WHETHER YOU’RE AT the Brit Awards or the Oscars, picking out a bold costume is a great way to get yourself noticed in a busy crowd. But while the coupé SUV version of the BMW X1 family SUV isn’t as outlandishlooking as Sam Smith’s inflatable latex suit, its curvaceous lines – not to mention that giant front grille – are striking enough to have people doing a double take.
With a separate iX2 due soon to appease electric vehicle fans, the X2 offers a choice of two petrol engines, each teamed with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. The entrylevel 1.5-litre sDrive20i is front-wheel drive, with 168bhp and an 8.3sec 0-62mph time. If you fancy more punch and four-wheel drive, there’s the 296bhp M35i we tested, which sprints from 0-62mph in 5.4sec. Power is delivered smoothly and the automatic gearbox changes gear in a slick manner, but the engine doesn’t rev particularly quickly, and it feels like it’s working hard to haul a heavy car.
While every X2 gets adaptive suspension as standard, you can’t adjust it manually – a shame, because it’s very firm. The M35i struggles to settle down at low speeds (not helped by its standard 20in alloy wheels), even on roads that appear to be relatively smooth, and speed bumps throw occupants upwards in their seats.