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Editor Review
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BMW X1 sDrive16i vs Mercedes-Benz GLA180
01 Mar 2024  |  BMW Reviews
The Mercedes-Benz GLA returns to compete against the refined and spacious BMW X1. Which would be a better suit for your family?
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BMW X1 sDrive16i
Higher drivetrain refinement
More agile drive
Greater space for luggage and passengers
Mercedes-Benz GLA180
Greater badge appeal
More extraverted cabin and infotainment system
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   Consumer Reviews of BMW X1
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4.0
 
9 Consumer Reviews
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Comfort
3.5 Reliability
3.5
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Handling
4.0 Features
3.5
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Exterior Styling
3.5 Interior Design
4.0
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Value for money
3.5 Engine Performance
3.0

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supresass
Neutral Newbie
56 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 07-Apr-2021
Looks ok, actually quite a fin thing to drive  Posted on 21 Aug 2023
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
The new BMW X1 has really grown up when it comes to its exterior, as well as its cabin layout. It's an angular design that will take a bit of getting accustomed to, just like its new, swanky, and much more pleasing to the eye infotainment system.

Should you get one?

What I like
The exterior takes a bit of getting used to, but after some time I think it will start to blend in with any crossover in a carpark.

It doesn't exactly look great, but isn't just outright ugly either - and just the right mix of distinctiveness and without being too attention grabbing.

Inside, BMW's curved display looks great, is easy to use and easy to sync with your phone, which you can place right centre at the end of the centre console below the dashboard.

1.5-litre is smooth and refined, and the car feels nice and zippy as a result. It's actually a fund car to steer about.

What I do not like
Nil.


wche9
Neutral Newbie
2 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 24-Jun-2023
Unrivalled Looks & Practicality, Average Performance  Posted on 24 Jun 2023
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Comfort 5.0 Reliability 5.0
Handling 5.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 3.0 Engine Performance 2.0
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Review
The U11 X1 strikes the perfect balance between cabin space and external dimensions. It is very handsome & modern looking all-round, inside-out. IMHO, it is the best designed and most practical BMW X vehicle till date.

The curved display and sculpted seats gives a sense of luxury quite unrivalled in this compact SUV segment. All seems perfect till you realise the front passenger seat doesn't have electric adjustment - something of which is included in the 2 Active Tourer.

Test drove the X1 sDrive16i M-Sport and the ride is surprisingly quiet. The adaptive suspension is comfortably firm and corners extremely well. However, when you floor the accelerator, the 122hp engine struggles to pick-up and shortly runs out of breath. The 3-cylinder engine rattles and vibrates the cabin when you start/stop at a junction.

This vehicle excels in almost everything except the engine, making it a compelling choice for families who value practicality over performance. For those who wishes both, consider a used BMW 2 Active Tourer sDrive18i or Mercedes GLB 200. The all-electric iX1 is up in the horizon as well.

What I like
-Handsome Kidney Grills/Masculine Exterior Design
-iX like Sculpted Interior Design
-Robust build quality
-Sharp & precise steering
-Smooth and quiet transmission
-Comfortably firm adaptive M-Sport suspension
-Huge side mirrors with blind-spot indicators
-Generous passenger and boot space
-Easy to manoeuvre and park in tight spots

What I do not like
-No electric front passenger seat
-Incompetent 122hp 3-cylinder Engine (Needs more effort to perform overtaking manoeuvres)
-A little too pricey for the features/equipment offered


Suzeneka
Neutral Newbie
5 reviews
0 points
1 forum posts Joined on 21-Dec-2018
Fantastic Beast!  Posted on 18 May 2023
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Review
I drove Mitsubishi Outlander before & traded in my 4.5yr old Peugeot 5008 for BMW X1 2023. Love the manly looks & elegance. The drive is smooth and best bit is the refreshed & intuitive info-entertainment system. The M Sports model also looks nice with the sports rim, interior & both electric car seats. Value for money!


alphard96
6th Gear
2 reviews
3,035 points
1008 forum posts Joined on 14-Jun-2014
Reasonably price and value "luxury" smallest BMW suv  Posted on 19 Apr 2023
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 3.0
Handling 5.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
Got my Mineral white X line from Eurokars early march 2023, just in time for my wife birthday (thanks to them), v good responsive experience. Installation of roof carriers too were aided by my SE, again smooth and recommended service. Well done.

