BMW X1 interior, tech and comfort
- Nearly button free
- Very modern infotainment
- Cheap feeling materials if you really look
How is the quality and layout?
Let’s kick things off with layout. Step inside and the first thing you’ll notice after settling into the supportive driver’s seat is the 10.25-inch infotainment screen, which not only controls the media and satnav, but the heating and cooling too.
Most elements of the heating, including the fan speed, are on a sub menu. This is irritating to use on the move. At least the temperature is displayed at the bottom of the screen, meaning making things warmer or cooler is a single tap rather than a multiple prod.
Look beyond the screen and you’ll find a classy and well laid out cabin. It’s very modern and minimalist, in that it’s very button light. The steering wheel houses controls for the media and adaptive cruise control, while beneath the screen are buttons for demisting the windscreen and rear window.
Cast your eyes to the gear selector and you’ll most likely touch a bit of cheap feeling plastic. It’s no worse than what you’d find in a Mercedes-Benz GLA but it does seem at odds with an otherwise nicely constructed interior.
Infotainment and tech
Back to that massive screen. All models come with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto if you want to ignore the sat-nav altogether. But this does mean missing out on BMW’s clever augmented nav tech. This relays a live video on the driver’s display with directional arrows overlaid, showing you exactly where to go.
The screen itself is big, bright and pin-sharp. BMW’s voice control works well and picks up on plain English. For instance, if you said, ‘turn heated seats on’ it’ll most likely stick the heated seats on. But when we said ‘my bum is cold’ it drew a blank.
There’s a great big wireless phone charger too. It clasps over a phone much like how a rollercoaster’s safety bars work. However, the clasp feels a bit cheap to touch; we wonder if it’ll still neatly confine a phone in a decade’s time.
Comfort
- Firm seats
- Lots of room
- Man-made and leather trims
The X1’s seating position is higher than a typical family hatchback, giving you a commanding view of the road ahead. The seats themselves depend on which spec you go for. We’ve only tested the faux-leather (or vegan friendly) pews in the xLine model and can confirm they are excellent long distance companions with lots of side support.
Other models come with sport seats, which hug the driver a bit more. They’re more supportive, but will also be stiffer.
