Car Statistics: BMW - X1 Series 09 (4 stars)

Styling (4 stars)

The X1 is a decent-looking SUV with rugged styling coupled with car-like features, such as the long bonnet and hatchback rear. Inside, the interior is classic and unfussy - befitting of this type of car.

Handling (4 stars)

The X1 is very capable off and on the road. When pushing on, it feels composed and controlled in tight bends: there's also excellent stability and a decent level of grip, especially when fitted with four-wheel drive. In two-wheel-drive the X1 feels less poised, but it's still fun to drive.

Comfort (5 stars)

The X1 possesses very large seats for a relatively small car. They're made all the more comfortable thanks to a suspension set-up that can cope with most bumps and potholes effortlessly - although some models are fitted with run-flat tyres that can make the ride a little on the firm side. The cabin is beautifully finished with plenty of light and excellent visibility, with wind and road noise kept to a minimum and any engine growl is only really audible under heavy acceleration.

Quality (5 stars)

Its hard to fault the X1 for quality. The interior has all the soft-touch materials and excellent build quality we've come to expect from BMW over the years. We expect reliability to be extremely good too.

Performance (4 stars)

The X1's engine range consists of three diesel engines, with the 18d, 20d, 23d generating 140bhp, 173bhp and 198bhp, respectively. The 23d will get the X1 from standstill to 62mph in 7.3 seconds while even the lesser-powered 18d will manage the same in less than 10 seconds with two-wheel drive.

Roominess (4 stars)

BMW is claiming X3 levels of rear space in the X1 and we can't disagree. There's plenty of room for two adults in the rear - the middle seat will fit a third at a squeeze - and there is ample storage throughout the cabin. Bootspace is good, at 420 litres (around 60 litres less than the X3) but with the seats folded completely flat it expands to over 1,350 litres, which is comparable to a 3-Series Touring.

Costs (4 stars)

For an SUV the X1 is suprisingly frugal. There are only diesel engines on offer so all offer decent fuel economy ranging from 44.8mpg up to 53.4mpg. Likewise the 2WD sDrive18d offers CO2 emissions of just 136g/km costing just £120 per year in road tax. Its a BMW so servicing costs will be higher than a non-premium brand but insurance costs should be reasonable.

Value (3 stars)

The X1 is a premium offering in the SUV market, so it is priced higher than some of its more mainstream competitors - and that's before you start ticking the boxes on a long options list, which can mean a moderately spec'ed car can easily start to cost around £27-28K.

Stereo (4 stars)

As you'd expect from a BMW, the X1 is fitted with a very good six-speaker stereo and the option of integrated or aftermarket sat nav, both of which are intuitive with clear and easy-to-understand graphics.