2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i Review: Sport Style Can't Overcome The Compromises

The 2024 BMW X2 is in a tough spot. Launching in arguably the most competitive automotive segment there is, luxury compact crossovers, from its inception it's fighting an uphill battle against the likes of Mercedes, Lexus, and even other BMWs. Given that task, you'd expect BMW to try its darnedest to make sure the X2 stuck out and screamed: "Skip the Lexus dealership! Please buy me!"

Judging from the shape alone, BMW certainly designed with an eye to standing out. Like its much larger brothers, the X4 and X6, the X2 is an SUV "coupe," meaning it has a dramatically raked rear roofline for an almost hatchback-like profile. Whether or not you personally like it, the SUV coupe aesthetic has persisted long enough that there is clearly a market for it, so you can't fault BMW for continuing to follow a trend. It's not going to knock you back with chiseled looks like BMW's Z4 roadster, or impart a sinister elite road presence like the BMW X6 that I drove earlier this year, but it's certainly "different" and stands out more than its first-generation predecessor.

Design is subjective, but given that the primary purpose of any BMW is to function as a car — BMW's own tagline, no less, promising "The Ultimate Driving Machine" — it bears asking the question of how the X2 functions as a daily driver. It's a luxury crossover after all and it's aimed squarely at affluent moms, commuters, owners of fancy dogs, and the like.

The 2024 BMW X2 xDrive28i that I spent a week with was a confusing vehicle in many aspects, boring in others, and overall I struggled to find it particularly compelling. That's a lot of words to say that it could very well be a rare miss from BMW, if my driving experience is any indicator.

At its heart, the X2's engine is a 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-banger that generates 241 horsepower. That number fits exactly into the "fine" category. I can also attest that the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission is certainly capable of using rotational energy from the aforementioned engine to translate to forward motion. It does, in the most basic sense, operate as a motorized form of transportation. I can sort of understand what BMW was trying. Price-wise, the X2 is competing against swoopier compact SUVs like the Mercedes GLA, while offering outwardly classier duds than a higher trim Infiniti or Acura. BMW likely tried to make the X2 more akin to something like a Porsche Macan, a sporty sleek SUV with name recognition. 

Within BMW's own lineup, it's mechanically identical to the less "excitingly" shaped X1. What, exactly, exactly do you lose when you opt for the X2? Well, at 64.6 inches, the X1 is two inches taller than the X2. On the inside, the X2's 25.3 cubic feet of storage space is 0.4 cubic feet less than the X1. While the lower and coupe-ified X2 may look more striking, it's mathematically worse in terms of practicality, even if it's just by a little bit.

I did not like driving the X2, and the X2 did not seem to like me. That came as a surprise, frankly, given BMW prides itself on the handling and driving dynamics of its cars. The Z4 was a joy to drive and I still think about it several months later; indeed, most BMWs I've driven have been nothing short of excellent within their fields. The X2 does not carry that superlative.

The steering feel is lifeless, like you're wiggling an arcade steering wheel around with no feedback whatsoever. The X2 xDrive28i's acceleration, listed as a somewhat staid 6.2 seconds to 60 miles per hour, doesn't live up to the sporty looks (there's an X2 M35i version which trims that run to 5.2 seconds, though has drawbacks of its own). A perceivable delay between pressing the pedal and the car actually figuring out what's happening and accelerating proved, not unsafe, but definitely annoying. It's unclear if that's down to turbo lag or something else, but I suspect to the average person driving, it would no doubt cause some consternation.

I drove the X2 to Philadelphia over the course of the week. It's a roughly two-hour drive and I'm sad to say that it was frankly miserable. Pennsylvania doesn't have the best roads on a good day, but the X2 felt like I was riding on a wooden roller coaster during some portions of highway cruising. The suspension tune may be softer than the X2 M35i, but you still feel every imperfection in the road. That feels ironic, given the absence of feeling in the steering or acceleration.

It's not stiff like a sports car, but neither is it floaty and luxurious like a 5 Series. You don't feel like the car is trying to help you out in any way, shape, or form. You just have to accept that you're going to be uncomfortable for the duration of the drive.

Inside, familiar BMW design bumps up against some questionable decisions. The "Veganza" vegan leather on the seats doesn't stand out in any way, and was perfectly fine. The seats themselves, however, weren't particularly comfortable, and their bolstering seemed more aggressively sporty than necessary. Maybe that works for the M-branded version of the X2, but it feels odd in a car that isn't really even a little bit sporty. 

I am writing this review in the summer. It's hot outside, often in the 90s. BMW's interior trim pieces, composed of stainless steel, heated up almost instantly and would burn your hands if you touched them after getting into the car. "Just avoid touching them," you might say. It's normally sound advice, it proved to be unavoidable in the X2 when the gear selector switch, door handles, ignition button, and volume control are all adorned in brushed metal. 

The most aggravating aspect of the X2 was the technology that BMW crammed into it. The infotainment system was really only capable of doing one thing at a time and even struggled with that. I primarily use Apple CarPlay on long drives, as it tends to be the most coherent among car infotainment systems, but the X2 really struggled displaying Google Maps and Apple Music at the same time. Often it would crash, and reset to the main menu. 

Indeed, software crashes were frequent and sometimes without warning. If I got a phone call or a text while I was driving, it would slow down to a crawl, animations would freeze, and it would crash. BMW's native operating system didn't fare much better, and would also freeze and crash.

BMW's integrated safety systems didn't crash, but they were incredibly annoying. The X2 struggled to accurately gauge the posted speed limit of some roads, and would loudly beep and fuss whenever the car determined that you were speeding, even if you were following the actual speed limit. More annoying still, I turned the feature off several times, only for it to turn itself back on. Overall, I got the feeling that BMW didn't want me to mess with anything at all: It had already made decisions for me, and it was going to stick to its own plans, driver be damned.

My only expectation really met by the X2 was the price tag. BMW's roundel tells you from the outset that it isn't going to be cheap, though that said the base-spec isn't particularly unreasonable. It starts at $42,000; it's only when BMW's beloved optional extras factor in that things get expensive. The "Skyscraper Grey Metallic" paint will set you back a cool $650. The annoying Driver Assistance Pro Package, which includes active lane assists and adaptive cruise control adds $1,700. The M Sport treatment gets you 19-inch wheels, sport seats, adaptive suspension, and a sportier steering wheel, all for $2,500. It seemed to make the car stiffer and less comfortable to sit in, so maybe leave that box unchecked. 

$4,000 nets you the Premium Package, which includes power mirrors, a Harmon-Kardon sound system, and a panoramic sunroof. Heating for the front seats and steering wheel add $550 to the bill, and $300 will get you remote start. Throw in a $995 destination charge and you're looking at a grand, infuriating total of $52,195.

As you've probably gleaned, I did not enjoy driving the X2, even a little bit. Sure, it kept me safe, it wasn't dangerous to drive, and it was moderately fuel efficient at roughly 28 miles per gallon. Those qualities, however, do not stand out: many cars can do that, and there are dozens of options available that deliver that and more at a price far less than $52,000. If the price tag doesn't bother you, the rest of the car will and you could do much better, not least within BMW's own portfolio. British theologian Charles Spurgeon said "carve your name on hearts, not marble." BMW as a company may have carved its name in marble as the be-all and end-all of sporty luxury, but the X2 failed to reach my heart at all.