ZEAL APPEAL

BMW X1's electric LWB iteration is here to spice things up, offering X3-like space with a price tag of 49 lakh. Is it too good to be true?

- KARAN MATHUR

The team at autoX is no stranger to the X1 - be it in its petrol, diesel, or electric guise. Regular readers will recall we extensively tested the standard iX1 in our four-way comparison against the Kia EV6 GT, Volvo XC40 Recharge, and Hyundai Ioniq 5. So, it's fair to say that we have a solid benchmark to measure its performance against most of its rivals.

However, BMW may have just checkmated the competition of that list with the new iX1 LWB. It gets more space and as an added bonus, it's assembled right here in India. That not only makes it a lot more affordable than its ICE and electric counterparts but also its aforementioned rivals.

SAME, SAME BUT DIFFERENT

Let's start with design and styling - an inherently subjective part of any review. If you liked the aesthetics of the standard (and now discontinued) iX1, you are going to love the new iX1 LWB. If not, well....I'm sorry but this one looks pretty much the same.