2024 BMW X1 M35i xDrive Review

It's been several years since I last drove the BMW X1, the entry-level Sport Activity Vehicle from the German luxury brand. At the end of 2019 we had the chance to take the 2020 BMW X1 xDrive28i from our home in Acton Vale, Québec back home to Mississauga, Ontario to visit family. Throwing a family of 3 in that vehicle for 2,000 kms worked out well enough, with space for our luggage in the trunk, but not quite as much room up front to really consider the road trip comfortable. That's par for the course considering the X1 is a subcompact, front-wheel based chassis designed to attract new buyers to the brand.

Fast-forward to today and we get an all-new BMW X1, or at least almost all-new. Still using the samel ULK2 platform that underpinned the F48 X1, this 2024 BMW X1 M35i xDrive not only gets a grown-up upgrade, but the full M Performance treatment for the first time. Pumping out 312 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque from it's 2.0L TwinPower turbo 4 cylinder engine, this little X1 is peppy.

The BMW X1 has gotten longer, wider, and taller for this generation, along with a slightly longer wheelbase. This gives the vehicle slightly better road manerisms, but also a bit more interior space over the previous generation. Our test vehicle comes in this excellent Blue Bay Lagoon metallic paint, a $900 option that I feel is well worth the price. Too many darn luxury cars are sold in black, white, and silver paint, it's time consumers stop being so boring. I had erroniously mentioned during my Test Drive of this X1 that I fancied the Cape York Green metallic paint, however I spotted one on my drive back to BMW Canada and didn't find it looked as good in person, so this is the colour to go with.

Fuel efficency was a respectible 6.2L/100km, only half a litre worse than the 2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i we drove earlier this summer, likely due to the SUV-shape over the Coupé, and the added performance from the engine. Even in city this X1 M35i was efficient and enjoyable to drive, which I kept in Sport mode with manual shifting the entire time. I only spent about $60 for the 550 kms I had driven during the week.

As far as the design goes, I like it. I acknowledge that it might not be the SUV for everyone, but I think this U11 X1 has gotten a mature, grown-up look to it with better SUV proportions than the previous generations. The M35i version gets a full body kit, body-coloured lower fascias, and stylized front and rear ends. Because we have the M Sport Pro Package which adds the Shadowline package, the usual Cerium Grey grille surrounds are blacked out, however unlike other/previous M Performance vehicles that change the badging to match that Cerium Grey, the 2024 BMW X1 M35i has regular chrome-like badging throughout. A small detail, yes, but one we'd have liked to see on this vehicle.

The interior of the BMW X1 M35i xDrive is all-new, sharing the same layout we saw on the new X2. The 12" infotainment and 10.25" BMW Live Cockpit are responsive and functional with iDrive OS9, with surround view cameras, BMW Drive Recorder, and vehicle controls working well. Yes physical buttons have almost all been removed requiring the infotainment for temperature changes as well as heated seat controls. Ventilated seats are not available on any verison of the BMW X1 much like we saw with the X2. Seat comfort with these M Sport seats were great, even for a big guy like me, plus the M badge lights up at night which is a cool feature usually found on full M Cars.

Much like we experienced with the X2, the grab handles/arm rest of the front seats were uncomfortable on longer drives, requiring me to place a terry cloth folded up between my leg and the sharp edge of the handle. It's not a problem everyone will have, and maybe passengers won't experience this, but if you're the driver there's a good chance you'll have your leg resting on the side and will find it uncomfortable quickly. That's the only major complaint I had about this vehicle, and understand that it could be a Nile Problem more than anything else. If you own one of these new X1 or X2 models, please let us know what you think about the arm rest.

Much like when we drove the 2019 BMW X2 M35i, this X1 M Performance model is peppy, sporty, and enjoyable on the road. The best way to experience it is in sport mode with manual shifting enabled. While the IconicSounds enhance the driving experience for passengers, the actual exhaust note on this vehicle is just ok. You'll hear a bit of popping on downshifts, and remote starting will give the car a bit of a blip of excitement. Overall it's what I'd expect from an entry-level performance vehicle such as this at the $68,000 CAD price point (before delivery).

Overall the BMW X1 M35i xDrive was a fun little SUV to drive for the week, and one I'm glad I had the chance to book. It's a great gateway vehicle for first-time BMW buyers to experience what the brand has to offer. Tech and features from higher-up BMW models have trickled down to this size quickly, giving new customers the latest experience without having to break the bank. I'd recommend going for the M Performance model if you want something with a bit of extra personality, considering it's not a whole lot more than a similarly-equipped xDrive28i model.

For more information about the 2024 BMW X1 M35i xDrive we invite you to head over to our YouTube Channel and watch our full tour and review as we discuss all the ins and outs of this subcompact luxury crossover.