BMW X2 review
The X2 is great to drive and feels suitably premium, but there are practicality compromises over the related X1
Our opinion on the BMW X2
The BMW X2 is undoubtedly a niche proposition, and you’ll need to really be into its coupe-esque looks to put up with what is a more limited engine and trim line-up compared to the closely related X1, and its reduction in practicality. It’s still perfectly usable day to day, though. The X2 feels like a proper premium product, and it’s great to drive.
About the BMW X2
The BMW X2 first arrived in 2017 as a more style-oriented alternative to the BMW X1 it was based on, but it was still very much an SUV-shaped thing. The second-generation version we’re covering here arrived in 2023 with the BMW model code U10 (if you’re into that sort of geekery), and a more coupe-like shape to better distinguish it from the X1.
The X2 shares its engines with the X1, although there’s less choice, with that car’s diesel and plug-in hybrid options notably absent. The X2 is slightly longer than the X1, but less practical due to its sloping roofline.
There’s currently only two versions of the X2, and our expert road testers have driven both extensively. We’ve tested the X2 head-to-head against the DS No.4 and also tested the all-electric version, the BMW iX2, with a full verdict on that in a separate review.
Performance & driving experience
Pros |
|
Cons |
|
The X2 has a slightly harsh aspect to its ride when you hit smaller bumps, but it feels well controlled and is never uncomfortable. It’s been designed to feel sporty to drive, but we reckon a family car like this ought to be a little better at dealing with poorly surfaced roads.
Performance, 0-60mph acceleration and top speed
The BMW X2 sDrive20i uses a 168bhp three-cylinder 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine paired with an electrically assisted seven-speed auto gearbox to create the mild-hybrid powertrain. The electric motor’s assistance isn’t especially noticeable, as is often the case with such setups. By modern standards, the 0-62mph time is brisk rather than fast at 8.3 seconds.
Used - available now
While the gearbox is nice and smooth when you’re up and running, it’s a weak point at low speed, when setting off, and when parking. As you come off the brake it often lurches forward, requiring very careful use of the brake pedal.
There’s a huge gulf in performance between the sDrive20i and the M35i, which ups the ante with a 2.0-litre engine pushing out 296bhp and 400Nm. There’s no doubting the pace on offer with its 5.3-second 0-62mph time, but the four-cylinder turbo unit isn’t the most inspiring thing to listen to.
Town driving, visibility and parking
The slightly jerky gearbox at low speed is the biggest negative about the X2 in city driving, along with poor visibility around the car due to the high shoulder line. Parking sensors and a camera are standard-fit and are needed in tight car parks.
The ride over the biggest potholes is very good, but small lumps and bumps in the road aren’t absorbed as well. The damping set-up means the X2 feels sporty to drive, staying composed in bends, but it comes at the cost of the ride being a bit bumpy around town. It’s not uncomfortable, but it is noticeable.
Country road driving and handling
Faster country roads are where the BMW shines, because it has good body control to keep things stable in bends, but remains comfortable enough to ensure the harshest bumps don’t disturb the cabin.
There’s still that hint of harshness to the ride, and some big compressions can find the suspension’s limit of composure, but overall the X2 is a relaxing car from behind the wheel and can be driven quickly if you want.
The steering is rather numb, but this is to be expected. We wouldn’t be likely to take the X2 out just for a drive, but it’s pleasant enough to keep the driver engaged. Traction isn’t really an issue in the sDrive20i, but the M35i is further capable thanks to its all-wheel drive system.
Motorway driving and long-distance comfort
The cabin is quiet even at high speed, and the engine is barely audible when cruising on a motorway. Overtaking power is there if you need it, although we found using less throttle, keeping the gearbox from kicking down and using the torque available in the middle of the rev range was the best way to achieve that.
The engine is punchy and remains quiet most of the time, only sounding harsh when the gearbox kicks down and the revs get to the top of the range.
Shifting is smooth, but sometimes there is quite a long delay between you putting your foot down and the gearchange, which can be a bit jarring. Sport mode certainly helps, but the throttle is a little too sharp in that setting and we wouldn’t want to use that mode for everyday driving.
| Model | Power | 0-62mph | Top speed |
| X2 sDrive20i | 168bhp | 8.3sec | 132mph |
| X2 M35i | 296bhp | 5.3sec | 155mph |
“The range-topping X2 M35i is definitely fast, but it’s not all that thrilling to drive” - Richard Ingram, deputy editor.
MPG & running costs
Pros |
|
Cons |
|
The last time we tested the sDrive20i, it returned pretty decent fuel economy of 46.6mpg over a varied route, just behind the official figure of 48.7mpg. This frugality should help keep costs down while petrol prices remain high. The M35i is some way behind, offering 36.7mpg.
