The two BMW bestsellers in our big comparison review: BMW X1 versus the BMW X3 SUV comparison, with AKMotoblog. Let's go here with the X1 in the front, which has the larger double kidney in the front, the new BMW design is even bolder and even stronger in colors. Blue Bay Lagoon for the X1. This greenish or turquoise note in the blue vehicle is a very interesting color indeed.
There's also a darker blue available for the X1 if you like, and here we have the Alpine White for the X3. It's also a large double kidney, recently also facelifted this X3 but not as large. So, they have some similarities, both are also equipped with the M Sport Pack, that's why they both have this black accentuation here in the lower part. The X3 being the bigger brother of course a little bit stronger, a little bit higher in the front but I think both work design-wise.
What's your take? Turning indicator comparison here in the front, interesting here, this goes to the X1 because we have the dual turning indicators and you can see it also has this pulsing effect and maybe you have seen it's even more obvious here now that the daytime running light signature here is this L form, this, you know, this lying L form with the X3 but then it's kind of like just topsy-turvy with the X1. Do you see that?
Length difference and suspension
In the side profile, the length difference here, is the BMW X1, is 4.50m or 177 inches whereas 21cm or 8 inches longer, here the X3 at 4.71m or 185 inches. So, indeed a notable length difference.
Styling-wise, you see just a little bit higher, typical SUV style, the X1 a little bit lower, you might also argue somewhat crossover direction, both equipped with the M Sport Pack. To compare it here for example with painted wheel arches each, I think it looks really cool, really sporty. Wheels here from 17 to 20 inches, these ones are the 19-inch wheels, on the X3, 18 to 21, so 1 inch higher each but these are the 20-inch wheels, so also very comparable spec indeed.
Which one do you like better here in the side profile? Tell me in the comments and last but not least about the suspension, also pretty similar, you have a base suspension, you have a fixed sport suspension or you have the adaptive suspension and both test vehicles are equipped with the adaptive suspension today, so we can even better compare the driving part.
Rear and indicators
In the rear, I think they work both very well design-wise, the X3 since the most recent facelift has these new three-dimensional tail lamps here with a nice signature, which I think is a beautiful job, lower part with the M Sport Pack with the black contrast and real exhaust tips, so no job for the Autogefühl fake exhaust police for today because here there's just no fake exhaust tip at all, it's hidden underneath and that's also a way to go and once again M Sport with a similar insert and here the different signature, yeah, I think here it's just matter of preference but both very beautiful in the design or what do you think, tell me in the comments. Turning indicators, however, here is a clear win for the X3.
Key fobs
Key fob comparison, is the X1 here, the newer one, more high gloss black, a little more modern, here the more classic old school X3, which one would you take? As for me, yeah, I know, real buttons straightforward here and no high gloss black, the buttons are here at the side, so for me, it's that one.
Interior comfort BMW X1 M Sport
Let's get to the interior of the X1, here we have flush door handles but they still have the normal manual opening and here is also feedback, I think that's a good compromise between looks and aerodynamics and still having this classic feedback of a door handle.
Door closing sound... definitely solid and inside of the doors, high-grade leatherette, Sensatec, and here this beige trim, I love that color, especially with the blue exterior, and then this beige or oyster interior, it's pretty cool, different colors are available, also brown or black and this is all the Veganza material, so this new BMW leatherette, high grade, you can see you have it in the completely shiny part, let's call it that way, and the perforated part for better ventilation while seating a passive one.
Let's get inside and you already have a nice entry, it is basically, yeah, it feels like a grown-up SUV although it's the smaller one here and you have great comfort, it's really soft and headroom here with 189 or 6'2" without the panoramic roof, no problem at all, even with the panoramic roof, you would get along as a tall person, steering wheel here with a manual control up and down but really smooth in the process.
By the way, the perforated Veganza, it's the sport seat, there is also a base seat with fabric available without that shoulder support here.
