2025 BMW X2 M35i xDrive review

12/31/2024 08:00 AM

2025 BMW X2 M35i xDrive

It’s been a few years since BMW introduced its revised nomenclature, in which odd-numbered models changed to represent sedans and wagons, and even numbers represent coupes and convertibles – resulting in popular models like the 3 Series coupe becoming the 4 Series.

Some time has also passed since the first X2 was launched, having hit Australian roads in late 2017 – with the slick-back SUV also evolving into a more mature, albeit relatively small, SUV coupe.

Ignoring the closely related BMW X1 – which features a more traditional squared-off wagon rear-end – the sleek X2 range has a choice of two petrol variants and two electric versions, the latter known as the iX2 xDrive 20 and iX2 xDrive 30.

With Tom Fraser spending time with the petrol-powered X2 xDrive 20i back in July 2024, I jumped into the range-topping X2 M35i xDrive to find out what the model was all about.

How much is a BMW X2?

While BMW made its model line-up somewhat easier to understand with the odd and even numbers thing, the German car giant also decided to muddy the waters when it comes to understanding what engine is fitted to each model.

For example, my old BMW 535i, which is a 5 Series with a 3.5-litre inline six-cylinder engine. That made sense. Then a few years back, BMW changed all that, and now it’s somewhat more difficult to follow.

Interestingly, while both the range-topping X2 M35i xDrive and the entry-level X2 xDrive 20 are powered by 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engines, there’s a big difference in performance between the X2 xDrive 20i – priced from $75,900 before on-road costs – and this X2 M35i xDrive we have here, which starts from $92,900 before on-road costs.

That’s about $14,000 more than the model it replaced, and $2000 more than the X1 equivalent.

This particular vehicle was also optioned with BMW Individual Frozen Pure Grey metallic for an additional $5000, and 21-inch ‘Style 874’ alloy wheels for $2000 extra.

Speaking of badges, while the xDrive refers to the vehicle having all-wheel drive, the M35i part means this is a quasi M car – M being the performance division of BMW. That letter alone speaks volumes.

And it’s true – the X2 M35i xDrive comes with a healthy 233kW and 400Nm, helping to propel it to 100km/h from a standstill in just 5.4 seconds. When I was growing up, anything with a 0–100km/h time of under five seconds was firmly in supercar territory, and while this isn’t a sub-five car, it isn’t that far off. And it’s an SUV.

Along with the performance jump, the M35i comes with a long list of features, including LED headlights, adaptive M suspension, an automatic tailgate, powered and heated front seats, acoustic-glazed windows, a panoramic glass roof, M performance brakes, and 20-inch alloy wheels as standard.

There are also some M goodies, like a body kit, M3-style aero mirrors, and M3-style quad exhaust tips.

While there are a lot of options for quick SUVs in this price bracket, the Mercedes-AMG GLA35 is arguably its closest rival.

The GLA35 is more expensive, though, priced from $97,700 before on-road costs, powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine sending 225kW and 400Nm to all four wheels through an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. On-road performance is roughly on par, with a 0–100km/h time of 5.2 seconds.

Those looking for a sporty SUV should also consider the Audi RS Q3, which is priced from $101,215 before on-road costs. It’s powered by the company’s fruity 2.5-litre turbo-petrol five-cylinder engine making 294kW and 480Nm, matched to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and all-wheel drive, sending it from zero to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds.

The Audi is really more of a high-performance SUV, whereas the BMW takes it down a couple of notches – filling the space between vanilla family car and dedicated performance SUV.

How big is a BMW X2?

BMW took a big leap with the latest generation X2, as it now looks like a proper coupe-SUV – rather than the model it replaced, which you could be forgiven for thinking was nothing more than a 1 Series hatchback from a distance.

The new X2 has a more striking design, better on-road presence, and appears to be more mature than its predecessor.

In numbers, the BMW X2 is 4567mm long, 1845mm wide, and 1575mm high, with a wheelbase of 2692mm and a kerb weight of 1695kg.

While it’s roughly on par with the Audi, in terms of size, it is slightly longer than the AMG.

But step inside the X2 and it feels right, dimensionally. Not too small, not too big, and with an airy feel thanks to its glass panoramic roof and two-tone upholstery with Atlas Grey and Smoked White ‘Veganza’ perforated leather – a no-cost option.

On design, the cabin feels ultra modern but with some Art Deco influence – brushed aluminium, stitched leather, pinstripes, and geometric patterns. Initially, it’s a classy place to be. However, on closer inspection, each surface seems to have a different pattern in a different size, making some corners of the car feel busy and incohesive.

The wireless phone charger is easy to access, with its own little lap bar – like it’s about to go on a roller coaster ride.

The knurled volume wheel and drive selector in the floating centre console is neato, but I worry young, inquisitive hands could be tempted to start pressing buttons from the passenger seat. Also, the console lid opens towards the driver, which is awkward and lazy, given it wasn’t swapped for right-hand-drive markets.