Servicing costs for a BMW won’t be the cheapest, but the 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine in the X2 is shared with many other small cars from the brand, as well as some MINIs, and won’t be as pricey to run as the larger units found in many BMW cars.
Insurance groups
The X2 sDrive20i is in the middling group 26 for insurance (the maximum group is 50). The small engine helps, but high prices for parts and body panels probably balance that out. The M35i is in group 34.
Tax
The X2’s list price is more than £40,000, so Vehicle Excise Duty costs £640 a year from years two to six. At least there’s no ambiguity: there are no models with list prices that slip under £40k, so you’re free to spec the car how you want without worrying about higher VED (you’ll be paying £640 no matter what).
Even ignoring the higher road-tax costs due to the luxury car tax, the BMW does look a bit pricey overall, because key optional extras such as adaptive cruise control and wireless phone charging are not included in the price. In the latter’s case, it is only available via an expensive option pack.
Depreciation
The entry-level X2 is the model with the strongest residual values, with a predicted figure that’s 51 per cent of its list price after three years and 36,000 miles. Moving up to the pricier versions, the M35i isn’t far behind, at around 49 per cent, while the BMW iX2 is in the 45-48 per cent range.
Interior, design & technology
Pros |
|
Cons |
|
Bold and dramatic, this BMW is all about styling and visual appeal. The availability of the more practical, better-value BMW X1 below it in the range is proof of that; you’d need to love the X2’s looks to choose one, so if you’re considering it then you probably already are enamoured with its extrovert appearance.
The huge grille, chunky design elements and sleek roofline help it stand out, and it has a very distinctive front style with those sharp-looking headlights and blunt overall shape. The side profile is sharp too, thanks to that rear roofline that slopes down into a spoiler.
But we’re not as convinced by the rear-end look. Follow an X2 on the road and you’ll notice the lower section of the back looks a bit unfinished, trailing away into nothing. This is partly down to the relatively high ride height mixed with the fact that from other angles, the X2 looks lower than it really is.
Interior and dashboard design
The interior is a highlight, with lovely leather and suede-trimmed seats that are very comfy, plus all the other materials are top-notch as well. Only in the least visible areas of the cabin, such as down by your feet, are there any plastics that look less than luxurious.
It should meet expectations on tech, although some features are missing from the list of standard kit and seem a bit pricey to add.
Materials and build quality
Build quality is excellent. We haven’t ever noticed any rattles or creaks in the X2, and it’s only well below your eyeline where you’ll start to find cheaper-feeling materials. The only part of the interior we don’t like is the steering wheel, which is so thick and chunky it seems as if it’s been made for a dog to chew on rather than be comfortably held by a driver.
Infotainment, sat-nav and stereo
The BMW has a 10.7-inch main touchscreen and a 10.25-inch driver’s display; both look very modern and have all the information you need. Menus are quick and easy to navigate, and everything makes sense, although we’d like more physical buttons, especially for the most commonly used features. Clicking back and forth between the radio and climate controls isn’t as nippy as we’d like, for example.
A head-up display is an optional extra, and wireless phone charging is also missing from the list of standard kit. It’s costly to add it because it only comes as part of an option pack, which is disappointing. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are fitted as standard, so it would be nice to have the charging pad to go with them.
“The X2’s high quality cabin is probably the best thing about it, but it’s a shame some key premium car tech features aren’t included as standard.” - Dean Gibson, senior road test editor.
Boot space & practicality
Pros |
|
Cons |
|
The sloping rear roofline comes at a cost to interior space, and while headroom is fine, the X2 isn’t the most comfortable car for passengers in the back. The high boot lip restricts the carrying capability, too.
Dimensions and size
Although slightly longer than the BMW X1, the X2 is comparable with most rivals in terms of dimensions.
| Dimensions comparison | |||
| Model | BMW X2 | Audi Q3 Sportback | Cupra Formentor |
| Length | 4,554mm | 4,531mm | 4,451mm |
| Width | 1,845mm (2,104mm inc mirrors) | 1,859 mm (2,087mm inc mirrors) | 1,839mm (1,992mm inc mirrors) |
| Height | 1,590mm | 1,546 mm | 1,537mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,692mm | 2,680 mm | 2,680mm |
| Boot space | 560 - 1,470 litres | 675 - 1,400 litres | 450 - 1,505 litres |
Seats & passenger space
The super-comfortable front seats are great for the driver and passenger, although the interior isn’t the roomiest. The large dash and high centre console mean there’s not a huge amount of room to move around, but storage is adequate.