Cockpit and interface X1
The interior cockpit overview in the X1 is cleaner and more modern here with this integrated curved screen, two individual screens on there then and you don't have this iDrive controller here, I'm missing that definitely but then again, it looks cleaner but, yeah, to reach to the touchscreen, to me, not ideal. What's beautiful here, is the Sensatec dashboard, very good quality, overall, the build quality of this vehicle is outstanding, especially for this segment. Digital instruments, are clear, modern, and nice to read, I think this is just a matter of preference if you prefer the X3 or here X1. You can see it's a very good display with, nice wide integration.
This is the BMW menu, a little bit overloaded, I think, but you get along when you know which ones you really, really need. Here, on the left side, you always have hotkeys, and the temperature is always here, or the climate menu where you control the seat heating. To me, a little bit too complicated. You have all functions but I don't want to do that while driving.
And you see this integrated shifting lever, you have a less typical BMW sport feeling but then again, it's really clean and integrated. However, we still have a manual volume jog here. Cup holders are not adaptive, that's hit and miss definitely, bottles fly around but here, that's cool, it's the seat belt for your smartphone, you can secure it like this, and behind it is an inductive charging pad and it's actually also cool that it doesn't overheat.
Rear seat X1
Rear seats, a nice design there in the middle console, and two USB-C chargers. Let's get inside. We have the same nice seat materials, look pretty amazing. Inside of the door is hard pack in the rear but it has a nice structure so it doesn't look hard pack actually and then it's soft touch here with the Sensatec material at the inside of the doors. Harman Kardon sound system also in the rear and well, you have this recess here in the seat but it needs to be a little bit higher that the recess really fits for the knees very well. So, for tall adults in the rear, when tall adults are driving, kind of a problem here in the X1, not the best. The headroom is no problem at all and the seat comfort is also very good.
Yeah, again, this seat needs to be a little bit higher, then it would also work for me but I usually have the seat in the lowest position then. In the middle seat here, works too as for my height, also from the comfort, just again, this legroom thing, yeah, it's a shorter SUV and you do feel that here. However, you can also adjust the back part here of the seat, that's good also from the build quality and this here plug-in hybrid model, when you have a pure combustion engine X1, then you can also get the movable bench by 13 centimeters or 5 inches front and back and yeah, this helps to be a little bit more flexible. However, the plug-in hybrid bench is not higher.
Interior comfort BMW X3 M Sport
Interior of the X3 now. First of all, the door closing sound... it's actually good as well but I feel the X1 was even better there. Then, inside of the doors, also the Sensatec, a little bit harder I feel though, galvanization of the buttons here for the window levers, nice, but make no mistake, this is a 100 Euro extra and that can't be that they make so many extra options.
Then, the interior is a little bit more classic, traditional setup, also buttons on the steering wheel, same for both. Seats here also Sensatec is available in different colors, and perforations as well, so this has been introduced with the face-lift. However, the material is very good already, yes, but the Veganza in the X1 is a little bit softer than this one here. When you get inside, the seating position is kind of different, yes, you sit a little bit higher, and you have a more grown-up SUV feeling, but then again, the seat ergonomics like of the seat itself is better in the X1 together with the more soft material that adapts more to your body.
So, you have a somewhat cooler command driving position from the general feeling, but then again, the seating comfort is definitely better in the X1. Here, of course, you also have a lot of headroom with 189 or 6'2".
Cockpit and interface X3
Interior cockpit overview of the BMW X3, the bigger one, same as, also real buttons on the steering wheel, but then here we still have a manual climate unit, that's a better user interface, I feel. Screens are separated into digital instruments and the main infotainment unit, and the base version starts smaller, and here are the optional or higher trim solutions, then the screens are a little bit bigger than in the X1. The digital instruments, ooh, they have here the old styling, but I mean, I also like it, so that's my personal preference.
I would say both do the job. The infotainment system is here the OS7, so the older version. On the one hand, it's easier. Also, here on the left side, you can see this is then the car menu where I have the driving information pretty quickly available. That is better, I think, and you can also see I can also control it from below because I still have this lower control unit. So, with both pros and cons, Apple CarPlay integration also works very well.