Apology, first time owning BMW, hence not able to compare to PML....Have some other experience with non BM, similarly good/neutral feedback with Borneo (both toyota and lexus), C&C merc, Komoco hyundai, Tan Chong Nissans, Kah motor Honda, a few PI and some used card dealers.

At that moment since December 2022, we were choosing between Q3 (sequential lighs not available), GLA (no rear aircon), NX350h (costly), XC60 (carplay not wireless), Kodiaq/Sorento (dont need another 7 seater). Own harrier before so give it a miss, BYD good too but guess more models will be out soon from them, Tucson hybrid sunroof has almost everything actually but tempted to just own BMW at least once.....
No regret so far (only perhaps may consider the M version, at the expense of less comfy ride and lower ride height)

What I like
1) Good fuel consumption if drive gently/highway traffic - getting a full tank range of 1200km is possible from its <50L tank. Partly due to its "small turbo engine" and coasting function where car will glides as if neutral gear on release of accelerator, with minimal engine braking.
2) Superb chassis giving a confident handling at higher speed (be safe please) and when taking fast corners or uneven road, despite being a taller vehicle with higher centre of gravity. Accurate steering control and feedback. Comfy for my X line (but the better specs M version slightly more jittery in my humble opinion, wife agree too)
3) Large curve windscreen with ios8, wireless carplay/android, lots of customable features and functions, but took me 1-2 weeks to explore and familiar with all the details (need lots of help from fellow X1 U11 owners, pls join this helpful chat group
4) Bright adaptive LED front headlights, broad rear tailights and bright white license plate lights and reverse lights (no need to modify)
5) Relatively spacious interior both front and rear with ample headroom and legroom all around.
6) Stock appearance already good, no need additional bodykits or bumper garnish. From the front can be mistaken as its larger siblings X3.
7) Useful and accurate MyBMW hp app, able to view percentage of petrol use, fuel consumption, all 4 tyres pressure, status of car windows/door lock/unlock
8) BMW Advance Car Eye 3 Pro complimentary installed and 5 yrs BRI BSI (repair/service inclusive)
9) Free 3 mths DAP - Driving assistant plus quite fun with almost handsfree/leg free parking....automatic stop and go too. May consider to buy it not selling the car.
10) Relatively cavernous boot space with ability to choose individual either one of the 3 seats to be fold down
11) Relatively reliable and practical kick sensor for rear tailgate (once you muster the correct technique), unlike others where may only work 50 percent of the time.

What I do not like
Lack of engine braking when required (eg steep downhill), unable to select a much lower gear for X line
Passenger seat no memory, only electric. Also on the "firm" side.
Passenger side no lock unlock features. Can be useful in JB where driver leave for a while during topping up petrol, front passenger more convenient to help lock the car while sitting.
Lack of ventilation seat for front passengers aggravated by not so powerful/cooling aircon (campared to Japanese makes). Climate control touch screen too, prefer conventional know/button on dashboard.
Absence of front fog lights and headlights washers. No so important but nice/good to have.
Front signal lights "slow light up" pattern, prefer brisk ON OFF LED like or sequential/dynamic
Rear signal lights, though LED, find it slightly small, only a square.
Still afraid of its reliability, bugs or intermittent problems - so far 2000km odo problem free.
Window film installed by agent seems not so effective in shielding heat. To consider getting a higher specs or more well known brand.
Very2 dusty brake dust smearing on the stock 19inch, need to wipe clean almost every other day (similar with most mercs and some lexus)
Arm rest a bit narrow (unable to share with passenger), open the opposite non drive side and angle or height not adjustable.
Front 2 cupholders "too big" due to absence of adjustable grip
Doors lack safety inner red lights
Door handle prefer the normal type rather than flush and open from below, absence of courtesy door handle lights too and the hidden/button sensor only for front 2 doors (not all 4 doors)
Automatic reverse/parallel parking a bit too fast, can be scarry at times
At higher speed or when demand needed, car may be "out of breath". Need bigger cc/more cylinders if frequent high speed driving at NS highway or up highlands.
Reverse tilt features for passenger side mirror not adjustable - good if allows micro adjustment to cater for drivers of different height.
The auto ON off engine when idling still not smooth, obviously felt with some shudder. Please remember to off it (deactivate) for heavy stop go traffic.
Ambient LED lights minimum for rear passengers
Unable to indent other features that we would like to have
- head up display
- panaromic sunroof
- harman kardon sound system
- 360 top down view mirror
- Radar cruise control
- paddle shifter for X line (standard on M version)


