BMW X2 for any activity – Test drive

There was a little kerfuffle in March, when BMW launched its new X2 sports activity vehicle.

The original plans were for a purely 2WD range including the sDrive18i of $ 60,990 and the sDrive20i of $ 70,900. But pressure from the South Island dealers caused an almost immediate change of heart of BMW New Zealand, which quickly confirmed the addition of a four-legged variant – the 7300 xDrive20i $ – to the range. June.

Drivesouth is now one of the first publications in New Zealand to try this new variant. This time, although brief, it was used to drive the xDrive20i on snow and was therefore perfectly consistent with the local logic of adding an all-wheel drive to the X2 lineup. On each side of the snow, a sDrive20i was provided for evaluation, and conducted in a range of less extreme winter conditions that characterize coastal and inland Otago at this time of year.

To recap the basics of X2's history, this new model is a sportier first cousin of the BMW X1 compact SUV. It shares a common wheelbase and much of its platform with the X1, but is overall shorter, with slimmer lines, similar to cuts.

The style is harmoniously attractive, the presence of the X2 sDrive20i inch alloy and spoiler M-Sport. These features, along with a range of interior options, include Dakota leather trims, power-operated front seats, an enhanced audio system with Apple Car Play and digital radio, high-end navigation, M-sport steering, and a head-up display add $ 14,840 This standard kit already includes LED headlights, satellite navigation, heated front seats, a dual-zone climate control system, an automatic tailgate and all-in-one kit. help driving BMW more. This covers the lane departure warning, speed limit information, high beam attendance, collision warning (with pedestrian warning), cruise control active and parking distance control. -litre gasoline engine. Introduced in 2014 and widely used today throughout the BMW range, this engine is deployed in various states, with the X2 taking the 141kW / 280Nm variant.

The sDrive combines this engine with an automatic seven-speed dual-clutch mode. transmission, providing factory figures of 7.7secs for the 0-100kmh sprint and 5.9l / 100km for the return of the standard cycle economy. The xDrive, meanwhile, packs a conventional eight-speed automatic, also with pallet change controls. It has a sprint time of 0 to 100 km / h of 7.4 seconds, but a return of 6.5l / 100km less favorable but still respectable.

While boarding the sDrive test car, I was impressed by the interior details of this color. trim, seat and doormat coordinated with the exterior paint scheme. The interior LED strip lighting can also be colored, although other shades are selectable via the central controller and screen to suit the driver's preferences.

There is also a variety of finishes, although hard plastics are lower. A bigger fault for me was the relatively small entrance door and a front bulge in its frame that I often grazed when entering the vehicle.

Folk familiar with the current X1 will notice the driving position quite different from the X2. Low and car-like, it combines with significant suspension differences and a stiffer body structure to provide the key ingredients for a sportier driving experience.

Having sampled the sDrive20i relatively briefly during its local launch, I was impressed by "

Although there is less space behind the seats before that in an X1, the vehicle took five adults with travel bags. from Queenstown Airport to a nearby hotel; It may have been a squish in the back for three guys, but it was certainly manageable.

More time in the driver's seat on the test included an extended three hour drive from Wanaka to Dunedin in conditions that started well and dry during the day and ended with a period of driving in the evening very humid and sometimes foggy.

The driver's seat is both comfortable and conducive to driving long distances. The quality of the ride, although tending towards the firm end of the spectrum, is good, and the noise levels are reasonably mitigated even on fresh surfaces of coarse chips.

In the dry, the test car shows the character of a slightly warm forehead. – Tailgate starter in its responsiveness, balance and adjustability thanks to fluid sets of fast turns, medium and sometimes slow speed. The body roll was well contained even when pressing on it and the steering provided a decent feel and chaining, but suffered from a dead center around the upright position.

Lower roads and reduced visibility increased the demands of the car and the driver. part of the road test. Helped by the driver's knowledge of the road, it was possible to maintain a decent clip while buttoning a bit, and the driving experience has always delivered a lot of satisfaction.

However, the ultimate X2 fun that I've had up to here was behind the wheel of an xDrive20i on snow and ice.

At the risk of giving too much detail about a future story, we had fun at the Southern Hemisphere winter testing facility (PPSG) in the Pisa Range of the Central Otago.

An xDrive20i X2 equipped with special winter tires was one of the many BMW models introduced as part of the company's Alpine XDrive program. Tested on a snow slalom circuit that emphasized the driver's smoothness, it displayed an excellent balance and a surprising look alongside other BMW models that included the fabulous X3 M40i, 4WD 3 and series 5.

conditions that were not entirely representative of local driving, this experience was enough to convince me that although the sDrive20i X2 is a good car, the xDrive variant is even better.