The thing is that here, it sometimes is a little bit slower and fails a little bit more often with the wireless connection, but that's, you know, one advantage of the OS8 where it's quicker and more reliable. Here, this lower middle console, yeah, I just like to control down here, so while driving, it's easier, and also the real shifting lever in the X3, it takes more space, it also stands out. Yeah, I know what you're thinking, but I just think it's a little bit better to have this
feeling, this connection to the vehicle, and then, the front part, yeah, the, okay, that happened. Interesting. That's not that good. I get kind of get stuck here.
Here, the cup holders, that is better. They are adaptive. That's better than in the X1 and the inductive charging pad.
Rear seats X3
X3 interior in the rear, a stronger middle tunnel because of the rear wheel drive platform inside of the doors here with a soft touch Sensatec, so that's a little bit better, I would say, but what about the space and the legroom and so on? Shoe tap, of course, signature Autogefühl move. Yeah, I mean, here, the seat itself is a little bit higher by default, so you have more space for your feet even though when the seat is in the lowest position, and then, it also fits well with the recess, so let's say maybe a little bit better, but it's more about the height, so if you put the X1 driver seat a little bit higher, it's more or less comparable.
Here, maybe a little bit more, but not that it would justify the length of the car. It has additional headroom, no problem at all, and in the middle seat, is it comparable? Yes, you have this bigger tunnel here, as I said. You can also sit here, so yeah, the rear space, is a little bit better here with the X3, but not the largest difference. Is the difference then in the trunk? Now, it's time for the big trunk comparison, or is it big?
Trunk comparison
That's cool, right? So, let's start here with the X1, and the main thing for me here is, is there a length difference? I know what you're thinking. Here, there are almost 90 centimeters or 35 inches, 490 liters here, also for the plug-in hybrid. You have some more space underneath, for example, for the charging cable, and then, 450 liters
for the X3 in this plug-in hybrid version, although here, I remember this step also from the US-spec version from pure petrol engine to put replacement tire underneath, and yeah, liter figure-wise, a little bit limited, and now, the astonishing thing is, when you measure here the standard trunk length, it is less than 90 centimeters or 35 inches, especially with that step here. So, yeah, the charging cable needs to be put on top, no space underneath here.
So, that's astonishing, right? I mean, it's really the way longer vehicle here with the X3, but the rear space, is just a little bit longer, and the trunk is even a little bit shorter. Yeah, it's all about that this one just has the longer hood.
Engine choices
Engine comparison, I just love that shot. So, very interesting, 2-liter 4-cylinder petrol and diesel for both, but then, on the lower end, a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder for the X1. The plug-in hybrid is also based on that, and on the other side, the X3 here with the longer hood houses also 6-cylinder engines, especially for the performance models.
Driving BMW X1 30e
Today, it's both about the plug-in hybrid. An interesting thing is here that the battery is bigger with the X1, so higher electric range for the X1. Welcome to Thomas's comparison driving lounge. We're starting with the BMW X1, in this case, with the plug-in hybrid 30E.
What you immediately realize is when you go off the throttle, you always, or most of the time, have some kind of recuperation. It is, however, also adaptive here in that standard mode. So, for example, when there's no one in front of me, the car is just rolling, and I don't see any recuperation. Inside the city, when the car is in front of me, I go off the throttle, and it does directly go into the regenerative braking, and it does decelerate, although you're just leaving your foot off the throttle like in an electric vehicle, for example.
This is really good to know, but this adaptive system, it's not that, you know, predictable in a way, that's the con side, but then again, it helps to adapt to the situation. My modes, I can pick the sport mode, a little bit more complicated than it used to be, I would say, and you can also go to the S shifting mode, and then we can accelerate from 50 kilometers an hour to, let's see 120, and we have to stop for a moment because there's a car next to us, so we'll take that on the left lane. In the US, we could overtake on the right side, but we can't do it here in Germany.
