On the road, the xDrive 25i is a quiet operator, with impressive isolation from outside noise in the cabin, the powertrain unobtrusive…right up until the moment the 225/45 19-inch Bridgestone run-flats touch coarse chip surfaces. Thereafter, the roar from the tyre treat is ever-present. The economy-type 18-inch Pirellis, fitted to our xDrive 20d, knocked the volume down, if merely a notch or two.
It’s a real shame, too, as the 140kW two-litre engine in the 20d seems one of the quietest four-cylinder diesels on the market. You notice it some of the time, only on smooth hotmix once tyre noise dies down. And it’s nicely married to the eight-speed automatic, a silky and intelligent unit that always seem to leverage its hefty 400Nm shove near-instantly.
The 20d’s engine, surprisingly, makes the 25i’s 170kW and 350Nm two-litre petrol four â€" 10kW down on the old flagship X1 â€" feel a little flat and uninspiring by comparison. But, again, the Aisin-sourced eight-speed auto behind it is a real gem, making the most of the engine it’s tied to.
On the move, there’s much to love about the X1 driving experience, but it’s not immediately apparent â€" in fact, downright difficult to discern â€" because the ride quality of the standard-fit suspension tune is, frankly, third rate.
Firm is an understatement. And along the patchwork back-country roads BMW chose for the X1 launch drive program, every lump and ripple was felt in the car’s vertical movement. Some of the blame may lie in the stiff sidewalls of the runflat tyres, but when the nose of the 25i skips a good ten centimetres off the chosen line in even modestly sized mid-corner bumps, the blame can be squarely aimed at the suspension tuning.
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