• Petrol, diesel and PHEV
• Punchy and economical
• We’re yet to try PHEVs

Petrol engines

The most basic petrol engine is the 20i. It has 170hp and a 0-62mph time of around eight seconds. In other words, it’s not slow, and has proven to be a big seller. Unless you’re regularly towing, it’s more than enough to cover your needs.

Next up is the 23i. This has 218hp and is around one second quicker in 0-62 dash. It pulls well in all gears and is super smooth. We’d go as far as describing this engine as urgent in the way it accelerates, providing serene overtaking opportunities. In day-to-day driving we suspect most people after petrol would be more than happy with the cheaper and less powerful 20i.

Diesel engines

The diesel range apes the petrol one in that there are two options. First up is the 18d, which gets 150hp. It’s the slowest engines in the X1’s arsenal, but still manages a respectable sub-9.0 second 0-62mph time.

The 23d has 211hp and a 0-62mph time of 7.4 seconds. This is usefully quicker than the cheaper model, but once again, we wonder how many people will be bothered by the extra performance. Unless you crave the smoothness of a petrol or the tax efficiency of a plug-in hybrid, we would say this is your best best if you’re a long-distance driver.

Hybrid engines

The plug-in hybrid X1 comes in two flavours – 25e and 30e versions – and are a great stepping stone for those who can’t quite make the switch to a fully electric iX1. We’ve yet to drive these models, but have sampled this drivetrain in the 2 Series Active Tourer and were impressed by its blend of performance and economy.

It’s likely that this will be the overall pick of the range, especially as they are the quickest X1s you can buy. The 30e hammers the 0-62mph sprint in less than six seconds, while the less powerful 25e is about a second slower.

What’s it like to drive?

• Easy to get to grips with
• Well-damped ride
• M Sport models get different suspension

BMW is famed for its driving dynamics and it’s certainly sprinkled a little of that magic on the X1. There’s very little bodyroll and the steering is direct, making it feel agile. It changes direction easier than the likes of the Mercedes GLA yet the steering is also super light, which is great for around town and parking.

The downside to this sporty-feeling drive for us is the ride is a touch harsher than its rivals. It doesn’t feel quite as comfortable on the motorway as the Volvo XC40 for instance. M Sport models get an adaptive suspension system, which allows the driver to make the suspension softer or harder.

All models come with a seven-speed automatic gearbox, which is a delight. It’s very rarely caught out and even when pressing on, the shifts never become jerky.