Unlimited speed is possible here on this motorway when the traffic allows it, and when we're already at speed here at 115 kilometers an hour, let's go, 150, and 170 kilometers an hour, so pretty good in the acceleration in the whole X1 lineup. This plug-in hybrid here is one of the quickest with 5.7 seconds to 100 kilometers an hour or 62 miles an hour. The iX1 is just a little quicker, 5.6, and the quickest then will be the M350i, the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder tuned to this M Performance model, so to speak.
Here the plug-in hybrid has a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder. You maybe heard that, did you? Tell me in the comments, and it sounds somehow sportier and cooler than the 4-cylinder. I'm always skeptical, however, with the 3-cylinder engines because they decrease the, you know, the CCM, so they decrease the displacement and put up the horsepower figure to total system output with the electric motor, of course, 330 horsepower, and I'm always more a fan of more liters and higher displacement, but less horsepower, so the engine is not
that tuned that much, but it delivers definitely, and when you really hit the throttle, you feel that in the first moment, you get some kind of electric boost. This is, by the way, always available, the electric boost, even if the battery is depleted because they always keep some kind of a buffer that the electric boost is always available.
You can also pull this left shifting lever, so even when you are, for example, not in the sport mode and also here now in the normal personal mode, then the design changes, that's pretty cool, spectacular. You can pull this lever here, and then you get to the sports boost mode, and you basically have the same experience as we just had, so this is also some kind of shortcut when you don't want to switch through the modes, and, whoa, that is quick, you know.
We were already driving 150 kilometers an hour. It does well here on the German Autobahn. Wind noises here at 160 kilometers an hour pick up here a little bit there, but, I mean, this is on a very high level. It's generally a pretty silent vehicle, and it also feels so well implanted, so you do get a grown-up SUV feeling, although it's the smallest SUV in the BMW lineup.
Suspension and steering X1
We have the adaptive suspension here, so it's also a little bit stiffer in the sport mode, and it's got 19-inch wheels, so we have a good sporty feeling here, lane change at higher speeds, such a good test here. It's really a lot of fun. The steering here is pretty crisp and precise, more precise than in the BMW 3 Series actually, and I have no idea why the steering feeling in the BMW SUVs is better than in the, should be, benchmark 3 Series sedan.
I talked about that to BMW, and I hope they will increase it or improve it for the next 3 Series overhaul. We'll, of course, keep you updated on that. One more acceleration here, so you have more than enough power with this plug-in hybrid here, no doubt about that, and also a lot of driving fun. This compact dimension, speaks for the X1 also in driving. I will expect, from my experience, that the X1 is more fun to drive, at least that's what I think right now. When we soon hop over to the X3, we will, of course, testify that, or, oh, you've seen that?
Here, this personal driving mode, does not hop back to the menu where I was before, so we always have to then, for example, go back or go back to the GPS again. That's something I think they need to improve then with the next software version. The OS9 will also be available soon when you watch this video at the production date, soon also in the X1, also retrofitted to other X1, or then already in the X1 when you watch this video, maybe a year later or something like that, you know, decreasing the speed, then we have recuperation. That's, of course, a good thing with the plug-in hybrid, so we can use the recuperation, yes, but the big question is also with the plug-in hybrids here, does it make sense in a way of built-in hybrids like a Toyota system or something?
No, it does not, so when the battery is depleted like now, it just gives you like 7 liters on 100 kilometers consumption, so 35 mpg US, 40 mpg UK, that's nothing special. It does not help so much with low fuel economy, you know, so, yeah, that's not what the system is meant for. This is meant to be charged, then it makes sense that you can drive electric inside the city and so on, so this is the use of this plug-in hybrid, but do not expect to drive it empty and then have a great fuel efficiency gain like in a built-in hybrid system, as I said, like Toyota system, it's a different emphasis definitely.
