It hasn’t been that long since the 2018 BMW X2 was revealed, and it remains an interesting-looking vehicle. But the German automaker knows its premium crossover needs a revolutionary new design and has begun work on the next generation, which was spotted undergoing testing for the first time recently.
There’s something undeniably wrong with the way the X2 looks if you’re familiar with BMW. X means “crossover or SUV” and 2 is an even number, so it should have a coupe roof. But the X2 is more like a hatchback, a bit like the Hyundai Kona.
Sure, people are still buying it, but the X2 is sold at a premium and competes with a number of interesting designs from both premium and regular automakers. And so just four years after the original X2 came out.
The model redesign is linked to an all-new generation for the X1. It brings a bunch of new systems, from infotainment screens to the iX1 EV powertrain, and they make the X2 completely obsolete.
And so, earlier this month, BMW was spotted testing a crossover with an X1-like design and a chopped roof, which can only be the next X2. Using said spy photos, the website Kolesa was able to render out their vision of the 2024 BMW X2. While it’s too early to tell if this is 100% accurate, we think that they got most of the important stuff right.
New X2 configuration options
The boxy looks similar to the regular X1, featuring the latest BMW design language. This is just one of several body kits you’ll be able to buy, and the M Sport or M Performance models will look different. There should also be an iX2 fully-electric version with blue accents.
While the X2 still doesn’t look like a coupe, even though it shares the number 2 with the exciting M2, there’s no denying that the greenhouse is shorter. BMW is being careful not to make the roof as aggressively chopped as the X6 to conserve headroom. This approach is quite similar to its main rival, which is the Audi Q3 Sportback.
These aren’t top sellers, but German automakers still like to have a diverse portfolio, and “coupe” models like this usually have huge profit margins. BMW is basically the creator of this segment and way of doing business, having launched the X6 way back in 2008.
Unlike the X6, the X2 is more of an urban crossover. It’s powered by smaller engines mounted longitudinally and powering the front wheels first. These powertrains are almost certain to carry over from the U11 BMW X1, which is already in production.
2024 BMW X2 engines
In America, the lineup is extremely simple. The 2023 BMW X1 xDrive28i retails from $38,600 with a 2.0-liter turbo sending 241 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to the AWD system. It’s good for 0 to 60 in 6.2 seconds, and the X2 should do about the same, but it will cost about $2,000 more.
Europe has a bunch of cheaper, less powerful engines available. The base 18i is a 1.5-liter, like a MINI Cooper, and there are two diesels, the 18d and 23d with about 150 and 211 hp, respectively. At the upper end of the scale, we find the iX1 xDrive30, which is purely electric and makes 313 hp, 40 of which are in the overboost function. There’s likely also going to be another X2 M35i, perhaps with a modest power bump to its Golf R-rivalling engine.