I drove the new BMW iX1 – it drives like an arcade game, but wait for its price

HOW do you make a car like the iX1 exciting?

This is a huge challenge.

For starters, it’s a small SUV, perhaps the gentlest type of car.

Second, it’s purely electric, meaning it doesn’t have the drama or emotion of a petrol engine.

But this being BMW, they’ve found a way to make it more fun – and that’s by giving it the feel of an arcade game.

Anyone who has ever played Gran Turismo or Need For Speed ​​will be familiar with the Nitro boost button.

Turn the stick on the iX1’s steering wheel and you get ten seconds.

Which you can use over and over until you run out of battery and have to act like an adult.

Then there’s Augmented Reality SatNav, which is just a buzzword for touchscreen computer graphics.

As you approach an intersection, large chevron-style arrows indicate which way to go. Like in Mario Kart.

There is no German word for “sloppy”

You can even choose your own soundtrack that was created by a Hollywood composer.

The only thing I couldn’t find was a slot for my £1 coin.

All of the above means that what should be a very boring SUV is actually quite fun to drive.

However, every inch of this car is quintessential Beemer.

The way it looks. The way it feels. The way it turns to the road. Smooth. Compiled. Precise. Comfortable. Everything in place.

There is enough space in the back for adults as well.

I don’t think there is a German word for “shoddy”. It just doesn’t exist.

Having driven the iX1 alongside the new petrol and diesel X1s, the only real compromise is how far you can go in one go.

The official WLTP figure is 272 miles. It will never happen. But BMW is trying to close the gap between claims and reality through efficiency.

As of my testing it is more than 220 miles.

Recharging to 80 percent takes half an hour.

It’s also worth noting that our test car was xDrive, BMW-speak for four-wheel drive, with an electric motor on each axle.

Later we will see the sDrive, which is rear-wheel drive only. This will go a little further and cost a little less.

Which brings me to the price.

You have to sit on it for a bit because it’s expensive. That’s £52k. The cheapest planet-saving BMW is FIFTY TWO THOUSAND GREAT BRITISH POUNDS.

That’s 16,000 pounds more than a diesel X1, which will go twice as far – well north of 500 miles to a tank – and 10,000 pounds more than a petrol X1 xDrive.

Mind you, I noticed a small Honda E now costs £37k. What is the actual F.
For those who like the idea of ​​going green but can’t yet, BMW covers all the bases with a plug-in hybrid.

The gas/electric combination will go up to 55 miles in electronic mode, so you won’t need to wake the engine on some trips.

It’s also fast when you’re in a hurry.

The X1 xDrive25e is the obvious choice for company car users, with a BiK tax of eight percent.

In conclusion then. . .

The iX1 and X1 are thoroughly modern family SUVs of the right size.

You’ll love them no matter what drivetrain you choose.

But you’ll love them even more when they’re three years old and half price.