2024 BMW X2 Road Test and Review

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

As one of the smallest, most affordable BMWs in the U.S., the 2024 BMW X2 faces a difficult challenge. It must be good enough to avoid embarrassing its storied luxury brand, yet also inexpensive enough to justify its own existence. 

The X2 is a subcompact “SUV coupe,” meaning a more rakishly styled version of the boxier BMW X1. Priced from $42,000, it undercuts the compact-sized X3 ($46,900) and the X4 – the X3’s own SUV coupe variant – at a steep $55,000. The X2 is fully redesigned this year, and it’s also more expensive than before. We just spent a week testing this all-new entry-level BMW to explore its pros and cons. Keep reading to see if it’s the right small luxury SUV for you. 

A Bigger Subcompact

The redesigned 2024 BMW X2 has grown up. A passenger asked us, “This is really a subcompact?” It’s now 7 inches longer, about an inch wider, and 2.5 inches taller. This not only gives it a roomier interior than before (as we’ll discuss later) but also a more SUV-like appearance. While the old X2 looked more like a hatchback, the taller new model clearly takes its place among BMW’s crossover lineup. 

The X2’s big “kidney” grille also makes it an obvious BMW. And it’s a BMW for extroverts. Like the latest BMW 5 Series and i5 sedans, the front end also gets a three-tone treatment: a mix of the body’s paint color with a chrome-trimmed grille and large black areas of the bumper below it. Our more aggressive-looking M Sport test vehicle also has a more blacked-out front than the more conventional-looking X1, the X2’s mechanical twin. And then there’s the X2’s “coupe” shape, with a roof that tapers slowly from the rear passenger door down to slim but angular taillights. Some folks will find the effect too much, but BMW will happily sell them an X1 if they’d like a toned-down appearance. Also, unlike the X1, the X2 doesn’t have a rear windshield wiper. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

The Latest in BMW Infotainment

Last year’s X2 had a classic BMW interior design, not unlike a 20-year-old BMW SUV except for an 8.8-touchscreen perched atop the dash. The new 2024 X2 adopts the latest in BMW infotainment: a big curved display that combines the digital gauge cluster with a 10.7-inch touchscreen. BMW’s infotainment system is easier to use than many other luxury brands’, though our X2 test vehicle had a few glitches during our week. Sometimes it refused to clear a message blocking the display that asked us to agree we’d pay attention to the road. Other times the radio would refuse to load until we switched frequencies back and forth. But when it did cooperate, the screen looked good and wasn’t too challenging to use. We’d wish for a few more physical controls, but BMW aimed for minimalism apart from the screens. 

The cabin also has elements of design flair. The big, sturdy interior door pulls are both beautiful and functional. The slim center console floats above an open storage area (though this approach gives up a deep, private bin). And other automakers should copy a holder that secures your phone to the wireless charger. The interior isn’t overtly posh, but it feels appropriately expensive if you prefer digital dazzle to extra-soft leather. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Roomier Interior

We mentioned that the X2 has grown in its redesign, and you feel that in the little SUV’s interior. Now, four adults have enough legroom to sit comfortably – no less so than in the larger, more expensive BMW X3 and X4. And a fifth can squeeze in as well. The X2 uses a front-wheel-drive platform (though with standard all-wheel drive) shared with BMW’s Mini brand, and that’s a more space-efficient configuration than the X3 and X4’s rear-drive roots. 

Standard comfort amenities include power front seats with memory settings for the driver, along with leatherette upholstery. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel are paired together in a $550 option package, but even for $52,195, our test vehicle didn’t include ventilated front seats or heated rear seats. BMW reserves them for its even pricier SUVs. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

More Cargo Room Than You’d Think, Too

The classic drawback to an SUV coupe like the X2 is cargo space. But thanks to its more generous size and higher roof, the X2 has gotten more useful. Now, it provides 25.3 cubic feet of luggage space behind the rear seat – up from 21.6 cubic feet last year – and 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down. 

These numbers barely lag the boxier BMW X1 (25.7 cubic feet and 57.2 cubic feet, respectively); the biggest difference is if you’re carrying something big and bulky, which might bump into the X2’s rear windshield or intrusive liftback hinges. On the plus side, the X2’s rear seat folds in a handy 40-20-40 split, which means you can customize where you’d like someone to sit versus where you’d like your extra cargo room. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

More Power and Better Gas Mileage

The 2024 BMW X2 comes standard with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine making 241 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. That’s up from 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque in last year’s X2, and it lets the X2 xDrive28i like our test vehicle zip to 60 mph in 6.2 seconds. At the same time, switching from an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic makes the X2 more economical at the same time that it has grown bigger and more powerful. In EPA testing, the xDrive28i makes an excellent 24 mpg in the city, 33 mpg on the highway, and 28 mpg combined; we edged that out to average 29 mpg during our weeklong test. 

