Crossover crusade

GreenFleet’s Roland Rendell gets to grips with the new-look BMW X1 sDrive20d EfficientDynamics, which the German marque hopes will become a class leader.

We’ve all seen the adverts on the telly - these cars with their squashed 4x4 looks, splashing through puddles in an urban metropolis, backed by some funky hip-hop designed to match the graffiti background. Will our green fleet world embrace this style of car, or does it fall at the first CO2 hurdle?

So, we have the general Compact Crossover market, and the premium version, which some say was defined by the launch of the X1 two and half years ago. In 2012, the new-look X1 boasts a facelift both inside and out. The EfficientDynamics version comes in at the low end of the X1 range in terms of price, but, unsurprisingly, and the top end of its competitors. So, what bang do you get for your buck?

A dark metallic brown BMW X1 sDrive20d EfficientDynamics (ED) was delivered to GreenFleet Towers. Over the course of a week, I grew to really like the colour - it took me back four decades to the 70’s. If they were looking for the colour to attract the attention of people walking down the street, it worked, with plenty of rubber-necking going on as I mingled with the larger Chelsea tractors, here in TOWIEville.

Once you get in to the cabin, you get that feeling of space and height, but it doesn’t feel big. Exactly the feel most manufacturers go for with this type of car.

I’m not a small chap. The first thing I do, in any vehicle, is adjust the driver’s seat back to its maximum, as far away from the steering wheel as possible. Only one other manufacturer has produced a car that then forces me to slide the seat forward again because I’m too far away, and that’s Skoda’s Superb Estate. Now I find myself in a spacious BMW cockpit doing exactly that. However, on this occasion my size 13 plates and sculptured calf muscles were struggling. I found the bottom of the footwell a bit narrow, and the driver position felt almost cone-shaped. But this will not be an issue for the average man.

As you would expect from the brand, the car drives very smoothly. If comfort is what you want, it’s in abundance. If efficiency is the name of the game, then it’s down to you to make use of the functions on offer. The Optimum Shift Indicator will prompt you to change gear at the right time, while all models come with Brake Energy Regeneration. Unique to the EfficientDynamics model is the on-demand operation of ancillary units, a climate control compressor that can be disengaged and tyres with reduced rolling resistance.

The more I drove this car, the more I liked it, and I can now see where it has potential in the fleet sector. Firstly, the exec that has to cart a load of company paraphernalia around will love it. For me, the emergency service sector is another market that BMW could explore.

Available in rear-wheel drive form only, and with automatic transmission not yet an option with ED, the 163bhp and 380Nm of torque deliver the punch and power often required in this sector. It can achieve 0 – 62mph in just 8.3 seconds and can also reach 133mph, making it ideal in a pursuit situation. However, combining the power with the size and load capacity, the ambulance and fire response markets are even more suited.

The combined mpg for this model is a stated 62.8. I’m sure that if driven properly over a distance, this will be more than achievable. As proved at the recent Arrive’n’Drive event, if you apply some eco-driving tips, these figures can be exceeded by some distance. For me, what impressed most was the car’s capabilities around town. Whilst taking Mini Me to the cinema, I managed a staggering 51.3mpg. Not impressed? This was an eight mile journey, at an average of just 24mph - an impressive ‘around town’ return, just shy of the official urban figure and still over 10mpg better than I get in my own car, which is the same sort of size and weight.

How does it stack up against the rest? The most popular compact crossover on the roads is probably the Nissan Qashqai. I can only compare the X1 2.0d with the 1.6 dCi 2WD + Start/Stop system Nissan, along with the Hyundai iX35 1.7 CRDi and Ford Kuga 2.0 DURATORQ TDCI Fr.WD. And here is where it really begins to sell itself.

In terms of top speed, it comes out on top, but that’s not why we’re here. When it comes to the important stuff – its green credentials – it certainly stacks up, performing at the same level as its Japanese counterpart despite carrying an engine that is 400cc larger. So, for this reason, I believe it puts the other manufacturers at a Crossover Crossroads. Do they turn left or right and carry on producing cars that do not stack up when it comes to emissions? Or do they move forward, cross the road and join the Crossover CO2 Crusade?