BMW X2 Overview
15 Feb 2022
How do you stand out from a rapidly growing crowd? Well, it doesn’t take much for BMW. The German carmaker has taken the SUV market by storm with their X2 that combines the practicality of an SUV with the sporty styling you’d expect to find on a smaller hatchback or coupe. BMW is refusing to be lost in a sea of compact SUVs and has channelled the spirit of a sporty coupé in the latest facelift.
This isn’t the first time BMW has taken this approach. 10 years ago, the bigger X6 was born when the X5 was given a coupé makeover. Now it’s time for BMW’s smallest SUV, the X1, to spend some time in the spotlight after its facelift, and the X2 is the very striking result. The BMW X2 shares plenty of mechanical bits with the BMW X1, but it’s not too difficult to tell them apart thanks to the X2’s more rakish styling and a dramatically sloping roofline. By adopting this roofline and shorter overall length, the X2 trades a little practicality for looks.
The X2 is an interesting addition to BMW’s SUV line-up, this style-oriented crossover sits somewhat low compared with tall riding rivals and, while it’s fun to drive, some experts say that it lacks the commanding driving position that many buyers like about this kind of car.
That being said, it still needs to function as a Family SUV, and BMW promises there’s room for you, your friends and all the lifestyle equipment you’re likely to want to carry. Let’s take a dive into this overview and see what X2 lease deals you can expect to find!
The body, interior layout and finish
‘Polarising’ is how BMW chooses to describe the appearance and positioning of this new high-rise family five-door SUV. Even the entry-level BMW X2 comes with a set of gaping vents that are cut into the stylish front bumper. These are accompanied by some sporty side skirts and funky squared-off wheel arches that BMW’s designers seem to be testing out at the moment.
The body design includes swept-back lights, a rising window line that incorporates BMW’s signature Hofmeister kink and ultra-slim hatchback glass. These, to those who pay close attention to BMW, are all design cues that have been transferred over from the Concept X2.
BMW is offering the car in six colours, the brightest of which are Misano Blue, Galvanic Gold and Sunset Orange which are all guaranteed to turn some heads as you drive. BMW has also chosen to dawn its door mirror caps, kidney grille surrounds and the exhaust tips with Cerium Grey body trim.
If boldness isn’t really your style then take a step inside and things get much less in-your-face. The cabin delivers the kind of quality and kit that we've come to expect from BMW. The sensible dashboard layout, clear and concise instruments and soft-touch materials help make the BMW X2’s interior feel plush and intuitive in equal measure. This makes it easy for drivers and passengers to get comfortable, thanks to the X2’s ample seat and steering wheel adjustment.
The infotainment display is another highlight, thanks to its crisp screen, simple rotary dial and standard sat-nav that’s much easier to program than those in the Jaguar E-Pace and Volvo XC40. If you are able to upgrade to the Navigation Plus package then you gain an 8.8in display, wireless charging for compatible devices and a touch-sensitive pad on top of the rotary dial controller that allows you to input addresses using handwriting.
If space is a priority for you, then you will be better served by the roomier, and less expensive, X1 instead. The lower roofline may not affect headroom too severely, but the small windows mean it can feel a bit claustrophobic inside, and the view out the back isn't the best, either.
The X2 may have a lower roof compared with the X1, but there’s still enough room for six-foot-plus adults. That being said, the interior isn't much wider than that of many standard family hatchbacks. Leg and shoulder room is comparable to that in the X1, but the X2's rakish roofline does limit rear headroom a little. The low-set driving position is very sporty and emphasises its character as a sharp handling car. Still, it's easy to get a comfortable driving position.
Engine and drive
There’s a range of punchy engines with the X2 including petrol models with front-wheel drive and diesels with BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system. The list of five engines available is the 18i, 18d, 20i, 20d and M35i. All engines are 2.0-litres in capacity, ranging from the 134bhp X2 18i, up to the 302bhp M35i. Smoothness isn’t exactly at the forefront of these motors; rough road surfaces and sharp-edged bumps will see passengers bouncing around in their seats uncomfortably, especially at low speeds. Comfort improves at speed, but you can still feel road vibrations through the seat and steering wheel.
The X2 is available with both drive options and cars fitted with the 4x4 system have BMW xDrive badges, while front drivers are referred to as sDrive models. The X2 manages to deliver a pleasing set of driving responses in spite of its raised ride height. That’s at least partly due to the fact the X2 rides lower than most SUVs, which means you don’t get such a commanding view of the road when you’re driving it.
Slotting the eight-speed automatic gearshift across into Sport mode and setting the ESC to Dynamic allows the driver to engage launch control, whereby the engine can be held at 2600rpm before the four-wheel-drive system fires the car consistently and cleanly off the line.
Verdict on the BMW X2
Although there isn’t much data on the X2, the X1 on which it’s based finished mid-table in the family SUV category in a range of reliability surveys. Despite costing more than the equivalent X1 on a model-for-model basis, the X2 doesn’t offer any additional equipment. Leasing costs of the new X2 start at around £369.97 (inc VAT) per month. To learn more about BMW X2 leases or to see our range of BMW leases, check out our range today.