The downside to the new transmission is that the X2 doesn’t always accelerate smoothly. We sometimes found the turbo and the transmission fumble to respond to hurried acceleration, such as trying to jump into a gap in traffic. When you time things right, this little BMW is undeniably quick and sounds nice for a four-cylinder. There’s also an M35i model with the same powertrain retuned to 312 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It needs just 5.2 seconds to reach 60 mph and gets 26 mpg in mixed driving. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Agile Handling

BMWs have always promised lively handling, and the X2 has the high limits you’d expect from this brand. It’s more athletic than a Mercedes-Benz GLA or Audi Q3, yet it also rides comfortably. 

The X2 doesn’t have the most polished manners in the luxury SUV segment. To us, the steering feels darty and unnatural. While a BMW X3 or X4 feels honed to perfection for both easy confidence and high-speed thrills, the X2 is a less incredible machine. It checks the boxes for driving dynamics without going the extra mile. Recall that the X2 shares its bones with a Mini, while the X3 and X4 are mechanically linked to the BMW 3 Series sports sedan. These SUVs all handle well, but the X2 is less sophisticated. If you don’t feel this from behind the wheel, good news – it means you don’t have to pay extra for a pricier BMW. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Priced From $42,000

The 2024 BMW X2 starts at $42,000 with its base 241-hp engine. All-wheel drive, convincing synthetic-leather upholstery, and power-adjustable front seats with driver memory come standard.

Our test vehicle came with three major packages: the $4,000 Premium Package (a panoramic sunroof, a wireless smartphone charger, the ability to use your smartphone as a car key, power-folding exterior mirrors, and a Harman Kardon premium stereo); the $1,700 Driving Assistance Pro Package (adaptive cruise control and related driver aids); and the $2,500 M Sport Package (sportier exterior and interior styling, better-bolstered front seats, and a sport-tuned suspension). A $650 coat of Skyscraper Grey paint, $550 for heated front seats and a heated steering wheel, $300 for remote start, and a $995 destination charge brought the total cost to $52,195. That’s on the high side for a subcompact crossover, even from a top-tier luxury brand. Last year’s X2 started at a more competitive $36,600 with front-wheel drive (no longer available) and $38,600 with AWD. The 312-hp 2024 X2 M35i, meanwhile, starts at $51,400. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Competitors to Consider

As we mentioned, the X2 costs more than most of its competitors, including the Audi Q3, Mercedes-Benz GLA, and Volvo XC40. On the flip side, it’s also quicker, more economical, and more agile than these competitors. It’s roomier than the Mercedes, sleeker-looking than the Volvo, and more richly finished than the Audi. And to us, the Q3 and XC40 feel more steady, confident, and substantial than the eager, frenetic, and light X2. 

The X2’s other natural rivals are from the BMW brand. The boxier BMW X1 costs $1,500 less than a comparable X2 and has more room with no objective downsides. The X2 is the niche alternative for folks who’d like to pay a bit more and give up a bit of functionality for its more distinctive design. If you don’t mind a boxy shape, we’d also shop the X2 against the BMW X3 ($46,900 with rear-wheel drive, $48,900 with all-wheel drive). It’s the BMW that drives like a BMW, and it doesn’t cost that much more. Still, if you like how the X2 drives, the X3 has minimal extra room to justify that price. And if you like how the X2 looks, the X3’s coupe counterpart – the X4 – costs at least $55,000. 

2022 Audi Q3 ・ Photo by Brady Holt

Final Thoughts

On paper, the 2024 BMW X2 is a standout. Sleek yet roomy, quick yet economical, and smooth-riding yet agile, it’s a subcompact SUV that’s both fun and practical. 

What the X2 lacks is BMW’s typical level of polish. There isn’t the harmony between the engine and transmission or the steering and the suspension that we love about many of the brand’s vehicles, even its SUVs. Given its high price for its class, we wish the X2 had more all-around grace. Still, the X2 already drives well by many standards, especially if you want lively acceleration from your subcompact crossover. If you don’t miss bigger BMWs’ extra touch of polished perfection, the X2 can serve you well. 

2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i ・ Photo by Brady Holt