BMW’s new baby coupe lands in 2024 to rival the Range Rover Evoque and Mercedes GLA.
The original BMW X2 launched in 2018 as a slightly sportier, sharper-looking counterpart to the contemporary X1 small SUV on which it was based. Now, the new second-generation X2 has received the full coupe-SUV treatment, gaining a heavily sloping roofline and aggressive looks that leave no doubt about the connection to BMW’s larger X4 and X6 coupe SUVs.
The three-model range lands in Australia in early 2024.
2024 BMW X2 price (excluding on-road costs)
X2 xDrive20i – $75,900
X2 M35i xDrive – $92,900
iX2 xDrive30 – TBC
The X2’s most direct rival is the ageing Audi Q3 Sportback, but there’s no shortage of small premium SUVs on the market for it to go up against. Among them are the sporty Cupra Formentor and Jaguar E-Pace, while the Range Rover Evoque and Mercedes GLA have lots of kerb appeal and both received facelifts in the past year.
For buyers weighing up which to go for, it may be the X2’s bold looks that seal the deal. It’s certainly not subtle, with an enormous set of BMW kidney grilles dominating the front end, flanked by an equally large set of LED headlights that extend well into the flared wheelarches. You can even add an illuminated grille if you have the urge to highlight this controversial design feature to passers-by. The side profile, meanwhile, is defined by the roofline that slops dramatically towards the rather blunt rear end.
At 4,554mm long, the new X2 is 194mm longer than its predecessor, while its wheelbase has been stretched to 2,692mm (+22mm). The car also measures 1,845mm wide (+21mm) and stands at 1,590mm tall (+64mm).
The X2 is available in Australia with just two petrol engine options. The range kicks off with the xDrive20i, powered by a turbocharged 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine producing 150kW and 300Nm.
The high-performance X2 M35i xDrive uses a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine generating 233kW and 400Nm of torque. Both engines are paired with a seven-speed Steptronic transmission, but the M35i’s added power helps it sprint to 100km/h in 5.4 seconds.
The iX2 uses electric motors to produce up to 230kW (including temporary boost) and system torque of 494Nm. A 64.8kWh battery unit helps achieve a driving range of 417 – 449 kilometres on the WLTP cycle, with a maximum charging speed of 130kW, a 10 to 80 per cent top-up from a suitably fast DC rapid charger should take just 29 minutes. More details on this model are to come closer to its launch in Australia.
Inside, the cabin features a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel and a 10.7-inch central touchscreen housed behind a single piece of glass that curves towards the driver. The two displays run the latest version of BMW’s iDrive called Operating System 9, which includes a new “QuickSelect” feature that supposedly allows you to activate key functions without the need to trawl through submenus, and provides shortcuts.
Cabin space has been increased, including 25mm of extra kneeroom for those in the rear. There’s been big gains for luggage capacity as well, though the exact figures depend on which powertrain you opt for. The M35i boasts 560 litres of boot space – 90 litres more than the original X2 and 20 litres more than you get in the boxier BMW X1 in fact. That figure grows to 1470 litres with the rear seats folded down – 75 litres down on the equivalent X1.
The new BMW X2 and iX2 will make their public debut at the 2023 Tokyo Motor Show in October this year, before Australian deliveries begin in early 2024.