BMW Malaysia has announced a new addition to the popular BMW iX1 here in Malaysia, with the introduction of a new eDrive20 M Sport variant. The new entry-level iX1 is priced at RM264,000 (RM249,800 without the five-year unlimited-mileage and free service package) on-the-road, without insurance – or RM26,000 cheaper than the xDrive30 M Sport variant that was launched here last year.
The 2024 BMW iX1 eDrive20 M Sport is available for booking from 1 May onwards at authorised BMW dealerships nationwide.
Unlike the car that was shown off in the global debut last year, the BMW iX1 eDrive20 will arrive in Malaysia with the M Sport exterior package, which includes sportier bumpers, blacked-out exterior details, and 19-inch M double-spoke style 871 M light-alloy bicolour wheels, the latter being the same ones on the more expensive xDrive30, to better suit our Malaysian car buyers’ tastes.
The BMW iX1 eDrive20 M Sport does differentiate itself with a variant-exclusive patterned solid panel grille, as opposed to the more “traditional” vertical slats that you get on its sibling. Otherwise, the rest of the exterior equipment are identical between the two, including the adaptive LED headlights, LED tail lights, and the M Adaptive suspension.
Similarly, the two variants also share many of their interior equipment, including the BMW Curved Display on the dashboard featuring a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and 10.7-inch infotainment display running on the latest BMW Operating System 9 software, head-up display, two-zone automatic climate control, powered M Sport seats with memory function for the driver, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, as well as a Harman Kardon HiFi sound system.
The eDrive20 M Sport’s interior is upholstered in either Veganza faux-leather, or a combination of Alcantara and Veganza, as opposed to the Vernasca leather or Alcantara/Sensatec combination on the more expensive xDrive30 M Sport. The interior trims get the same ‘Hexacube’ design, however, albeit in a darker finish.
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The main differentiator between the two variants is the powertrain; the cheaper eDrive20 variant makes do with just a single motor on the front axle, with up to 204 hp (150 kW) and 250 Nm of torque available when the Sport Boost function is activated. In this configuration, the iX1 eDrive20 accelerates from 0-100 km/h in 8.6 seconds (compared to 5.6 seconds on the xDrive30), before reaching a top speed of 170 km/h.
It does still share the same 64.8 kWh (usable) battery pack as its elder sibling, and due to its single motor setup, the BMW iX1 eDrive20 M Sport boasts a slightly higher driving range of 475 km (WLTP) – 37 km more than the xDrive30.
Charging speeds are identical for both variants, with the eDrive20 coming with an onboard 11 kW AC charger that enables a full charge from 0-100% in 6.5 hours. DC fast charging is supported at up to 130 kW, translating to a 10-80% charge in 29 minutes.
For its advanced safety kit, the new eDrive20 variant comes with the more basic Driving Assistant package, as opposed to the Driving Assistant Plus that the xDrive30 gets as standard. Standard features on the eDrive20 include autonomous emergency braking, rear cross traffic alert with colision prevention, lane change warning, and exit warning. Parking Assistant Plus is also standard here, which includes the Reversing Assistant feature and 360-degree camera.
Interestingly, customers are able to subscribe to the Driving Assistant Plus package through the brand’s BMW ConnectedDrive store, which will net you additional features such as Level 2 semi-autonomous driving capability, lane departure warning, and speed limit info. The package will cost RM167.55 a month, RM1,675.51 per year, RM2,606.35 for three years, or RM3,273.36 as a lifetime purchase. A three-month free trial is also available.
Fortunately, you won’t have to subscribe to the eight-year/160,000-km battery warranty, plus the BMW roadside assistance and accident hotline as well as BMW Service Online, all of which will come as standard with every purchase.
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