Here now, switching the motorway, so cool here with the steering, the sporty design, and the feel of it, I really feel immediately at home in this vehicle, that's the cool thing. Look at that Kia Rio, in that generation, that design should be forbidden, right? Sometimes I also can be like, I always try to be very objective, you know, but sometimes in these cases, I can also be like, I mean, modern Kia design is really awesome, and in some ways, they're even overtaking the Germans, we've also seen that.
Now, once again, let's try this boost mode one time, wow, wow, wow, wow, wow, this is giving me the boost indeed, pretty impressive, I mean, you look at that vehicle from the outside and it doesn't look that sporty, but it delivers, you know, wow, that's pretty good and the sport boost stays actually still in there and now, we're almost 190 now, so almost 200 kilometers an hour, almost 125 miles an hour, and it still delivers a very good and calm job here, yeah, really good.
I can still control it very well and here, the 19-inch wheels and the adaptive suspension setting on the sport mode do a very good job indeed. So, I have to say, however, here, when the road is even, great, awesome, I love that, but when the road is not that even, I'm not the biggest fan of that. What I would advise is to go with smaller wheels if you want better everyday comfort, maximum of 18-inch wheels for this vehicle, I would say, because you just profit so much more when you have more rolling comfort in your everyday driving life when you pick smaller wheels and then, when you think about, hey, I want to configure an X1 and don't spend so much money, like this test vehicle here, €66,000, all the bells and whistles, then you might as well also stick with the base suspension and when you have the base suspension, it's even more important not to go for the biggest wheels to keep the driving comfort.
So, always have to keep that in mind, yeah, but definitely feels really at home here on the motorway as well, but also in the city, of course, if you compare X1 with X3, you just find better parking space inside the city, you have, you know, smaller turning circle and so on, you can enjoy this car more in the city, you get less stress, especially in narrow European cities. For the US, maybe not that relevant, but for Europe, it is actually very relevant, therefore, a lot of people, especially in European cities, rather go for the X1, but the question is when we directly hop over to the X3 now, how does it feel in driving, this extreme price and size, is it justified, is it so much more sophisticated, or is the X1 just right enough?
Driving BMW X3 30e
Now, let's switch to the X3, also in the 30E version, go to the sport mode, also combine both power trains and start from 60 kilometers an hour, let's go. 120, that's 140, so also, let's say, decently quick, but not as quick as the S1, S1, it's not an Audi, as the X1, so the X1 plug-in hybrid was 5.7 seconds, this one here is 6.1 seconds in the acceleration figure, and let's just accelerate further, now, there we have some more power boost from that engine, here, a 2.0-liter 4 cylinder engine.
So we're also hearing, feel that more displacement here in these higher speed regions, more, I think, 200 kilometers an hour, 125 miles an hour, yeah, and it feels so stable on the road here with the M Sportback adaptive suspension, a little bit stiffer in the sport mode, top speed here, 214 kilometers an hour, so, like, 130, 135 miles an hour, wow, feels really good high speed as well, and also noise insulation-wise, good job, 20-inch wheels we have mounted here, we do feel when the road is even, it's fine, but you do feel some bumps notably, so, similar what is 19 to the X1, 20 is for the X3, of course, bigger segment, and they also allow bigger wheels, but for both, I would go at least one size below that to give you just more comfort in driving.
Suspension and steering X3
It drives super well, also, you know, even going left and right and so on, but then again, just rolling comfort when the road is not that good, 20-inch is just a little bit too much, but the suspension is doing a good job, love the adaptive suspension by BMW, same suspension setups, possibly base or fixed sport or the adaptive suspension, so that is kind of similar with both vehicles, of course, different platforms, different technology a little bit.
Steering-wise, I have a better feeling in the X1 because here in the X3, I would say it feels a little bit less natural in a way, so, here it's kind of like a little bit more like that, but then when you go a little bit more to the side, then it suddenly becomes a little bit too hectic, you know, so, I feel the steering is not that well balanced here as it is in the X1, so, definitely prefer the X1 steering as for the whole feeling how you feel connected to the vehicle. We can also go back to the normal hybrid mode and we also hear the less sound pronunciation, all of that is also artificial, basically, all manufacturers use that meanwhile, but you can still accelerate in this hybrid mode, then goes all the way through.