What is absolutely wonderful to have back are real indicator and wiper stalks. Not the ones that return to centre, like we’ve had for too many generations, but stalks that click down (or up) and stay down (or up), making it easy to cancel. I can’t shake the feeling that someone on BMW’s board picked up the phone, called downstairs, and said “just stop it, already, with the annoying indicators”.

While I enjoyed the ambiance, parts of the X2’s cabin felt like a misstep. The door grab handles feel oversized and intrusive, while the doors themselves are much too light. There’s no weight to them. The rim of the M-Sport steering wheel, too, is so thick it borders on the absurd.

Am I the oracle of luxury interior design? Far from it. Am I nitpicking? Arguably. But at $100K, this BMW is playing in a crowded sandpit with some serious competition. Audi, Genesis, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volvo – some of these brands are at the top of their game, especially when it comes to cabin design… and details matter.

The second row offers reasonable levels of space, though the head room is slightly compromised by the sloping ‘coupe’ rear end. Rear-seat passengers get their own vents and two USB-C ports. Probably best suited for kids and young teenagers, or backwards-facing baby seats.

It’s the boot that benefits most from the long body. While the Audi claims to have more space with the seats down (1525 litres versus 1470L), with the 40:20:40 seats in the upright position, the BMW boasts 560L of space, against the Audi’s 530L and the Merc’s 435L.

Does the BMW X2 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?

The BMW X2 features a double-wide screen, with the 10.7-inch digital instrument cluster flowing into the 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen.

It features both wired and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, DAB+ digital radio, and satellite navigation – all running on the BMW iDrive 9 operating system. It’s easy enough to use and relatively quick, and is connected to a wonderful 12-speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

I appreciated the fact that the temperature controls were readily available on the touchscreen, no matter whether I was using the native operating system or Apple CarPlay.

What I really didn’t appreciate was the temperature slides are constantly animated – highlighted, almost like a sweeping turn signal. Despite having the eyesight of a naked mole rat, each night my peripheral vision would catch the small flash of red, drawing my attention away from driving for a split second before I remembered about the animated climate icons, and I’d return to my burrowing. I mean, driving.

At least BMW’s teams are consistent, because the digital instrument cluster is also overdesigned. Sure, the layout itself borders on beautiful when static, but I’m not hanging it on my wall. The gauges are downright confusing and hard to reference quickly. Humans have spent the past 120 years learning to read round gauges at a glance – let’s not stray too far from the path, please, BMW?

Then there are the driving modes to choose from: Efficient, Sport, Digital Art, Expressive, and Relax. If I have to Google what driving modes are, then it might be a good idea to just stick with the originals. Economy, Comfort, and Sport are pretty self-explanatory.

One of its cooler party tricks is the My BMW app, which allows you to use your phone to do things like lock and unlock the car remotely, locate the vehicle, view the car’s telemetry data, and check how much fuel is on board (so you know whether you need to leave for work five minutes early to fill up).

Is the BMW X2 a safe car?

The BMW X2 has not undergone testing by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program – better known as ANCAP.

ANCAP’s sister program, Euro NCAP, awarded the current X2 a five-star safety rating in 2024. The BMW received 85 per cent for the adult occupant category, 88 per cent for child occupant, 76 per cent for vulnerable road users (like cyclists and pedestrians), and 92 per cent for safety assist features.

What safety technology does the BMW X2 have?

As with the entire BMW X2 range, the M35i xDrive comes with Drive Assistant Professional, which includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, blind-spot monitoring, front collision warning, rear-collision prevention, and SOS calling.

The X2 also features cornering brake control, 360-degree cameras, and an accident black box – known as a drive recorder, which keeps info from the car’s cameras along with date, time, speed, and location info.

However, simply having these active safety features doesn’t mean they’re any good – but in this case, the systems worked perfectly, and I had no complaints. The mark of good driver assistance technology is the ability to help me complete my journey by lowering my stress levels, not adding to them, and the X2 passed the test with flying colours.

How much does the BMW X2 cost to run?

As with all BMWs, the X2 comes with a five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty and three years of complimentary roadside assistance.

Unlike most cars, which require services based on fixed dates or kilometres travelled, the BMW X2 features ‘condition-based servicing’.

In short, the car monitors the length of time since the last service, along with external temperatures, oil temperatures, engine running time, as well as how the vehicle is being driven, and calculates when it needs its next service. Drive the car hard and services will be sooner. Drive like my mother and they’ll be spaced at larger intervals.

For $2500, BMW offers the Service Inclusive Basic package, which covers the X2 for five years and 80,000km of servicing, or an average of $500 per year making it quite reasonable.

To insure the BMW X2 M35i xDrive comprehensively, expect to pay around $2907 annually. This is a comparative quote for a 35-year-old male living in Chatswood, NSW. Insurance estimates may vary based on your location, driving history, and personal circumstances.

That’s almost twice as much as my colleague Tom Fraser was quoted for the X2 xDrive 20i he reviewed back in July 2024, using the same parameters. What does it mean? The insurance company thinks you’re more likely to have an accident with all that extra power under your right foot, and will make you pay for the privilege.

