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The X2 is BMW personified. Yes, there’s the famed M3, or the stolen-from-tomorrow i8, or the punchy 2-Series that recalls the old 2002s. But these cars capture BMW at its most outward self, the cars that it builds because top brass know they give purity to the rest of the bloodline. Empty the showroom of the halo models and you’re left with a lineup best captured by the 2019 BMW X2 – stylish, upscale, and flaunted like jewelry by the young millennials who lap up these upward-mobility machines.
What's New for 2019
An all-new variant known as the M35i adds some breadth to the X2 portfolio. The famed letter M isn’t there for show – it represents a more powerful engine, improved handling, and enough performance bits to let this crossover hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Additionally, the previous model's Convenience and Premium tiers are gone. Instead, each is now its own option package.
Choosing Your BMW X2
The X2 is what BMW calls a Sports Activity Coupe. In everyday English, that translates to a sleeker, swoopier version of the upright X1 upon which it's based on. While the wheelbase stays the same, overhangs are trimmed by three inches and the roofline now sits three inches closer to the ground. Despite the proportional trimming and massaging, total cargo volume remains a healthy 50.1 cubic feet. Comparatively, the X1 has just seven additional cubes of maximum Costco capacity. It's a similar story for the rest of the interior, as the X2 manages to retain nearly all the same key dimensions as its boxier brother. Other than the noticeable loss of head room, the snazzier X2 gives up little in everyday utility.
Most X2s will be built in the volume 28i spec, which harbors a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood. A twin-scroll turbo, direct injection, and variable valve timing conspire to make 228 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, the latter fully available at just 1,450 rpm. It’s enough power to merit a zero-to-60 mph time of 6.3 seconds. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to the front wheels. All-wheel drive – termed xDrive by BMW – is another $2,000. The M35i is a fresh addition for the 2019 model year. It comes with the right hardware that should silence those eager to dismiss it – forged crankshaft, bigger turbo, more boost, heavy-duty cooling, a trick front differential, and bigger brakes.
As seems to be standard operating procedure with BMW, the X2’s attractively low base price can and probably will quickly balloon once some of the many available options and packages are added. Standalone extras include $500 wireless charging and a wi-fi hotspot, a $875 Harmon Kardon surround-sound audio system, and a $200 sonar-based parking assistant. Dakota Leather is a $1,450 upgrade over the base leatherette.
28i
A front-wheel-drive sDrive28i is the cheapest way to get into an X2, carrying a sticker price of $37,395 (all prices include the $995 destination charge), which means the all-wheel-drive xDrive28i starts at $39,395. Refrain from tacking on any options, and your X2 will come with 18-inch wheels, a power tailgate, automatic climate control, LED headlights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. A 6.5-inch touchscreen display is the point of contact for the iDrive infotainment system.
The $2,350 Convenience Package includes a panoramic moonroof, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, power-folding mirrors with automatic dimming, SiriusXM radio, keyless entry, a universal garage door opener, and lumbar support. If the extra glass area isn't your thing, the panoramic roof can be deleted for a $1,150 credit, bringing down the total package cost to an even $1,200. The Premium Package costs $1,850 and includes a heated steering wheel, heated front seats, a head-up display, and an 8.8-inch touchpad-controlled center screen with navigation. There's also the opportunity within the package to purchase adaptive cruise control for another $1,000, but doing so will mean giving up the heated steering wheel. A Dynamic Handling Package is $600. It channels the spirit of earlier BMWs with 19-inch wheels, active body-roll stabilizers, dynamic dampers, and more precise M-Sport steering that offers extra feedback over the base setup.
Both the sDrive28i and xDrive28i can be had with the M Sport X Design for $4,650, raising the starting price to $42,045 and $44,045, respectively. It brings a dash of sporting character to the X2. Its curbside presence is accentuated with black trim and 19-inch wheels, while interiors get a sport steering wheel with paddle shifters and aluminum interior trim. On the functional end of things, there’s a sport-tuned version of the eight-speed transmission and an available sport suspension that costs $400. Buyers also get the contents of the Convenience Package included, while all other packages and options remain available. The M Sport X manages to neatly distance itself from its brethren by bridging the gap between the boulevardier 28i and the focused M35i – not too cushy and not too compromised, it represents the Goldilocks of the X2 lineup.
M35i
It’s the racecar of the group, the X2 for those who enjoy upright fishbowls with Hofmeister kinks putzing around autocrosses and road courses like a litter of intent puppies. The $47,445 X2 M35i is what happens when enthusiastic engineers are let loose on the volume crossovers.
It doesn’t cost much more than a SportX, but nearly everything mechanical has been improved or upgraded. The 2.0-liter turbocharged engine has been strengthened internally and sees the boost get cranked up. Ancillary items like the cooling system, brakes, and intake systems have all been improved upon. A sport suspension sits underneath to quell body roll and improve corning, and a trick limited-slip front differential makes a debut appearance. Inside, exclusive front seats with extra bolstering coddle driver and passenger. The steering has also been given a quicker ratio and the M Sport Suspension firms up the ride for better handling. Optional adaptive dampers are $500 and further amplify cornering prowess. The zero-to-60-mph time comes in at 4.9 seconds, a full 1.5 seconds faster than a 28i.
Only the Premium Package is available, as the other packages have had their contents made standard. Standalone options continue mostly unchanged.
While the M SportX looks like a nice middle ground between the demure 28i and the demon M35i, we find it too pricey a jump from the lower-spec car and too close for comfort to the genuine performance model. If it were us buying a 2019 BMW X2, we'd either tack on a few options to a standard model or make the jump to the genuinely hot M35i.
