Quote:
Originally Posted by BrianJ
BMW is very coy about dimensions in its brochures. I was undecided about X1 (F48) vs X3 and asked BMW for the dimensions. They gave me all sorts of runarounds. Eventually one of the call centre guys referred me to a BMW comparator web site which compares BMWs (not other cars). Guess what? The X1 is slightly larger in passenger space than the X3, except for the rear headroom and the load area where the X3 is bigger. Checkout http://range-comparator.bmwlaunchpad.co.uk/ |
A valid point, the X3 is not a materially bigger car internally (neither is the X5). In some respects the X1 is better, 2mm leg room in front and 20mm in the back although this is because the X3 seats are bigger. The X3 has 40mm wider cabin. I drove an x1 for 3 years and getting in and out of the X3 is slightly easier, the door frame is higher. Headroom from seat (in lowest position) is misleading given most people have to crank x1 seat whereas this is not the case in X3, the seat is deeper on X3 and after setting up driving position I doubt x1 headroom is any different. For most drivers the head height from road in x3 is about 70mm higher. Taking all internal dimensions the passenger/cabin space is not bigger on the X1 but neither is it materially smaller. 45 litres less boot/trunk space on the X1is also not materially different.
The big difference is that the X1 cannot mount larger engines and they have to be transverse, so it really is a front wheel (drive) v rear wheel drive v power issue. Front wheel drive cars are popular with manufacturers for a reason, they allow bigger cabins for given chassis size. Another factor, to some and not known to many, may be that most systems in the X3, whether xDrive or safety systems are superior versions (stereo KAFAS in X3 v mono KAFAS in X1). It is perhaps the most frequent gripe in F48 threads ...”why do we only get...” or “why can’t the X1. Many of these are deliberate marketing decisions by BMW, building to different price points. I would be very interested to know BMW profit for X1 v X3. For me the most noticeable differences between cars are the auto gearbox, where the ZF auto in the X3 is significantly faster and smoother. Noise level where X3 has acoustic glass and better noise insulation and finally cabin ambience, where the X3 feels more luxurious but the X1 carries less weight so feels slightly more agile. Finally X1/X2 forum members appear a friendlier bunch, it’s what’s on the inside that counts