Is the BMW X2 fuel-efficient?

BMW claims fuel economy cycles of 9.8 litres per 100 kilometres in the city, and 6.7L/100km on the highway, for a combined result of 7.8L/100km.

My time with the car saw numbers mostly in the eights, with the occasional push into nines and 10s when I was leaning on the car, and dipping into sixes when cruising.

It’s worth noting the X2 takes a minimum of 95RON petrol – also known as premium unleaded – and with a 54-litre fuel tank, it has an estimated average range of 692km. That figure could be as high as 806km if you’re sticking to freeways.

Officially, the X2 M35i xDrive puts out combined CO2 emissions of 178g/km, with the vehicle complying with Euro 6 rules.

What is the BMW X2 like to drive?

There’s no doubt the X2 M35i xDrive performs well out on the road – whether in the city, suburbs, or the country.

Though slightly on the firm side, ride quality is quite good, striking the right balance between comfort and response, so there’s no compromise when it comes to handling corners. There is a dynamic quality to this SUV that helps it shrink around you, almost convincing you that you’re driving a much smaller car – even with its long body.

The X2 isn’t ultra-sharp, but it’s light on its feet – like a welterweight dancing around the ring. And don’t underestimate its punch, even with that four-cylinder engine. The engine is brisk and reactive to the driver’s inputs, and gathers you to the speed limit well with the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

However, there is some turbo lag and transmission lag, and when combined with the auto start-stop – the fuel-saving feature that cuts the engine when you come to a halt – it’s horrendously, almost dangerously, slow off the line.

To the degree where it almost caused an accident within two minutes of my first jumping into the X2. A gap in traffic quickly disappeared while I waited for the BMW to process my throttle request, as if it was waiting to be counted in by a jazz maestro: “And a one, and a two, and a one, two, three, go…”.

Thankfully, once it is rolling and on boost, it has the power to offset its hesitation off the line.

It’s a shame BMW couldn’t use its fantastic eight-speed conventional automatic of the previous X2. Once going, the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is crisp and responsive and excellent, but the older generation has it beat for liveability day-to-day.

Despite having all-wheel drive, there was a hint of torque-steer through the front wheels on aggressive starts. Curiously, this latest X2 M35i xDrive is actually half a second slower on the 0–100km/h timesheet than the one it replaces. Big deal? No, not particularly.

Although I wasn’t a fan of the aforementioned steering wheel physically, the balance and feedback that comes through it is classic BMW. That is to say, very, very good, even if a little on the light side.

While the X2 is nice and quiet on the road, driving in sports mode increases the exhaust volume and delivers burbles and mild crackles – though these are seemingly delivered by the Harman Kardon sound system and probably won’t set off your neighbour’s car alarm.

Can a BMW X2 tow?

While some variants of the BMW X2 are rated to tow up to 1800kg braked (750kg unbraked), BMW does not list towing capabilities for the X2 M35i xDrive – possibly because a tow hitch may not be able to be fitted with the dual exhaust system.

However, the X2 M35i has a listed payload capacity of 570kg to account for occupants and luggage.

Should I buy a BMW X2?

The BMW X2 M35i xDrive is a lot of cars, all rolled into one package – which makes it a glass-full/empty scenario. It’s like a hot hatch that’s hit middle age – it can still dance with smaller and quicker cars to an impressive degree, but it’s best suited to being a slick-looking SUV with part-time family duties.

The X2 plays to its strengths well, and there’s a lot to like. One of the BMW’s best qualities is how it makes you feel when you get into it – it’s a lovely environment to spend some time, and while not executed perfectly, the Art Deco influence is a big drawcard for me.

But ultimately, the thing I keep returning to and I can’t seem to get over is the price. The X2 is the coupe version of the X1 – the entry-level SUV in the BMW range – and even being the best version of the X2, I struggled to justify the price tag. Most of my complaints could be forgiven if it was pitched at a lower price point, but this is effectively a six-figure vehicle, and it has to be treated as such.

However, if you live in an inner-city suburb where street parking can be a challenge, but you still need a car that offers some degree of space – as well as the ability to zip around – then the BMW X2 M35i xDrive begins to make a lot of sense. It’s also arguably more stylish than the X1, and fashion statements often mean a compromise in both price and practicality.

While the initial delay with the auto start/stop feature was painful, I suspect most owners will either turn it off or get used to it. Once the X2 gets going, it’s a relaxing, delightful car to drive, with some innovative design elements and a long list of helpful and appreciated features.

How do I buy a BMW X2? The next steps.

If you’re on the fence about switching to an electric car, the iX2 could be worth making the leap to. Or if you don’t need the performance of the M35i, be sure to check out the X2 xDrive 20i and save yourself some money.

BMW offers an online configurator for its cars, allowing you to see your preferred build before stepping onto a dealership forecourt.

You can find your local BMW dealership by clicking here, or head to Drive Marketplace, which has a wide selection of new, demo, and used BMW models for sale right now.

You can also stay up to date with all the latest news and reviews on the BMW X2 by visiting our online showroom found here.

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