Eight speed, four-cylinder is well tuned and provides get up that you would expect from a BMW or similar luxury vehicle. The X1 has a relatively light frame which helps in that department too. I would rate the handling at 7/10 as the steering can feel a bit heavy at slower speeds, but it is a dream at cruising speeds. The eco-mode option, which boosts fuel efficiency at the expense of some power, is a nice option, but I rarely use it unless I'm low on gas. The vehicle has a tiptronic shifting option on the center shifting knob which would appease some but never sees any use from myself. The interior is finely done with premium leather and the sound system is comparably premium. The X1 has electric front seats which comes in handy as the leg room in the back is a bit cramped if trying to fit 4 adults. One benefit though is that the back bench folds down in 3 configurations, giving the X1 as much cargo space as you would need for hauling anything smaller than a refrigerator.

When I first got the BMW X1 as a loaner, I hated it because it looked like a boring vehicle. While driving it to a nearby IHOP, I noticed how great the turning radius was. It was extremely easy to pull in and out of parking spots. The blind spots are pretty much non existent. After I was done eating, I had to take the parkway home, and boy, was I surprised. The car handled extremely well. It felt tight around turns and stable. I was super impressed, and I told my husband to give it a test, but he shot it down quickly, thinking exactly what I thought about an hour earlier. After some hassling, he tried it and he was also shocked by how amazing the handling was. I had the loaner for almost a month, and the hatchback was so great for putting bigger items in. I went from a typical sedan to a crossover and loved it. I felt like I did not downgrade whatsoever. After having kids, I decided to trade my BMW 335i for an AWD vehicle with some more trunk space (which it does not have, my mistake). The AWD is great in the snow. We had a few blizzards in New York, and I have never gotten stuck. The MPG is also decent, at 21 all around. None of my friends believed how great it is until I got them to drive it. I love surprising people with my "mom car." I would get it again and again. The only thing I miss is manual transmission, but they do not make these vehicles with that option.