BMW X1 (2009 - 2015) xDrive 25d M Sport (07/12-) 5d Step Auto Owner Review

I have driven this car for 42,000 miles. Pro The 25d engine is a torque monster: excellent for easy overtaking and pulling up hills, yet can be surprisingly economical (up to 65mpg on a very restrained 300 mile 60mph motorway cruise) Considering the 215 bhp and 332 ft/lbs available, tyre wear is good thanks to the intelligent rear-biased four wheel drive. The auto gearbox is a delight: vigorously responsive in sport mode, yet smooth and unobtrusive. This is a truly impressive bad weather car. With Crossclimate+ all season tyres it is brilliantly secure in the wet and on snow and ice. Controls are analogue switches which are much safer than touchscreen. They are adjusted without taking eyes from the road. This car is basically a jacked up 3 series estate, so the handling is very good for a near-but-not-quite-SUV. If offers a useful slightly elevated seating position and a touch more ground clearance on our Devon lanes. The relatively compact dimensions are also very handy here too. BMWs are built to specification. Mine had the MSport suspension deleted for the standard set up which gives a smoother ride. Details like this are worth checking. Servicing at an independent BMW specialist has been worthwhile. Con The diesel is noisy on start and there is a little wind whistle from the mirrors at speed. The paintwork has a WHITE undercoat which shows up chips and scratches in the deep blue topcoat! A spare tyre rather than runflats would be good. There is an irritating creaking from the tailgate area for the first couple of miles in cold weather. The worst feature of the car is that entry and exit is awkward for less sprightly individuals due to the deep sills and tight doors.