Ak7887
1st Gear
3 reviews
26 points
251 forum posts Joined on 15-Mar-2009
The car that makes me SMILE :)  Posted on 18 Apr 2023
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Comfort 3.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 5.0 Features 5.0
Exterior Styling 5.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 5.0 Engine Performance 5.0
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Review
Driving U11 MS since Dec 22, I can't help myself but smile everytime I approach the car.

As an ex-F48 owner, I've been eagerly waiting for the new model since spy shots appeared. And I was not disappointed & quickly book it in Nov. The first few months owning it, knowing it, understanding it, and of course appreciating it, made me enjoy the car more & more. There's nothing much to complain about going towards my 1st servicing next month. So if you are an empty nester like me, willing to indulge with your hard-earned $$ for something handsome, sporty, high-tech yet knee-friendly and not too big a ride, you can't ignore the new BMW X1 U11.

What I like
- Makes you feel updated with the tech bells & whistles
- Comfort Access Mode
- Imposing good looks, yet only a tad bigger than F48
- Convenient user specs for each BMW ID registered with the car
- Large info screen, simple layout, lovely interior with quality materials
- Confident handling, with 19'' rims & sports suspension
- Sports mode with Drivetrain & suspension selection
- Light & easy steering with very little engine brake feel while rolling
- Inituative Voice Commands, with wireless Android Auto & Apple Car Play
- Sports seats, new M-Sports steering design
- Taller bonnet, easier on your back
- Longer wheelbase than F48, more legroom. Roomy interior
- Surprisingly quiet ride & better FC even with a heavier body & larger rims. My FC is between 11-12km/L, 50/50.
- Auto reset FC calculation per tank after refuelling.
- Built-in TPMS
- 3 month trial of Driver Assistance Package. Activate it via BMW app. Fun to trial it.
- Sizeable boot space with generous hidden compartment
- Zippy performance, drives off fairly quickly.
- 10 second Boost Function on left paddle shifter helps in overtaking or speeding up. Lovely graphics on screen too
- Easy toggle to Sports Drive by simply push down gear shift 1 time from D. Return back to D using the same way.

What I do not like
Most are able to get used to after a while.

- Ride is a little firm for MSport & rear passengers will feel it most. If you prefer a more comfy ride, go for X-line.
- Infotainment sys & ID8 takes a while get used to
- Unable to code off some functions
- Flushed door handles, more difficult to open the doors
- Earlier batches of U11 not equipped with electronic passenger seats or tailgate kick sensor
- Other than Personal/Sports/Eco My Modes, the rest do not come with default central speedometer display
- Floating center console is fixed. Storage behind can be at times difficult to reach
- Strangely stingy storage space other than big door bin compartments
- Unfriendly interior for handphone holders
- Handphone not easy to access when charging wirelessly
- Unsure abt past F48 engine mounting issues, although at almost 10K driven, engine is still very smooth & no vibration detected. According to product specialist, the quality of engine mounting in this new model has improved


corproral
Neutral Newbie
50 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 07-Apr-2021
Most well-rounded car in the segment  Posted on 02 Apr 2023
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 3.0 Engine Performance 4.0
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Review
Let's put it quite bluntly. The Mercedes needs better interior fit and finish, the Q3 looks a bit boring is becoming dated, and the UX is even older still.

What I like
The silver touches at the bottom of the car, 19-inch wheels as standard, and the taillight design at the rear.

