Is the 2016 BMW X1 rear-wheel drive?
2 Answers
The 2016 BMW X1 is not rear-wheel drive; starting from the 2016 model, the BMW X1 became a front-wheel-drive vehicle. The 2016 BMW X1 is a compact SUV with body dimensions of: length 4565mm, width 1821mm, height 1624mm, a wheelbase of 2780mm, a fuel tank capacity of 61 liters, and a curb weight of 1550kg. The 2016 BMW X1 features a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link independent rear suspension. It is equipped with a 1.5L turbocharged engine, delivering a maximum horsepower of 136 PS, a maximum power of 100 kW, and a maximum torque of 220 Nm, paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
I remember when I first got interested in the 2016 BMW X1, I also thought it still had the traditional rear-wheel-drive layout. In reality, this generation of the model has switched to a transverse front-wheel-drive platform, so the base version is front-wheel drive. The chassis code for this generation is F48, and BMW fitted it with the UKL front-wheel-drive architecture to free up more rear passenger space. However, BMW was clever enough to retain the xDrive all-wheel-drive version, which is noticeably more stable than regular front-wheel drive when cornering in the rain. The base version is light and agile to drive, but don’t expect it to drift like a rear-wheel-drive BMW. If your budget allows, going for the all-wheel-drive version is more versatile, especially in northern winters where it proves quite practical.