BMW’s new electric SUV gets a competitive range and a tech-heavy interior On sale November Price £43,000 (est)
Darren Moss Darren.Moss@haymarket.com
THE GOOD THING about any new technology is that, over time, it gets smaller. For example, one of the first computers was called Colossus because it took up an entire room.Today, you hold more computing power in the palm of your hand every time you use your mobile phone.The same seems to be true for electric cars – at least in the case of the new iX1, which is the smallest electric SUV BMW has ever built.
The model has a lot in common with the new X1 family SUV, including aggressive-looking front and rear bumpers, a prominent front grille and LED lights at the front and rear. Compared with the previous-generation X1, the wheels are closer to the corners of the car, giving it a sportier look.The iX1 adds blue highlights along its lower edges to signal that it runs on electricity alone (the X1 is available with petrol, diesel or petrol-electric plug-in hybrid engines; see more on that later).
Just one version of the iX1 will be available at launch: the xDrive30. It’s powered by two electric motors, one on each axle, giving it four-wheel drive and 308bhp.That’s enough to propel the car from 0-62mph in just 5.7sec.
For electric SUV buyers, though, the most important figure is likely to be 272 – the number of miles the iX1 can officially travel on a full charge of the 64.7kWh battery.That beats entry-level versions of the Audi Q4 e-tron, Mercedes-Benz EQA and Volkswagen ID.4, but can’t match the 328-mile figure notched up by our 2022 Car of the Year, the Kia EV6.
Versions of the iX1 with more power are expected to join the line-up before long, as well as cheaper models with smaller batteries.
Inside, you get a 10.25in touchscreen for infotainment, plus a 10.7in digital instrument panel.The screens sit side by side in one long housing that runs across the dashboard.
As well as swish graphics and plenty of features, BMW’s infotainment systems usually have a rotary controller, but the iX1 and X1 (and the 2 Series Active Tourer) do without this. We think that’s a backwards step, because using a dial controller is easier and safer than touching a screen while you’re driving. Still, you can use hand gestures and your voice to control the system, and the optional head-up display puts important information in your line of sight on the windscreen.
As is becoming more common with new cars, if you buy an iX1 without certain features – driver aids such as steering assistance and lane-keeping assistance, for example – you’ll be a