Inside, the car places the smartphone holder as the main visual focus of its lower section, and there's a smart floating centre console so you can rest your arm while still getting plenty of storage space.

It's the small infotainment screen you get in the BMW, which does make it look like there's a lot of screen space just wasted, but you quickly get used to it.

Power output is just decent, relieved thanks to a smart, smooth, and quick gearbox.

What I do not like
The previous generation X1 just somehow still looks more natural. This generation may be trying too hard. It looks tense, fussy, not quite at ease with itself.


aerolith
Neutral Newbie
60 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 07-Apr-2021
This BMW X1 ticks all the right boxes  Posted on 19 Mar 2023
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 5.0
Value for money 4.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
If you're looking for a small premium crossover but still want a premium interior, this X1 should be your first choice. Throw in a premium ride and those tasty 19-inch rims and well...

What I like
Strong looks and a quality ride. The X1 has grown all around but you'd hardly notice given the huge growth in angles and surface treatment all about. Opt for the xLine car and you'll get some tasty chrome bits in the bumpers.

And those 19-inch rims also don't dent the ride comfort of the car much. It still feels like there's plenty of suspension travel on offer, held with well judged dampers and springs.

Build quality within is also impressive while looking thoroughly modern. It seems like most rival in the segment only manage one of the two.

What I do not like
Nil.


Comite
Neutral Newbie
1 reviews
3 points
4 forum posts Joined on 17-Nov-2014
Good driving dynamic, beware of 3 cylinder engine & after sales  Posted on 14 Mar 2023
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Comfort 3.0 Reliability 1.0
Handling 4.0 Features 3.0
Exterior Styling 4.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 2.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
Test driven the vehicle, I must say the interior is a massive upgrade from previous gen, comes with driver assistance and alert such as land departure warning, pre collision warning etc.
Good driving dynamics, BMW being BMW, but its 19-inch wheel may be too hard for some people.
Boxy and appealing exterior style, nothing to shout about considering its hefty price tag.
Lack of hybrid drivetrain makes this new model, especially with its 121hp output inferior compared to other makes and model.
But being current owner of F48, I am troubled by the same 3-cylinder engine, which carries unfixable issue like vibration during engine startup, coarse engine sound during idle, which made this premium small car not that premium after all.
It has failed me on several occasion, engine mount crack, oil leak, crank shaft pulley noise, yellow ageing LED running lights, are some issues need to beware and accept when make decision to buy.
Otherwise, it is a good-looking branded car that makes you smile when driving around town.

What I like
Fully equipped exterior styling, nice grille design
Boxy looking
Roomy interior
Longitudinal dual screen
Useful and not too overly complicated assistance technology
Driving dynamics

What I do not like
Past experience with 3-cylinder engine
Reliability issues may pop up sooner than you think
Bad after-sales service
Repair and servicing experience really disappointing
No hybrid option
Hefty price tag for CAT A car


quippery
Neutral Newbie
78 reviews
0 points
0 forum posts Joined on 07-Apr-2021
A great junior luxury crossover  Posted on 12 Mar 2023
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Comfort 4.0 Reliability 4.0
Handling 4.0 Features 4.0
Exterior Styling 3.0 Interior Design 4.0
Value for money 3.0 Engine Performance 3.0
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Review
It's the junior of BMW's SUV lineup, and comes with 121bhp, which isn't all that generous, but don't underestimate this X1 - it's quite the capable thing.

What I like
Its looks may not win the hearts of many but the drive certainly will. It's quiet, feels large behind the wheel, and build quality is excellent everywhere you care to look.

I'm not too sure about the gear selector design, but that floating centre console undeniably frees up space for all the stuff you'd carry in your wallet, and the infotainment system is clear and easy enough to operate.

Comfort levels are decent, even in the M Sport variant, although suppleness over bad surfaces is compromised because of the beefier suspension.

And boot space is also great. Not the tallest, of course, this is only a crossover, but its deep. Very deep.

What I do not like
There's something I can't quite put my finger on when it comes to the looks of the thing. Too much emphasis and lines pointing to the grille at the front, and too much going on full stop at the rear.

BMW X1
4 stars - based on 9 reviews