Under the central cubby – which itself is a bit too shallow to be particularly handy – is a larger, more usable storage spot with USB ports. There’s also a space below the infotainment screen for your smartphone, which is where the optional wireless charging pad was fitted on our test car. It has a big clip to stop your device moving around, which is a nice feature that reduces distractions.
The space in the back of the X2 is about the same as in the DS No4, although we did notice that the seat base is a little shorter, so there’s less leg support on offer. This gives you a bit more freedom to move your legs around on a long trip, though, so we’d prefer to be in the BMW on lengthy journeys.
Isofix points are easier to access than in the DS too, and the rear doors are a little wider, making getting in more straightforward. The seats are higher up from the floor, which helps in some ways – it’s good for leaning in and fixing child seats, for example – but also reduces headroom slightly next to its rival.
Boot space
The X2’s 515-litre boot is a good enough size, although the sloping roof does mean the shape might be a bit awkward for larger items or when you’re on holiday and absolutely cramming it with stuff.
Fold the rear seats down and there’s 1,400 litres in total, which means the X2 is more spacious than the No4 no matter how you look at it – the DS has 430 and 1,240 litres in these two configurations respectively.
The main issue we found with the boot here was the high loading lip, which increases the risk of damaging the paint on the bumper and makes it harder to lift heavy things in and out.
Towing
The sDrive20i can tow braked loads of up to 1,800kg, but the M35i is limited to just 750kg whether the load is braked or not. An electrically retracting tow hitch is an £875 option.
Reliability & safety
Pros |
|
Cons |
|
While the current-generation BMW X2 hasn’t been specifically tested by Euro NCAP for crash safety, it’s considered part of the X1 range by that organisation and gets the same five-star rating. That includes a score of 92 in the Safety Assist category. All the normal features – such as emergency braking and lane assist – are present, of course, plus a reversing camera and sensors.
Optional safety kit includes Driving Assistant (lane-change warning, rear cross-traffic warning and rear collision-prevention) and Driving Assistant Plus (adaptive cruise control and steering assist). Driving Assistant Professional adds “steering and lane-control assistant with active navigation guidance, approach control, lane-keeping assist with active side collision protection, crossing-traffic warning, emergency stop assistant and road priority warning functions.
Reliability should be decent – BMW finished fifth in the 2026 Driver Power survey out of 30 – and the X2’s underpinnings are tried and tested in a number of BMW and MINI models.
| Euro NCAP safety ratings | |
| Euro NCAP safety rating | Five stars (2022) |
| Adult occupant protection | 85% |
| Child occupant protection | 88% |
| Vulnerable road user protection | 76% |
| Safety assist | 92% |
Buying, prices and deals
Best buy: X2 sDrive 20i Sport
The BMW X2 range is pretty simple: there’s the mild-hybrid petrol sDrive20i model, a powerful, sporty four-wheel-drive M35i xDrive model and the fully electric iX2. M Sport trim is the only option for the 20i, which costs £43,900.
Standard equipment highlights on the 20i M Sport include 19-inch alloy wheels, artificial leather upholstery, heated front seats, climate control, ambient lighting, cruise control, adaptive suspension, front/rear parking sensors, a rear parking camera, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 10.7-inch infotainment screen, and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto.
The M35i is a model in its own right with a different engine and the addition of an all-wheel drive system rather than a traditional trim level, but you do still get extra kit including 20-inch alloy wheels, a Harman Kardon sound system and an illuminated grille.
You can save by building your ideal BMW X2 with the Auto Express Buy A Car service. We also have a selection of X2 leasing deals and used X2 models to choose from.
BMW X2 Alternatives
Coupe SUVs of this size and price are a bit of a niche. There is the Audi Q3 Sportback, which undercuts the X2 slightly and has a wider choice of powertrains, but generally, it’s more conventional SUVs you’ll be looking at as alternatives, including the BMW X1 with which the X2 shares so much. Like the Q3 Sportback (and indeed the Q3 SUV), it’s cheaper and offers better powertrain diversity. You’ll have to really ask yourself how important that sloping roofline is. While we’re talking about corporate relatives, it’s worth pointing out that the MINI Countryman uses the same platform as both the X1 and X2.
The Mercedes GLA and Volvo XC40 could be considered rivals. The Volvo is getting on a bit now, though, while for the GLA it’s the opposite problem - the first customer deliveries aren’t starting until 2027. A more leftfield alternative is the DS No4, and while it doesn’t have quite the badge appeal of some of the cars we’ve mentioned here, the X2 could be cross-shopped with a Cupra Formentor.
BMW X2 pictures
Frequently Asked Questions
The X2 is a good car, but it’s a compromised one due to its body style. The related X1 is the better buy overall, but it’s not as stylish.
Deals on the X2 and alternatives