This isn’t the first time BMW has taken this approach. 10 years ago, the bigger X6 was born when the X5 was given a coupé makeover. Now it’s time for BMW’s smallest SUV, the X1, to spend some time in the spotlight after its facelift, and the X2 is the very striking result. The BMW X2 shares plenty of mechanical bits with the BMW X1, but it’s not too difficult to tell them apart thanks to the X2’s more rakish styling and a dramatically sloping roofline. By adopting this roofline and shorter overall length, the X2 trades a little practicality for looks.
The X2 is an interesting addition to BMW’s SUV line-up, this style-oriented crossover sits somewhat low compared with tall riding rivals and, while it’s fun to drive, some experts say that it lacks the commanding driving position that many buyers like about this kind of car.
That being said, it still needs to function as a Family SUV, and BMW promises there’s room for you, your friends and all the lifestyle equipment you’re likely to want to carry. Let’s take a dive into this overview and see what X2 lease deals you can expect to find!
The body, interior layout and finish
‘Polarising’ is how BMW chooses to describe the appearance and positioning of this new high-rise family five-door SUV. Even the entry-level BMW X2 comes with a set of gaping vents that are cut into the stylish front bumper. These are accompanied by some sporty side skirts and funky squared-off wheel arches that BMW’s designers seem to be testing out at the moment.
The body design includes swept-back lights, a rising window line that incorporates BMW’s signature Hofmeister kink and ultra-slim hatchback glass. These, to those who pay close attention to BMW, are all design cues that have been transferred over from the Concept X2.
BMW is offering the car in six colours, the brightest of which are Misano Blue, Galvanic Gold and Sunset Orange which are all guaranteed to turn some heads as you drive. BMW has also chosen to dawn its door mirror caps, kidney grille surrounds and the exhaust tips with Cerium Grey body trim.
If boldness isn’t really your style then take a step inside and things get much less in-your-face. The cabin delivers the kind of quality and kit that we've come to expect from BMW. The sensible dashboard layout, clear and concise instruments and soft-touch materials help make the BMW X2’s interior feel plush and intuitive in equal measure. This makes it easy for drivers and passengers to get comfortable, thanks to the X2’s ample seat and steering wheel adjustment.
The infotainment display is another highlight, thanks to its crisp screen, simple rotary dial and standard sat-nav that’s much easier to program than those in the Jaguar E-Pace and Volvo XC40. If you are able to upgrade to the Navigation Plus package then you gain an 8.8in display, wireless charging for compatible devices and a touch-sensitive pad on top of the rotary dial controller that allows you to input addresses using handwriting.
If space is a priority for you, then you will be better served by the roomier, and less expensive, X1 instead. The lower roofline may not affect headroom too severely, but the small windows mean it can feel a bit claustrophobic inside, and the view out the back isn't the best, either.
The X2 may have a lower roof compared with the X1, but there’s still enough room for six-foot-plus adults. That being said, the interior isn't much wider than that of many standard family hatchbacks. Leg and shoulder room is comparable to that in the X1, but the X2's rakish roofline does limit rear headroom a little. The low-set driving position is very sporty and emphasises its character as a sharp handling car. Still, it's easy to get a comfortable driving position.
Engine and drive
There’s a range of punchy engines with the X2 including petrol models with front-wheel drive and diesels with BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive system. The list of five engines available is the 18i, 18d, 20i, 20d and M35i. All engines are 2.0-litres in capacity, ranging from the 134bhp X2 18i, up to the 302bhp M35i. Smoothness isn’t exactly at the forefront of these motors; rough road surfaces and sharp-edged bumps will see passengers bouncing around in their seats uncomfortably, especially at low speeds. Comfort improves at speed, but you can still feel road vibrations through the seat and steering wheel.
The X2 is available with both drive options and cars fitted with the 4x4 system have BMW xDrive badges, while front drivers are referred to as sDrive models. The X2 manages to deliver a pleasing set of driving responses in spite of its raised ride height. That’s at least partly due to the fact the X2 rides lower than most SUVs, which means you don’t get such a commanding view of the road when you’re driving it.
Slotting the eight-speed automatic gearshift across into Sport mode and setting the ESC to Dynamic allows the driver to engage launch control, whereby the engine can be held at 2600rpm before the four-wheel-drive system fires the car consistently and cleanly off the line.
Verdict on the BMW X2
Although there isn’t much data on the X2, the X1 on which it’s based finished mid-table in the family SUV category in a range of reliability surveys. Despite costing more than the equivalent X1 on a model-for-model basis, the X2 doesn’t offer any additional equipment. Leasing costs of the new X2 start at around £369.97 (inc VAT) per month. To learn more about BMW X2 leases or to see our range of BMW leases, check out our range today.