REVIEW | The BMW X1 sDrive18d is a true fuel saver

“As slow as possible and as fast as necessary” is an excellent piece of wisdom imparted by off-road driving sages. It makes sense if you think about it: go cautiously, as expediently as conditions allow and you should make it through without mishap.

The same rule applies to economical driving. Take it easy, use that far-right pedal judiciously and ride the momentum. With fuel prices at record highs we could all benefit from a simple attitude adjustment. Driving hard and fast everywhere is not going to get you to your destination quicker.

And if it does, is the time saving really worth the additional fuel consumption? My plan for our test of the new BMW X1 sDrive18d was to see how much could be eked out of the tank over a loop from Roodepoort to uMhlanga, then to Port Edward and back.

It is true that diesel is no longer as fashionable as it was in the leading global markets whose trends dictate affairs in other regions. We know the push towards electrification is unrelenting. But in emerging economies such as ours, the high-viscosity, slow-burning diesel is relied upon by various industries, which is not likely to change overnight.

And when you see the low consumption figures yielded by models such as this X1, the benefits of diesel in passenger applications are hard to argue with. In the era before the lid was blown on the Volkswagen Group Dieselgate scandal, the fuel was touted as the future of motoring. Locally, we saw models such as the BMW 320d (E46) and Audi A4 (B6) 1.9 TDI winning South African Car of the Year titles in the early 2000s.

The latest BMW X1, now in its third iteration, goes by the official designation of U11 and is served in petrol, diesel and all-electric flavours. Pricing for the range starts at R760,000 for the sDrive18i; the basic sDrive18d comes in at R800,000 on the dot. Add another R40,000 if you want the M Sport grade. The electric iX1 xDrive30 goes for R1.14m in standard form. The motor in the sDrive18d is familiar to afficionados of BMW diesel derivatives. The B47 unit has a variety of applications in various states of tune. Turbocharged, it displaces 1,995cc and in the sDrive18d application produces 110kW and 360Nm. The manufacturer claims a consumption figure of 5l/100km, a 0-100km/h time of 8.9 seconds and a 210km/h top speed.

But forget about smashing sprint times or top-end speed. This X1 is all about smashing consumption figures, which we managed in rather spectacular fashion. Hitting the Start button on the central tunnel, the diesel BMW boots up with a relatively hushed tone, the characteristic diesel rhythm is suppressed, only audible when windows are open, amplified by the acoustics of an underground garage. All-wheel drive (xDrive); is not offered. But an unencumbered rear axle obviously has benefits for fuel consumption.

And unless you plan on going mudding, the front-driven X1 will manage fine in all conditions it was designed for. It has a sure-footed, well-damped ride quality (slightly firmer with the M Sport gear); a light, precise steering quality and sturdy feel overall. But let me tell you about the unbelievable consumption figures we achieved. Leaving Roodepoort at 7.30am the X1 was nosed sedately onto the N1 South before joining the N12 and settling onto the N3. The evening before, we topped up the tank up to the first click at BP Gordon Road: 2.19l of 50 PPM diesel at a cost of R50.70. Setting off at 7.28am, the vehicle was set to its Efficiency driving mode, opting to shift through the seven-speed manually via the steering-mounted paddles as early as possible. The air-conditioner was used prudently, at intervals, while the fan was run for most of the trip.

Speed was pegged from 80km/h to 110km/h with occasional runs at the national limit. Given how busy the N3 was with holidaymakers, a slow, steady pace was easy to settle into. Pulling into the Engen 1 Stop in Bergview, Harrismith, at 10.53am another tank top-up was completed. The X1 had used 8.69l of diesel (R203) to travel 287.5km. Our next refuel took place at Engen 1 Stop in Cato Ridge at 2.59pm, R230.61 was paid for a little over 10l to travel 254km. A bit more than the first quarter of trip: stop-go traffic through Pietermaritzburg, greater congestion through the double-lane sections of the N3 affected coasting habits.

Back-ups approaching toll gates also inevitably threw anchors on momentum. Cato Ridge was the last fill-up before the final destination in uMhlanga, 61km away. Arriving at 4.09pm the on-board computer showed a distance of 630.08km had been travelled since the test vehicle was collected on April 25. Average consumption? A ridiculously low 3.7l/100km. It took eight hours and 39 minutes to make the journey, including those two stops and N3 long-weekend traffic. The next day of driving involved a dash to Phoenix, then to Port Edward, a total of 196.5km. With the range display indicating well in excess of 1,100km, we opted to forgo topping up the tank. Before returning to Johannesburg, R263.90 was spent on 11.75l at the Caltex outside Port Edward.

Arriving home, the vehicle showed an average consumption of 4.6l/100km over the last 1,588km. So the X1 is a true efficiency champion. But what else does it have to offer? As an overall package, quite a bit. It could well be the sweetest spot of the entire product portfolio; boasting competitive pricing, dimensions that are just-right and aesthetics easier to love than many of the other contemporary BMW models.

Spending hours behind the wheel, the impressions of comfort and refinement were cemented. Its sizeable central screen and instrument cluster provide high-resolution displays. The main section is touch-operated; with no iDrive rotary controller as before, which did take some getting used to. The chunky, three-spoke wheel fits snugly in the palm and the singular middle ventilation slot echoes a vibe of the classic BMW E36 cabin. In all, the new X1 is an endearing sport-utility vehicle with a broad appeal and in the case of the diesel, exceptional fuel economy.

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