WORLD PREMIERE: 2019 BMW X1 Facelift with larger kidney grilles

There are certain cars that seem as if they get mid-cycle facelifts just to get mid-cycle facelifts. The BMW X1 is one of those cars. That’s not an insult to it or BMW. Rather, the contrary. The BMW X1 has been a good looking and competitive car since its debut and it continues to sell well even as new competitors debut. So it wasn’t really in need of a facelift.

Still, complacency can be death in the automotive industry, so BMW set out giving its smallest SUV an LCI update to keep it as fresh as possible.

2019 BMW X1 Facelift – Exterior Design

On the outside, the changes are minimal, to be honest. The biggest area of change for the exterior of the BMW X1 is at the front. New, larger Kidney Grilles sit front and center, bringing the X1 into the rest of the BMW lineup, in terms of grille size. They’re also now merged at the middle, a design cue that seems to split opinions among BMW enthusiasts. It also gets new Adaptive LED headlights, larger front air intakes and more integrated LED foglights.

It looks incredibly similar to the car it replaces but it does look better. The new grille is more in keeping with the rest of the BMW lineup, even if it is too large, and its new LED lighting makes it more high-tech looking from the front.

Out back, very little has changed. A new body color inlay for the rear apron has now been added. Aside from that, though, it’s business as usual for the X1’s behind.

Another highlight can be found at the driver’s- side exterior mirror, which projects a two-tone LED “X1” image when the car is unlocked. This function is part of the optional lighting package.

It also gets a bit more aggressive in its sportier trim levels. Its Sports Line gets black wheels, gloss black trim in its air intakes and some black trim under its doors. All of that gloss trim, combined with its black wheels, makes it ultra aggressive looking, especially in with a bright exterior color. M Sport Line is business as usual; larger front air intakes, sportier wheels, a lower ride height, body color side skirt trim and gloss black Kidney Grilles.

Another feature of the BMW X1 is the new exhaust tailpipes. Their diameter has increased from 70 mm to 90 mm, advertising the power of the three- and four-cylinder BMW TwinPower Turbo engines. The four-cylinder variants get twin tailpipes.

The BMW X1 comes as standard with 17-inch wheels, while the model update adds four new wheel designs to the options list: 18-inch light-alloy wheels in Style 578 with black rims and Style 579 (for the xLine model), new Style 580 19-inch light-alloy wheels and – exclusively for the M Sport model – Style 816M 19-inch light-alloy items. This wheel design can also be specified as an option with M Sport brakes.

2019 BMW X1 Facelift – Interior Design

Where the BMW X1 LCI is even more similar to the pre-LCI car is inside. The cabin is almost entirely unchanged for LCI duty. Though, it does get the brand’s latest iDrive screen, which is a big improvement over the old car’s. It also gives the X1 the best tech in its class, though the new Audi Q3 does give it a good run for its money.

Still, it’s a handsome cabin that is more function than form. There are little cubbies everywhere and visibility is excellent, as in all X1s. While the BMW X1’s interior won’t blow anyone away, it’s just a really nice place to spend some time, especially if you have children.

In terms of engine options, the new BMW X1 LCI is, again, business as usual for BMW. So a BMW X1 xDrive16d is the entry-level car in Europe, with its turbocharged three-cylinder diesel engine. There’s also the X1 xDrive25d, which packs a turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine. As for the gasoline engine models, the main one will be the X1 xDrive25i, which gets a turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine.

Bigger news is the BMW X1 xDrive25e, though. This marks the first time a plug-in hybrid BMW X1 will be sold outside of China. It will get a 1.5 liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine, making 125 hp and 162 lb-ft of torque, which will power the front wheels only. Powering the rear wheels will be an electric motor that makes 95 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque. Like other BMW plug-in hybrids with similar setups, the two motors will combine to make the X1 xDrive25e all-wheel drive and it should do it quite well.

Also newly available for the BMW X1 are the exterior colour shades Jucaro Beige metallic, Misano Blue metallic (for the M Sport model) and the ultra- exclusive BMW Individual Storm Bay metallic.

This new BMW X1 LCI refresh isn’t drastically different from the outgoing car. However, it is marginally improved and, considering the X1 is still a popular car, we see this slight update as a good thing. BMW took something customers really liked as-is and didn’t mess with it. Instead, the X1 was given a new detail or two and some minor improvements but kept relatively same aside from that. I guess that’s all it needed.

Global production to begin July 2019 and the U.S. arrival expected late 2019.

Standard and optional equipment in the United States

Standard equipment includes:

• 18 inch wheels with 225/50R18 all-season run-flat tires
• 8-speed Steptronic automatic transmission
• Power tailgate
• Rear view camera
• Park Distance Control
• SensaTec interior upholstery
• Sport leather steering wheel
• Power Front Seats
• Active Driving Assistant including Lane Departure Warning, Pedestrian Warning with braking, Frontal Collision Warning, City Collision Mitigation with braking. Speed Limit Information and Automatic High Beams.
• Advanced Real-Time Traffic Information
• ConnectedDrive and Remote Services
• iDrive 6 with 8.8 inch screen and Navigation
• Apple Car-Play Compatibility

Selected stand-alone options include:

• Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go
• Metallic Paint
• Dakota Leather upholstery
• Space saver spare
• Sport seats
• Sliding and Reclining rear seat adjustment
• LED Headlights with Cornering Lights
• Parking Assistant
• Harman-Kardon Premium Sound System
• Wireless Charging
• Heated Front Seats and Steering Wheel

Optional Packages include:

• Convenience Package – Power-Folding Mirrors, Universal garage-door opener, Comfort Access keyless entry, Panoramic moonroof, Auto-dimming interior and exterior mirrors, Lumbar support, Ambient Lighting, LED Fog Lights and SiriusXM Satellite Radio with 1 year All Access subscription.

• Premium Package – Premium Package – Convenience Package plus Heated Steering Wheel, Heated front seats, LED Headlights with Cornering lights, Head-up Display and upgraded Navigation.

• M Sport Package – choice of 18” wheels with run-flat or non-runflat all-season tires or 19” wheels with performance run-flat tires. Sport Automatic transmission, new M Sport exterior styling, Shadowline exterior trim, Sport seats, choice of Aluminum Hexagon Trim with Estoril Blue matt highlights or Fine Wood Fineline Trim with Pearl Chrome Accent, M Steering wheel, choice of standard or M sport suspension.

• Luxury Package – Dakota Leather, choice of Fine-wood Oak Grain Trim with Pearl Chrome Accent or Fine Wood Fineline Trim with Pearl Chrome Accent or Brushed Aluminum Trim with Pearl Chrome Accent.

Specifications
2020 BMW X1

2019 BMW X1 Facelift – Gallery