Tested: The 2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i Is a Sporty SUV … or Is It?
Aiming for the meat of the market, BMW redesigns the X2 to be a better everyday companion.
Pros
- Tasteful, user-friendly interior
- Strong brakes
- Comfortable, quiet ride
Cons
- Not especially sporty drivetrain
- Unseemly composure at handling’s limits
- Restricted rear visibility
The BMW X1 is our top-rated luxury subcompact SUV—so why the heck is its pricier fastback bro with the same fundamental mechanicals, the X2, ranked mid-pack? We thought the first-gen X2 model was a relatively efficient, fun-to-drive hot hatch in disguise, but it was small and lacked ride refinement. A new, bigger version was introduced for 2024 with improved powertrains and standard AWD, as well as design and technology updates. What impact did the changes make?
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BMW loaned us a fairly loaded 2024 X2 xDrive28i so we could find out. It’s the entry-level variant of a two-trim range that also includes the M35i.
Living With the X2 xDrive28i—The Good
A bigger X2 this year means more space inside. Both standard and max cargo capacity improve—there’s now an additional 3.7 cubic feet behind the second row (now 25.3), plus 1.6 cubic feet more with the seats folded for a total of 51.7. That’s not much smaller standard capacity than the boxier X1’s 25.7 cubic feet, and it far exceeds the Mercedes-Benz GLA’s 15.4 cubes.
Human riders aren’t as cramped as in the previous version, either. That’s partly due to the revised center console’s new teeny gear selector and standup wireless charger from the $4,000 Premium package. The front row also features a clever two-tiered center console with a storage area under a top shelf of controls and shallow tray. The new curved screen housing that combines the instrument and infotainment displays under a single pane also helps declutter the cabin.
The ride harshness we saw with the last X2 has been mostly eliminated from this one. Its optional adaptive suspension likely played a role, as did our crossover’s acoustic glass, another feature of the available Premium package. BMW also says the X2’s front suspension was reworked as part of the redesign.
We’re also on board with the X2’s snazzy cabin styling. Its standard two-tone red and black Veganza perforated upholstery (BMW’s latest faux leather) is soft and supple. The M Sport package front seats are comfortable but perhaps over-bolstered for some drivers. We’re also fans of the robust inner door pulls trimmed in aluminum and the etched aluminum piece that stretches across the dash. One of our favorite elements is the M Sport package’s aluminum Crosshatch interior trim, which repeats on the dash, doors, and speaker grilles—it’s even digitally mimicked in the background of the gauge cluster display.
Living With the X2 xDrive28i—The Less Good
Apple CarPlay didn’t always play nice with our SUV’s Android-based operating system, at times working slowly or freezing. Rear visibility is limited due to the pinch of the fastback roof. There are no shoulder height adjustments for the front seatbelts, something that seems like it should be basic for any luxury vehicle. Finally, adaptive cruise control isn’t standard—our X2 had it because of the optional $1,700 Driving Assistance Pro package, which also comes with more advanced lane keeping.
Is the X2 xDrive28i Quick?
The base-level X2 powertrain qualifies as sort of quick in a straight line, and outruns its predecessor to 60 mph by 0.5 second, though it was slower by 0.2 second than the 2023 X1 xDrive28i. That baby ute clicked off a 5.6-second launch. Both get the same 2.0-liter turbo-four powertrain and develop identical outputs, but the X1 is a touch lighter.
Against the Mercedes GLA-Class, the entry X2 is a capable challenger. It’s markedly quicker than the less powerful GLA250 AWD and makes a worthy rival for the stronger 2024 AMG GLA35. The AMG churns out an additional 61 hp for 302 hp total but an identical-to-the-BMW 295 lb-ft of torque. As such, it reaches 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, 0.7 quicker than our X2. But by the quarter mile, the gap narrows to a half second, and the AMG GLA crosses the finish 0.5 mph slower than our BMW’s 99 mph.
Getting anywhere quickly in the X2 xDrive28i is something of a process, though, mainly because of the 2.0-liter turbo-four’s fuel-saving auto stop/start system. It’s the default with Comfort drive mode, and its calibration isn’t the most confidence-inspiring when you really need to boogie. The engine seemingly doesn’t refire until your foot is practically fully off the brake pedal, which results in an initial pause off the line if you move to quickly mat the throttle.
For our swiftest times, we activated Sport mode through the touchscreen (this disables auto stop/start) and then customized settings with Sport+ driveline and by fully disabling stability control (instead of using Sport ESC). Some pedal overlap and a blip of the left paddle shifter for a dose of "boost" seemed to unlock all the X2’s potential. Paddle shifters come with the available $2,500 M Sport package.
Is It Fun to Drive?
