By Paul Rachwal
Friday, Oct 28th, 2011 @ 11:45 am

BMW hasn’t always been known for its SUVs. But as a carmaker with a proven knack for success, it goes where the money is.

Following in the footsteps of the X5 and smaller X3, the X1 (notice a trend here?) is a sport-oriented crossover aimed at what BMW hopes will become a successful segment. But while the X1 is a forbidden fruit for the United States, Canadian buyers are offered a crack at this smallest of BMW ‘utes. Is BMW testing the (icy) waters or just teasing the massively important U.S. market?

BMW Canada gave us a chance to sample the 2012 X1 xDrive28i. The model name is slightly misleading, however, as the car is based on 3-Series architecture, although some parts were borrowed from the baby 1-Series. Whether it will be offered in the U.S. still hasn’t been officially revealed, but we thought we’d give you an idea of what to expect if it does. Also, it offered a preview of what’s to come elsewhere in the lineup, as it sports the same four-cylinder inline-four engine that will be bolted under the hood of the recently unveiled next-generation 3-series. It’s also the same powerplant North American buyers can now experience in the 2012 Z4 sDrive28i, the entry-level Z4.

Premium and four-cylinder no longer exclusive
The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is the first one in a North American BMW car since the 1998 BMW 318ti hatchback. Unlike that 1.9-liter, however, this one generates over 100 more horsepower thanks largely to the addition of a turbocharger. The twin-scroll turbo is the reason for the TwinPower text on the engine cover and it allows the peak torque to arrive at just 1,250 rpm, where it stays all the way until 4,800 revs. BMW also threw all sorts of other technology at the engine, including direct fuel injection, its double-VANOS variable cam timing and Valvetronic variable valve timing.

It certainly moves the nearly 3,800 lbs. X1 with authority and, like the company’s trademark inline six-cylinders, it is buttery smooth. Dyed-in-the-wool BMW fans will miss the sound of the brand’s famed six-pots, however, as the blown four-banger makes some decidedly un-BMW-like noises. Some passengers commented that at idle and when cold, the engine sounds like a diesel. This is simply a by-product of the high-pressure direct injection system, a feature indeed shared with many diesel engines.

Compared to the 3.0-liter inline-six in the larger X3, the N20 four-cylinder gives up 19 horsepower, at 241 ponies, but gains 37 lb-ft of torque, at 258 lb-ft. In our week with the car, we saw an average of 12.2 liters per 100 km, which works out to 19.3 mpg. Not bad considering only about a third of the miles were spent on the highway. Even if the X1 never makes its way south, the X3 will soon offer this same 2.0-liter.

In Canada, the X1 can be had exclusively with this engine, paired only with an eight-speed automatic. It’s the same gearbox available in some models of the 7-Series and ActiveHybrid 5. It shifts smoothly and quickly, and allows the four-cylinder to spin at just 1,900 rpm when travelling at 75 mph. We bet no other four-cylinder vehicle can perform a similar feat. It shifts quickly and smoothly, with little gap and rev dropping in-between. On several highway passing maneuvers, it was quick to kick down from eighth to fourth, as needed. Until Chrysler brings its eight-speed to market in the 300 and other products late this year, the X1 represents the least expensive vehicle on the (Canadian) market with eight cogs.

Paying for it
That price is certainly not low, however, as the X1 starts at $38,500 in Canada (about $37,900 at current exchange rates). Our tester was lightly optioned, sporting only the $1,490 Premium Package and $950 Electric Seats with Driver memory. The former includes an auto-dimming rearview mirror, panorama sunroof, heated steering wheel, satin aluminum roof rails and the X-line package that adds other silver exterior and interior accents. The panorama roof is especially nice, lighting up the otherwise dark interior. Half of it opens and a power shade can cover it entirely when the sun is shining.

Canadian X1s also come paired only with BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system. It distributes torque 40 percent to the front, 60 percent to the rear under normal driving conditions, but can redistribute all of it to one end or the other. That torque split fits in with BMW’s sporty image, and the X1 is available in rear-wheel drive only models in other markets, including Europe. You won’t find a low-range transfer case, but a hill descent control button is present for descending hills at a controlled speed without applying the brakes.

Continuing with the sporty theme is the stiff suspension, which, quite frankly, is too harsh for frost-heaved Canadian roads. There is no fancy electronics system that will soften it up with the push of a button, either. It’s a setup that’d be much more at home in a sporty 3-Series wagon, we think, and not in a crossover that would be called upon for grocery-getting and kid-toting duty. The overall feeling is that of a very capable and well-handling tall wagon, however.

The steering wheel is also tiny at first grip, but it quickly grew on us. The cabin is covered in plastic, though it is of high-quality. The interior of a 1-Series is noticeably less impressive, though both seem to share an overall design.

While there was no navigation system in our tester (a steep $2,000 option), Bluetooth with steering wheel controls is present. We did have to whip out the owner’s manual to pair our phone, however, but the process is more intuitive in some other vehicles we’ve sampled. Once connected, it works amazingly well, with call lists and contacts visible and accessible from the stereo system’s display.

Leftlane’s bottom line
The X1 gives up little in terms of space and refinement compared to the next-step up X3. It does, however, only get a four-cylinder and has a slightly lower-rent interior. It’s important to note that it can easily be optioned up to surpass the price tag of the X3, which starts at $41,900 in the Great White North. The powertrain, lower weight and smaller footprint of the X1 also make it quicker and more fuel-efficient than the X3, but, fearing internal cannibalism, these are perhaps some of the reasons why BMW isn’t offering it Stateside.

On the flipside, it’s also much sportier, with that stiff ride and minimum 300 lbs. weight advantage. Traditionally, Canadians are much more responsive to small, premium-priced cars. It’s more likely the brand will offer the N20 engine in the X3 south of the border to give it some of the X1 attributes without the expense and risk of offering the model altogether.

We see the ideal buyer as someone with the necessary funds who enjoys BMW’s hallowed driving dynamics but whose lifestyle requires more room and doors than, say, a 3-Series, and finds the other small BMW Group crossover, the MINI Cooper S Countryman, unappealing or too childish.

2012 BMW X1 xDrive28i base price, $38,500; as tested, $40,940.
Premium Package, $1,490; Electric Seats, $950.

(All prices Canadian).

Words and photos by Paul Rachwal. Video by Matt Sargent and Nick Aziz.

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