’s premium small SUV has gone from being one of the class laggards to a new leader, with a blend of tech, practicality, and driving finesse even from the entry-level grade,” we concluded in our review of the entry-level sDrive18i.