BMW invited a number of press representatives from around the world to Lisbon this weekend, to check out the brand new BMW X2 in the metal before the car goes on sale. We were there too but until we finish polishing off our full review of the car, others have already put together their take on it and published it already. The guys from Auto Express in the UK are among the first to have the X2 showcased on their Youtube channel and it looks like they enjoyed the car.
The X2 comes to fill a gap between the X1 and X3 model, just as all other even-numbered X models do throughout the range. Like the X4 and X6, the X2 is a more stylish and sporty alternative to its more practical alternative and, according to BMW, it appeals to a younger, more active and dynamic demographic altogether. The X2 therefore has a styling that cuts into the functional side of things, to make everything else look better.
The roof cuts into the headroom in the back and that’s basically the biggest difference compared to the X1. The sloping roof line means that two people at 6’2″ can sit behind one another comfortably but the one in the back might find headroom to be insufficient. However, that’s about the only place where you’ll actually notice a drawback. Sure, the boot is also 35 liters smaller but that doesn’t mean that much considering the overall size of the thing.
However, the X2 does have an edge over the X1 in certain key areas. BMW set it up to offer a firmer ride and a better overall experience behind the wheel. Admittedly, diesel engines are the best choice for a car that is supposed to get your heart racing but then again, they are frugal and powerful enough. The xDrive20d model Auto Express tested comes with a 2-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine making 190 PS and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque and it is the best selling engine BMW currently makes exactly thanks to its great attributes.
I must admit it’s growing on me ….
Autofeguhl also released their video yesterday evening. Thomas likes it. Kept talking about how fun it is to drive. Said it drives like a sports car.
Autocar likes it as well. Calling it an alternative to a hot hatch and many times mentioning hatch-like vehicle dynamics.
Seems like a winner in general. Ive been wanting a BMW hatchback for awhile but we’ll never see one stateside. This is orobably the closest we’ll ever get. For that reason the X2 is on my short list (base with upgraded dynamic dampers or M Sport trim. Hate the X trim)
Can only get base or msport x in the states :(
Yeah. Hoping it’s just temporary for launch models and the M Sport is coming later as an xDrive ///M35i. :/
Yes, but it is very uncompetitively priced. That’s going to make or break this car.
Yeah it really is hard to beat it. It’s hard to make more pointless and ugly car than X2.
What a bull…it´s all looks and no go…..what a shame….
They found a way to stick 6-cylinders in 2 series to make it M2. Build an X2M based on M2 rwd platform and watch it slay everything in its path.
Try sitting in back of an M140i xDrive hatchback behind a normal adult human driver in the front seat, and you’ll quickly understand why they had to switch to the UKL platform. They couldn’t keep building cars that were impractical compared to the competitors at Audi and Benz, even if they “drove better”. And frankly, I don’t know that they even really do — as Audi has shown with the S3/RS3, Benz with the GLA45, and even Honda with the Civic R, there’s plenty of performance potential with a FWD-based chassis.
BMW have been doing it with MINI for over a decade. People have strange notions about this brand. They want a supercar, which BMW has no history of. Meanwhile, they ignore that the bulk of their volume for decades has been sedans. X2 has over 200 hp., if it follows JCW rumours that will increase 50%. This is a niche rebody of a vehicle Car and Driver call best in class. Yet people criticize price, design, performance. But this vehicle will be at least as successful as the X4 and X6 before it, which have also taken BMW lucratively into new segments on existing models and assembly lines and are copied by the competition.
I wouldn’t say they “found a way”, the 1/2 series platform was designed to support six cylinders from the start.
Building an X2M on a completely different platform than the standard X2 makes no sense. It would be very expensive and wouldn’t sell much more than a four-cylinder M performance model.