Let's do a high-speed lane change as well, well done, keeps really, really calm. You feel that you sit a little bit higher in the X3, it feels a little bit more sophisticated as for the driving position, and feels more SUV even than the X1, so, this is something that is definitely pro-X3.
On the other hand, you feel the size and the weight that the X1 is just a little bit more agile, especially then in tight corners, and then the question is what is more important to you actually, so, we can at all times also go back to the sport mode and in the sport mode, we always have this kind of RPM preload, goes gear lower and so on, we also have the combined power of both drive trains here, the difference in all-electric driving, so, what is possible the maximum scale, the X3, is a little bit older, the overall vehicle has less capacity in the battery in the plug-in hybrid version, so, something like 40 kilometers of pure electric range, 25 miles, whereas the X1, more like 60 kilometers of pure electric range, like 40 miles, so, the X1 has an advantage there definitely.
The X3, however, is a rear wheel-biased platform, that's what I like about the X3, when you accelerate out of the corners, although this one here from the whole chassis and so on feels less sporty than the X1, because it's just bigger, more weight, and so on, and the handling overall is more fun with the X1. So, I think that you have more fun definitely with the X1, yes, however, just in the case of accelerating out of the corners and we will soon do it here when we switch the Autobahn, so, accelerating out is better with the X3 because of this rear-wheel bias, even if you have done an all-wheel drive version, because when you have more power on the rear wheels, it kind of helps you swinging out of the corner, so to speak, the rear axle overtakes the front axle, you know, not that extreme.
Of course, we don't drift or something, but just that you can imagine why it kind of feels sportier than with the rear axle bias, yeah, we'll do that one here, nice lane change, yeah, it is also fun, it is a fun SUV, it is a driver's SUV, also, if you compare it to other ones, but, oh, here now, also in the corner, the steering feel is just a little bit off, it's like a little bit like in the BMW 3 Series, must have been to do like with the platforms, they also use the same steering wheel for that, accelerating out here now is cool, the engine gives me a little bit more livelihood than the one in the 3-cylinder in the X1, of course, the 2-liter 4-cylinder is also available for the X1, just not for the plug-in hybrid, so, that is actually cool.
I do have fun with it, but I really have to say, yes, driving straight, so, imagine you have long routes where you just drive straight, then maybe like this more sophisticated high position might help you, just go back to the normal hybrid mode here, give you a little bit calmer, but as soon as you go a little bit in corners, the X1 is just more fun steering input-wise, the whole handling, a little bit lower position, it gives you more let's say it safer controlled feeling, I would also say, it's not that this one is not safe or not controllable, just in direct comparison, the X1, you feel more one with the vehicle in the X1 and in the X3, it's good, definitely also to the brand outside competitors, but brand internal comparison here, the X1 just gives me more fun.
Another important thing is here, long-term driving comfort, these seats here already have the perforated Sensatec, which is cool, definitely, but the Veganza seats, which is kind of like an evolved Sensatec in the X1, also give you more comfort here while driving, they are softer, and they adapt more to the body, at the same time, the X1 sport seats, which most X1s are equipped with, give you actually more shoulder support here then these ones here while driving and I'm surprised because usually, the higher segment, this one here, delivers always more seating comfort, and more long-term comfort, and in this case, if you ask me right now, would I drive 300 kilometers or I don't know, like 150 miles of Autobahn, German motorway, right now with the X1 or the X3, it would be indeed the X1 and again, not because the X3 is bad in any way, just because the seat ergonomics, how they played it out and so on is so good overall in the X1.
Still, the X3 has a lot to offer, as I said, with this higher seating position, you somehow get a more like better traveling feeling if you want, if you think about the road trip or something and again, seat comfort, might also depend on the individual body, so I recommend to visit dealers and maybe test seat in both of them, I can just give my experience also with my height and so on and I also love that while driving, can control the temperature in an easy way, so just before a corner, I'm really confident, I can also do the sport mode, really confident to change that, I also need just one press of a button to go to the sport mode, the X1, I need then to do press and then in the infotainment system here, one press of a button and then also, you know, here pressing up or down for changing the temperature, so with this more conservative layout, I enjoy the X3 a little bit more with this more direct, more old-school interface, that is something that is also important to me while driving, however, both still have real buttons at the steering wheel.
