MotorMouths

The face-lift has done a fine job of righting the wrongs of the X1. It also has the right engine lineup for the U.S. Throw in a price point that opens the door for a larger chunk of the buying public compared to the 3 Series and it should do just fine, even if it’s a little small for a crossover.

The 2013 BMW X1 offers a mix of car-like performance, crossover-like utility, and a vaguely wagon-like shape. Given that the X1 drives so much like a car, it’s no surprise that handling is sharp.

The 2013 BMW X1 offers strong performance along with good fuel economy and all the utility expected of a premium crossover SUV.

If you’d like to have a hot-hatch based on the last 3-series, but with BMW’s latest generation of engine and transmission, the X1 xDrive28i makes one hell of a package. Even if it’s not the quite hot hatch you’ve wanted all these years.

Perhaps the best way to view the X1 is as a 1-series five-door hatchback, reconstituted in a shape designed to appeal to Americans. This is obvious pandering, but at least this faux SUV is well packaged, relatively efficient, and good to drive. In fact, it drives much like a BMW car.

For anyone who prefers a spirited driving character in his little ute, the X1 is a good thing. Just as with its larger siblings, the X3 and the X5, there’s nothing too dramatic about the X1’s exterior styling.

The X1’s new turbo four feels more powerful off the line and while accelerating in gear from low RPM. Both in town and on the highway, the new four-cylinder feels faster than the old six-cylinder without giving up any of the smoothness.

The BMW X1 might not be the Ultimate High-Riding Driving Machine (the X5 still holds that title), but the genes are there, and for the world’s wagon-averse, it offers a compelling blend of sport, fuel economy and cargo capacity.

While the BMW X1 won’t offer you the cavernous cargo capacity of a vehicle like the Subaru Outback, it will go just as many places with a lot more style, although you’ll pay a higher price for it.