Once it’s moving, the X2 xDrive28i can be entertaining, provided you don’t push too hard for too long. Keys to this are the SUV’s M Sport package adaptive suspension and grippy Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires. Body motions are well contained, and driven below maximum, this thing is a good time along winding stretches. Steering responsiveness is direct, but as in most modern vehicles, feedback is muted. This steering wheel struck us as somewhat chonky, however; we prefer a thinner rim for better control.
It's at the limit where the X2 xDrive28i starts to fall apart, and its dual-clutch seven-speed automatic transmission seemed to get confused at times. Upshifts were snappy, smooth, and reliable, but the same couldn’t be said about downshifts or its decisions to hold a gear, which were unpredictable. This made for uneven test laps.
That said, our crossover still managed respectable results. Its skidpad average is just 0.02 g shy of the performance AMG GLA35’s 0.94 g. That traction advantage appears in our racetrack-in-a-bottle figure-eight test, too, where the Mercedes just beats the BMW by a half second. It’s a good bet that with the right setup there’s probably more speed in this X2.
Gotta Love BMW Brakes
The performance rubber our X2 wears helps chop stopping distances. Pedal resistance is firm and brake action effective and easy to modulate. From 60 mph, stops between 110 and 111 feet were repeatable without any drama.
All the competitors mentioned need more space, but generally not much. The lighter X1 had a best stop of 115 feet, and the heavier AMG GLA35 came to a halt in 111. Good on BMW for spreading its brake magic across the lineup and not just saving it for M cars.
Does It Get Good Fuel Economy?
If efficiency is a priority, a hybrid like the Lexus UX or plug-in hybrid like the Alfa Romeo Tonale might be worth investigating. This X2 returns slightly worse fuel economy than the X1’s 25/34 mpg city/highway, but that’s about average for the class.
Range on a full tank (14.3 gallons) for the X2 is the same as it is for the X1, 400 miles. Both Mercedes here get far less range but also come with smaller 12.7-gallon tanks.
Is the X2 a Good Value?
After $9,700 in options, our 2024 X2 xDrive28i rang in at a sticker price of $52,695, which is basically M35i territory. But a similarly equipped 2024 GLA250 AWD goes for about $4,000 more, and it isn’t as spacious or efficient. Skip the premium paint, heated front seats and steering wheel, and remote start, and you can save $1,500. The Lexus UX costs much less but is also far less capable, while the top Alfa Romeo Tonale is almost in the same MSRP ballpark but not as premium and requires plugging in for the best efficiency.
Who Should Get a BMW X2 xDrive28i?
The previous X2 reminded us of a good hatchback, but this one takes a solid step toward real luxury SUV territory with its new dimensions, upscale design, and cabin overhaul. BMW may try to pitch the lineup as supremely sporty, but if you want a track-scorching small SUV for some reason, this isn't it. For fans of the brand or anyone in the market for an upscale small crossover to daily drive, though, the 2024 X2 xDrive28i is a solid pick.
My dad was a do-it-yourselfer, which is where my interest in cars began. To save money, he used to service his own vehicles, and I often got sent to the garage to hold a flashlight or fetch a tool for him while he was on his back under a car. Those formative experiences activated and fostered a curiosity in Japanese automobiles because that’s all my Mexican immigrant folks owned then. For as far back as I can remember, my family always had Hondas and Toyotas. There was a Mazda and a Subaru in there, too, a Datsun as well. My dad loved their fuel efficiency and build quality, so that’s how he spent and still chooses to spend his vehicle budget. Then, like a lot of young men in Southern California, fast modified cars entered the picture in my late teens and early 20s. Back then my best bud and I occasionally got into inadvisable high-speed shenanigans in his Honda. Coincidentally, that same dear friend got me my first job in publishing, where I wrote and copy edited for action sports lifestyle magazines. It was my first “real job” post college, and it gave me the experience to move just a couple years later to Auto Sound & Security magazine, my first gig in the car enthusiast space. From there, I was extremely fortunate to land staff positions at some highly regarded tuner media brands: Honda Tuning, UrbanRacer.com, and Super Street. I see myself as a Honda guy, and that’s mostly what I’ve owned, though not that many—I’ve had one each Civic, Accord, and, currently, an Acura RSX Type S. I also had a fourth-gen Toyota pickup when I met my wife, with its bulletproof single-cam 22R inline-four, way before the brand started calling its trucks Tacoma and Tundra. I’m seriously in lust with the motorsport of drifting, partly because it reminds me of my boarding and BMX days, partly because it’s uncorked vehicle performance, and partly because it has Japanese roots. I’ve never been much of a car modifier, but my DC5 is lowered, has a few bolt-ons, and the ECU is re-flashed. I love being behind the wheel of most vehicles, whether that’s road tripping or circuit flogging, although a lifetime exposed to traffic in the greater L.A. area has dulled that passion some. And unlike my dear ol’ dad, I am not a DIYer, because frankly I break everything I touch.
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