So that is kind of equal, you're still having fun with the X3, no doubt about that in the corners, also, you know, we did some GLC with X3 review for example, both are also very interesting SUVs, you can also check out that one later on, yeah, so it has been a very interesting experience in the driving part, but now the question is, if we combine all the different factors exterior, interior, driving, technology, and pricing, why is pricing a small thing, which one should you take home, which one would I take home, does it differ from market to market? Which one to buy?
Can I make a thinking pose and walk at the same time, that's the first question, and the second question is, which one would I take home, can you tell me? So, the BMW X1, BMW X3, they're both very successful SUVs and I said, bestsellers at BMW, hmm, the X1 styling-wise, I'm really satisfied with it, the X3 just has this more massive SUV stance, so from the exterior look, I kind of prefer the X3, but just because, you know, I like this more bold SUV styling, this one still for a small SUV or crossover, it does look bold, no doubt about that.
Interior styling-wise, I'm all the way with the X1 from the styling, however, I do prefer the more classic traditional user interface with the X3 with the turning knob for the infotainment system, for example, with the manual climate unit, however, then again, the X1 has the better infotainment system as for how fast and responsive it is and also how secure and safe the connection to the smartphone is, that is actually better with the wireless connection in the OS7 system is sometimes not that good, actually.
The crucial difference, however, in the interior is the seating comfort and they're both good and also the artificial leatherette, or the man-made leather, that one is a very good quality in both vehicles, however, even better in the X1, so it's softer and also the seat ergonomics is way better in the X1, not that the X3 would be bad, the X1 just tops it and to me, it's also one of the most comfortable vehicles in this segment or in this compact segment overall and that's why for the interior, I would still go with the X1 because I feel the seating comfort would then be more important than the manual climate unit to me. Yeah, maybe I have to live then with 22 degrees Celsius or 72 degrees Fahrenheit automatically.
I don't like it, but I would live with that for the seat comfort and then, of course, in driving, that was super interesting. I like the rear-wheel drive or this rear-wheel bias concept with the X3. Of course, it does offer the possibility of a six-cylinder. Then again, the X1 feels more balanced and kind of lighter in the corners, and so on. It is more driving fun than overall. Yeah, fuel economy doesn't make the largest difference.
The plug-in hybrid is, of course, the better system here in the X1, more efficient, bigger battery, no compromise in the trunk, and so on. Yeah, and then you have to think that the size on the exterior does not represent the size difference in the interior. Almost the same legroom in the rear, the X3 is just a little bit longer. Trunk-wise, the X1 is even a little bit longer, at least in the plug-in hybrid versions as well.
So, there is no huge advantage you get with the X3. Price difference, is very interesting. As the vehicle stands here right now with all the bells and whistles, €66,000 and €80,000. So, it's a €14,000 difference, and interesting when you take off the extra options, it is still the same price difference. That's the European difference. In the US, the difference is not as large. So, there you don't pay so much extra for the X3. So, in Europe, it's a clear choice, go with the X1, also with the more narrow roads and so on. In the US, it's even a little bit trickier because the price difference is not as large, and also, you have most states with more open wide roads, so the X3 gets more attractive. it's also built in the US.
That's also, it's probably better or more attractive from the pricing there. It goes from the Spartanburg plant, whereas the X1 is built in Germany in Regensburg. Regensburg is the German pronunciation. Listen and repeat Regensburg. It's like, it's like rain castle is the name of the city. Interesting, isn't it? Yeah, so overall, I think, combining the facts and especially seating comfort, the overall winner for today is the BMW X1. But what do you think? Tell me in the comments and join us for more comparison episodes.
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