BMW reveals all-new X1 alongside first iX1

BMW has just taken the wraps off an all-new X1, with plans to launch it in Singapore sometime in the fourth quarter of 2022.

The new model is the third generation of BMW's compact sport utility vehicle (SUV), an important car for the brand here in terms of sales volume.

Petrol and diesel variants go on sale in Europe by October, but this time around there is an all-electric version called the iX1. That's also headed for Singapore, although it'll debut here only in 2023.

A spokesperson for BMW Asia said the company was still finalising the line-up for Singapore, but we expect the X1 sDrive18i here in xLine and M Sport trim. At today's Certificate Of Entitlement prices, those variants should end up priced on either side of $240,000.

The M Sport pack includes blacked out trim for a sportier look and firmer suspension that lowers the car for 15mm, for tauter handling.

Don't expect fireworks from the car, though. The X1 sDrive18i's 1.5-litre, three-cylinder turbo has 136 horsepower and 230 Newton-metres of peak torque. It drives the front wheels through a seven-speed, twin-clutch auto, and propels the X1 to 100km/h in 9.2 seconds.

If you're interested in the top speed, that's 208km/h, you daredevil, you.

Interestingly, there is a plug-in hybrid version (the X1 eDrive30e) with the same 1.5-litre in a higher state of tune (150hp) and an electric motor for the rear axle good for 177hp. System output is 326hp and it'll hit 100km/h in 5.7 seconds. No word on the pure-electric range, though, or whether the car will eventually make it to Singapore. Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Meanwhile, the new BMW X1 is bigger than its predecessor. It's longer, wider and taller by 53mm, 24mm and 44mm respectively, with a 22mm stretch to its wheelbase. 

That means there's more cargo room than before, 540 litres of boot space expandable to 1,600 litres if you fold the rear seatbacks. The plug-in model and iX1 have slightly less capacity for stuff because their electric hardware needs the space.

The rear seats drop down in a 40/20/40 split and can also tilt more upright, while the seats themselves can slide forward up to 13cm.

Compared to the previous model, the longer wheelbase has more legroom, especially for rear passengers.

As for cabin design, the X1 borrows liberally from its platform sibling, the new 2 Series Active Tourer. 

That explains the curved screen that has started to proliferate across the BMW range. The freestanding display houses a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the infotainment system that runs BMW OS8 software, and a 10.7-inch screen for the virtual driving instruments.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be standard, along with a new smartphone holder that should come with wireless charging here (it's optional in Germany).

As in the new 2 Series Active Tourer, the front arm rest is a floating design with a handful of buttons for starting the car, selecting the driving modes and so on, with a small switch for the transmission.

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It's a less fancy version of the same area in the iX electric car, and is notable for the lack of a rotary iDrive controller.

Despite the new X1's boxier lines, BMW says it is more aerodynamic than before (meaning it's more slippery through the wind), which should help with efficiency and cabin noise.

The brand is making 20-inch wheels available on the X1 for the first time, while the rudimentary massage function for the driver's seat we saw on the 218i Active Tourer should also make it into the locally-specced X1s.

Some driver aids are standard on the new X1 (namely parking assistant and reverse assistant) while others are optional, though it'll be interesting to see what makes it onto Singapore-spec cars. The ones worth having are lane-keep assist, adaptive cruise control with stop/go and a navi system that uses augmented reality to overlay directions onto a view of the road ahead. 

As much as the new X1 rocks a bigger bod, BMW is hoping that its smarts will count for something, too.

This article was first published in CarBuyer.