BMW’s high-riding vehicle lineup includes lots of models in all shapes and sizes, from the huge X7 to the small X1 – but the smallest of them all is the latter’s more stylish variant: the X2.
Aimed at people looking for a sporty premium subcompact crossover, it’s available in the M35i grade, too, and its name basically says everything about it. That ‘M’ is not there for show, as it signals the presence of a punchy engine, stiffer suspension, larger brakes, different exterior body kit and some updates made inside.
Also Watch: Consumer Reports Says BMW X2 Is More Hatch Than SUV
Back in the day, the 35i suffix added to a Bimmer meant that under the hood there was an inline-six petrol engine. However, downsizing has changed things, and BMW’s naming scheme, drastically, so the M35i using a 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo unit. It still runs on gasoline and produces a healthy 302 hp (306 PS / 225 kW) and 332 lb-ft (450 Nm) of torque, but has two less cylinders. It’s coupled to an 8-speed auto and standard AWD, which all translates into 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 150 mph (241 km/h).
Aside from the youthful design (that might or might not be to everyone’s liking) and the smaller footprint compared to the X1, there’s another drawback to getting the X2 in the M35i guise: the price.
In the United States, it starts from $46,450, or about $10,000 more than the base sDrive28i. Specced with a few optional extras, like the one driven by RoadShow in the video review posted at the bottom of the page, it costs around $55,000. Quite a hefty sum for such a small package…
Now, you may be wondering whether it was worth the wait. To find out, you’ll need to watch the following review, which strays a bit from the norm and concentrates on a “top 5 things you should know” format instead.