Manthan Sheth
- Dec 7, 2020
- 3 min read

BMW X1 sDrive20d Facelift Review: What Has Changed?

Overview

When BMW first introduced the new generation BMW X1 (F48) it turned out to be a complete game changer for the brand, the smallest BMW SUV was the biggest amongst it's rivals i.e. Mercedes-Benz GLA & Audi Q3.

Since it's launch the BMW X1 has been really important for the brand in term of sales, and now the X1 has now got a new BS6 Compliant engine and some cosmetic tweaks which helps it stay in the game.

Exterior

The whole front has been upgraded, with a new front bumper design, new headlights & whole new kidney grill inspired by the bigger SUV's like the X5, X6 & the X7.

The Kidney Grill has always been an identity to the brand. However, in the facelift the double-piece kidney grill unit has been replaced by a massive single-piece unit with full chrome surrounds which is quite appealing.

New Single-Piece Kidney Grill With Chrome Surrounds

The front bumper now looks more aggressive, also the round halogen fog lights have been replaced by a horizontal LED strip. The headlights & the taillights are now fully LED and the Daytime Running Lights design has been inspired by the X5

BMW has also changed the 17" Alloy wheels which adds to the character of the vehicle, Other than that everything on the outside remains the same.

Interior

There are vey subtle changes on the interior compared to the exterior. The main noticeable change is the new 8.8" Touchscreen with the new iDrive (iD 6) interface, But due to the placement of the widescreen the screen looks small. The infotainment system offers wireless Apple CarPlay, but not having the option of wireless charging seems like a miss.

New 8.8" Widescreen Offers Wireless Apple CarPlay

The open wood on the dashboard has been replaced by a gloss wood finish with a satinized chrome strip running across the dashboard & double stitching which gives it a premium look.

The ambient lighting offers the colors of your choice out of 6 varied options instead of just white & orange, which was previously offered.

Getting an upper hand in the fight against its rivals, BMW's interior has always been the best-in-class in terms of cabin space - be it front or rear seating space. In addition to that, the huge panorama sunroof gives an airy look to the cabin. The boot space measuring at 505 litres is already massive, but incase you need more space you can fold down the rear seats to bring it to an incredible 1550 litres.

Drive

The engine now being refined to meet the BS6 norms is much more silent & smoother compared to the previous BS4 engine. The new engine meets BS6 emission norms by adding in a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and selective catalyst reduction (SCR) that uses AdBlue emission reduction additive, which can be filled via a lid next to the fuel filling lid.

The power figures haven't changed from the BS4 engine. It still makes 190 BHP & 400Nm Torque but definitely feels quicker to drive from stand-still or while accelerating. BMW has always been associated with being the driver's car, X1 being the front wheel drive won't disappoint you in terms of its handling characteristics. But definitely the xDrive will be missed, it'll not be offered on any variant, even the range topping M Sport.

The driving modes are really helpful in giving the X1 a driving characteristics:-

EcoPro - It'll optimize the car to make it very fuel efficient, even the auto Start-Stop gets aggressive, the Air Conditioner will be optimized to help you save fuel. The gearbox will also disengage to help the car coast for increasing efficiency.

Comfort - As the name suggests everything will be in the comfiest setting, the gear changes will be very smooth and the power delivery will be very linear.

Sport - Engine & Gearbox will be in the most aggressive setting to give the best driving experience, the gear changes will be at higher rpm's.

Overall Pricing (Ex-Showroom)

X1 sDrive20i SportX - 36,50,000/-
X1 sDrive20i xLine - 39,40,000/-
X1 sDrive20d xLine - 40,60,000/-
X1 sDrive20d M Sport - 42,90,000/-

Verdict

BMW gave the X1 a mild facelift so they can stretch out an extra few years until Audi launches Q3 & Mercedes-Benz launches the GLA. Exterior got an boost of freshness due to the facelift but the interior needs a major overhaul as it looks very dated compared to the other newly launched BMW's.

The power and driving capabilities of the X1 are unrivalled until the launch of their newer generation competitors. So all we need to do now is wait to see that they'll offer.

JustCar says: BMW X1's a good value proposition for the power and space it offers, there are no rivals as of now except the Volvo XC40, BMW is well recognized in Indian market compared to Volvo, So X1 has a higher hand currently until the German rivals arrive.

Pros