Mind The Gap
Hatchback handling, SUV spaciousness, and oodles of options. Matthew Parkinson visited Bowker BMW in Preston to discover that there’s more to its niche-nulling BMW X2 than a good compromise. Photography: Paul Currie
How do you define luxury? For some, it’s flying first class aboard an intercontinental jet, for others it might be a luxury cruise around the world, but what if you can’t abide air travel or seasickness keeps you firmly on dry land? That’s exactly the point BMW is making with its new X2. Luxury is subjective.
As I take my place behind the wheel, it’s quickly obvious that what sets the BMW X2 aside from its siblings isn’t the level of equipment on offer. Like its more costly cohorts, the BMW X2 sports a slick touchscreen display mounted atop an aluminium trimmed dashboard that plays host to an array of neatly aligned switches and buttons whose functions make the BMW X2 a wonderful place to be. The seats are heated for when it’s cold, and air conditioning is available at the flick of a switch if summer arrives. Today, with the sun buried behind a blanket of cloud, I chose the former.
So, if it’s technologically comparable to other cars in the BMW range, how does it drive? It tackles corners about as well as any of its smaller siblings, yet the ride is as silky smooth as its bigger brethren. You can thread it around town as easily as BMW’s 1 series, but the X2’s size makes it a much more capable family car. If you’re not ready to settle down just yet, the rear seats fold down so you can slide in a couple of golf bags, some skis, or maybe a couple of snowboards. Want to seat four and carry their kit separately? No problem. Roof rails are also available.
Like BMW’s saloons and SUVs, the X2 would be a more than capable companion on a long-haul trip. My journey might be limited to Lytham today, but behind the wheel my mind starts wandering, and it’s easy to imagine crossing continents in the BMW X2. Fitted with BMW’s seamless eight-speed automatic gearbox and its frugal 2 litre diesel engine, it’d be equally happy cruising along German autobahns or traversing ribbons of tarmac draped over the French Alps. There’s surprisingly little road-roar from the tyres and the engine is hushed at higher speeds. If you want to break the silence, digital radio is available and pairing up your smartphone to the car’s infotainment system is easy as pie.
BMW isn’t pretending this is a mud-plugger for climbing mountains and crossing fords, but despite this, the car boasts a slightly raised ride height and a commanding driving position. You can even opt for BMW’s Xdrive system, which provides some of the engine’s power to the rear wheels whenever the car senses the front losing grip. Still, for those whose expeditions are confined to the concrete jungle, a perfectly capable (and less expensive) two-wheel drive version is also available.
Today’s trip barely exceeds 20 miles, but I’d happily watch the odometer tick past 2000 listening to the car’s satellite navigation reeling off the names of picturesque French villages as the miles go by. It’s that comfortable.
Electrically adjustable seats are available, but the manual seats in the car I’m driving are so adjustable that I’m fairly sure I could park up in Lichtenstein and slide my seat back across the Swiss border. As well as being able to move up, down, forwards, backwards, and recline, the seat also has adjustable sides that grab you around the girth to ensure a snug fit when the road gets twisty.
As I pull up outside the dealership, come to my senses, and realise I’m back in Preston instead of Périgot, I have to be frank. The BMW X2 is as good a car as I’ve ever driven, but it’s nigh impossible to pigeon-hole into a particular category because of how well it works on so many levels. Ultimately, I think that’s the point of the BMW X2. If true luxury is the ability to choose, then the BMW X2 has it in spades.
Bowker BMW Preston
Channel Way
On the Docks
Preston PR2 2YA
01772 766070
www.bowkerprestonbmw.co.uk
