3rd Gen BMW 1-Series and 3rd Gen BMW X6

BMW sure knows how to mix the things that were right like the 3-Series and the 5-Series with the things that were wrong like the Active Tourer and any other Sport Activity Coupes in the range but due to BMW's newly-found progressiveness, the things that were wrong are starting to tilt in favor and such examples is the all-new, front-wheel drive, 1-Series, and the all-new X6, the one that gave birth to the coupe utility niche. Let's observe the whys of both of these wrongfully-minded Bimmers no one saw them coming.

2020 BMW 1-Series

In the beginning, most 1-Series hatchbacks are rear-wheel drive and they are a cahoot to drive in the beginning but there was one problem with the 1-Series; the space. To resolve the space issue, BMW committed the unthinkable by turning the 1-Series hatchback from a tail-happy rear-wheel drive hatchback into a more politically-correct front-wheel drive. That move disappoints many BMW fans since they've launched their first front-wheel drive car, the 2-Series Active Tourer MPV but it's a bit more complicated than that.

2020 BMW 1-Series

2020 BMW 1-Series interior

Checking on the design department, the all-new 1-Series hatchback is not a bad car to look at, except for the front face which, in BMW levels, looks odd. And then there's the interior design, which comes with a wide variety of modes to toy around such as the infotainment system, the climate control, the smartphone connectivity, and so on. Because it runs on a new FAAR platform, which is the future of front-wheel drive cars the BMW will make, especially the next Mini, it's now surprisingly the most spacious 1-Series ever made and on the boot, you can now fit so many things that the previous models can't.

2020 BMW 1-Series

Continuing on the FAAR platform, the front-wheel drive layout of the 28,200 Euro BMW 1-Series really means mild on the corners, making it one of the easiest cars to drive with, although some are unhappy with the change because they want to be as fun-to-drive as its predecessors. Even the range-topping M135i xDrive couldn't make the cut rather well because its front-biased rather than rear-biased like you get in the now defunct Ford Focus RS, meaning it behaves like an Audi S3 hatchback but again, more complicating than that. Couple that with numerous tech built for driving and safety alike and the result is a more questionable hatchback that leaves drivers scratching their heads for more.

The new, front-wheel drive BMW 1-Series is one of the worst offenders from BMW because of the un-BMW-ish dynamics that will upset longtime fans but hey, this is how BMW succumbed to progressiveness and progressives like to try new things that will benefit not just themselves but also the world. Still, the front-wheel drive 1-Series wasn't the least of our problems because there's another one that is a bit more slop-sided.

2020 BMW X6

2020 BMW X6

In the beginning, BMW was the first to introduce the coupe utility niche with the X6 and as far as owners believed, the X6 is too cramped, too complicated, and too expensive, meaning they have to travel different parts of the world for some explanations. With the new, third-generation, BMW X6, the first coupe utility has stepped into the next level of whatever it throws at them.

First and foremost, the styling is slightly an improvement compared to the previous X6, the one you don't want to see in your rear view mirror because of the House call coming to hound you down at the dead of night, until you get to the most noticeable feature of all. Yep, the new X6 features an illuminated BMW kidney grille and that's rather flashy and scary at the same time. It's like it's been made by a speedo boy in his garage putting up lots of lights on his car to make it more shiny than the rest.

2020 BMW X6 interior

And then there's the interior which pulls all right nooks and crannies like every car in the world should and despite its sloping roofline, it's slightly less cramped compared to the last one and slightly more spacious as well. However, if you are snoozing at your sweet spot, you are not safe when your Dad started toying around with the voice command system a la Alexa and when he does, expect some rambling involved over just how Alexa-ish the car's voice command system is.

2020 BMW X6

BMW has done some improvements that will keep this 75,500 Euro X6 satisfying to drive than its predecessors and they've provided numerous options to choose from such as the xOffroad package which includes a two-axle air suspension and an electronically controlled rear differential making it capable to drive almost anywhere. Although not as good as a Range Rover, the xOffroad package really spells good news for the drivers. On the normal side, it feels slightly improved compared to the previous model, meaning it's now behaving slightly well in the bends and it's slightly less milder compared to the previous model. This giant mace is becoming more livelier than before.

The range-topping M50i uses the same 4.4L V8 engine as the other M Performance cars, the same 8-speed automatic and the same xDrive all-wheel drive, meaning it is capable of going from 0-100kph in 4.3 seconds and top speed electronically limited to 250kph. That sounds very sensuous for the drivers but if they want some meat to their X6, there's the M50d with its 3.0L six-cylinder quad-turbo engine with 760Nm of torque. However, the latter may not work in today's Europe because, let's be honest, no one in Europe today is a fan of diesels these days.

If you were going to pick the lesser of the two evils from BMW, it's hard to decide which will go because none of these two will tickle the fancies of every Bimmer fan today. Yes, the new 1-Series is a treason to the BMW heritage because of its FF layout and the new X6 scares the sheep out of heck because of its terrifying illuminating kidney grille, but either way, there's nothing bad about giving them some love because they deserve more attention than being themselves, as is.

Photo: BMW AG