Massive BMW X1 overhaul to target Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40

We’ve spied a comprehensively updated BMW iX1, which will introduce the brand’s ‘Neue Klasse’ design and interior tech to the model much sooner than we expected. The Audi Q3, Volvo XC40 and Mercedes GLA rival has been a big success for BMW, but the company is readying a major overhaul for the small SUV despite it still being relatively new. 

BMW introduced the iX1 in 2022, but as these images of a car testing in Germany show, its mid-cycle update will extend to more than just a change of headlights and bumpers. Instead, a more comprehensive update to the Neue Klasse era of design and technology looks to be on the cards. 

From these images of the prototype, we can clearly see that it’s not just the face which is new, but the whole body, including the body and windows. Peer beneath the camouflage and you’ll see new flush-fitting door handles and gutterless door skins, similar to the new iX3, plus new side windows and a high-set bonnet. 

The rear is still largely under wraps, with place-holder tail-lights and some blocky camouflage panels hiding the tailgate. Under these, we expect to see wide rear lights similar to the iX3’s, together with aerodynamically shaped elements around the rear glass. 

If you can't wait for the updated model to arrive, you can get a great deal on the current version through our Buy a Car service, where a new BMW iX1 is available with over £7,000 off.

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The nose has also adopted the iX3’s style, with similar headlights and illuminated kidney grilles integrated into a more upright front end. The bonnet also appears to sit high, just as on the iX3, facilitating its next big change: the interior. 

Even from this prototype, we can clearly see that the iX1 will adopt the new panoramic i-Drive system, which projects a full-width head-up display onto a blacked-out section at the base of the windscreen. An unusual four-spoke steering wheel and trapezoidal touchscreen make up the other half of BMW’s innovative new interior layout, which is a total change from the dual-screen set-up on the current iX1. 

In terms of size and shape, the prototype’s body looks to be largely the same as the current model’s, with the car we spied running a 20-inch wheel and tyre package. A combination of single and dual-motor powertrain layouts should be offered. 

What we don’t know is BMW’s plan for the petrol-powered X1. If this new iX1 shares its platform with the existing model, we could see a petrol-powered variant with the same body released. However, if the changes to the new iX1’s platform are more comprehensive, a petrol-powered version based on the old variant could be on the cards. The two would share a similar design, but differ under the skin – as we’ll see with the upcoming new BMW i3 and 3 Series.

This huge change for BMW’s smallest SUV represents a colossal investment for a mid-life update, but this is in line with the brand’s biggest round of investment in its history. With such a huge change in design language and interior tech, BMW is on a mission to update as many of its existing models as quickly as possible, including the new iX1. 

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