The BMW X2 is a compact little SUV, and what I really liked about it was that although it is very small, everything in it was very functional.
Storage, for example, inside the X2 is limited but what is there is practical in size. The cup holders fit reusable and disposable coffee cups very well, and the door bins are well sized to hold a large refillable water bottle and wallet. The glove box was compact but would hold the manual, my wallet and iPad.
However, there was no glasses case in the ceiling and the central console storage box was essentially just a phone holder and connector. That said, it is better than he small, unusable box like most small SUVs have!
The storage in the back is just as practical with some of the best cup holders I have come across!!! They had rubber flaps in them which meant they would hold all different sized vessels from large refillable water bottles, coffee cups, 600ml bottles to Pigeon baby bottles!
The boot looked tiny at first glance and I really didn't think it would hold much at all, but surprisingly it did hold 10 shopping bags! The boot floor also folds back allowing you extra storage depth but it didn't change the capacity for my testing apart from you could add things on top if you wanted to. The Mountain Buggy Duet fitted, face down with a wheel removed, along with two shopping bags. The Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle fitted with two shopping bags also and the Mountain Buggy Nano fitted with seven shopping bags around it.
The front seats were fully adjustable with electronic controls and comfy to sit in, as well as being well supported. But the extendable seat base would not retract back far enough so I had to sit like I was riding a horse to get my legs to reach around the seat base and reach the pedals!
In the back, there is a panel between the seat base and seat back that contains the ISO Fix within plastic guides in the two outer seats, which I found easy to connect to.
In the boot, across the seat backs, there are two top tether anchor points, one in each of the outer seats. They are clearly labelled in the boot, however, there are lots of other bars across the seat backs that are not labelled and I would not feel confident that someone would not connect their child seats to these by mistake!
I managed to fit two child seats quite easily, the Britax Graphene (rear facing) and the Britax Unity infant capsule. I found I could not sit between the child seats. With rear-facing child seats installed, we really struggled with space and legroom and I could only just comfortably sit in the driver's seat in front of the rear facing Britax Unity infant capsule. I'm only 162cm so anyone taller would really struggle. We found on the front passenger side a 180cm passenger just about could fit with a rear-facing child seat behind them.
The Media system in the BMW X2 is good, but Apple CarPlay is available at an extra cost of more than $400. The system is controlled using a dial and buttons in the central console as well as buttons on the dash and a touchscreen. I found it all a bit much to coordinate, especially the dial, and preferred just the touchscreen.
The reversing sensor beep could not be muted but there was a button to turn them off in the central console. There is also a button to turn off the auto engine cut out, which is fantastically located with the start/stop button! This is a fantastic position for it so you do not forget to switch it off before driving Bub to sleep!
The lane departure warning is just a vibration which is great as it won't disturb the other passengers. I did find you could come to a stop with the engine still running and get out and no alarms will sound, I found this fantastic for stretching my legs while Tulsi has her nap time.
The BMW X2 has a 2015 five-star ANCAP safety rating and six airbags as standard.
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
The boot floor of the BMW X2 is nicely carpeted and good for an emergency nappy change. On the right-hand side of the boot is a well with a 12V socket and first aid kit. On the left is a thick elastic band which I found handy for holding things in place like big suncream dispensers so they don't spill all over the boot.
The boot floor does lift on a hinge system and folds and stores at the back of the boot, which gives you extra depth in the boot so you could stack things on top of each other.
The boot space and its functionality are really important. I like to have a big boot space and little side wells or areas I can divide things into. So something I don't want to move around while I'm driving such as Tulsi's lunch bag or her wet swimming gear can be sectioned off in a little well where it's not going to spill or get squashed by the rest of the things in the boot. Hooks for securing shopping bags to are also favourites of mine, I like being able to secure the bag containing more fragile things like eggs so they don't move around on the journey.
I measure the boot space in freezer shopping bags, prams and dogs. Not because I think all there is to a mum's life is food shopping, prams and dogs (although it can feel like it sometimes!!) but because these are visually measurable items we can all associate with. For me, the car company boot measurement of litres ia not an amount I can easily visualise and 400L in one car may differ in usability to that in another due to the configuration or shape of the space.
If you remove the parcel shelf you could put a small dog in the boot. The parcel shelf is solid so you would have to remove it and leave it at home.
At first glance, the boot of the BMW X2 felt worryingly small but surprisingly it held 10 shopping bags.
I didn't think the Mountain Buggy Duet twin stroller would actually fit in the boot, however, it did when I put it face down and removed one of the rear wheels, and I could get two shopping bags in with it.
The Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle also fitted with only two shopping bags around it.
The Mountain Buggy Nano compact stroller fitted with seven bags around it.
Storage in the front of the X2 is not too bad. It is quite limited but at least what is there is of a functional size, whereas in some of its competitors the storage areas are not large enough to be functional.
There are two cup holders in the central console that are a good size for a reusable or disposable coffee cup. The dashboard protrudes over the top of them though, preventing you from being able to put bottles in the cup holders.
In front of them is a small well I have been using for the keys or my sunglasses as there is no sunglasses holder in the ceiling. There is also a 12V socket in there too.
The glove box is not a bad size, I could fit an iPad and wallet in there with the manual.
The door bins are a good size, I could fit my large refillable water bottle or a 600ml in there and a wallet too.
The central console storage box is more like just a phone holder and connection case. The lid doubles as your armrest.
In the back of the X2, there are net map pockets on the back of both chairs, but they are small they would hold an iPad rather than conceal it. There is a 12V socket in the back of the central console too for rear passengers.
The door bins similar to the front ones are very generous in size. They would hold a large refillable water bottle, a wallet or book.
In a fold-down armrest in the central seat back are two cup holders that are a good size for a large refillable water bottle, a disposable or re-usable coffee cup fits in there and a Pigeon baby bottle. They are really good, usable cup holders.
None of the doors in the X2 have little wells in them for handles, which I missed as I find them really useful for the keys when putting my daughter into her child seat.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
When you first get in and start the BMW X2, it plays an annoying chime until you fasten your seatbelt. It is not high pitched but would disturb a sleeping passenger.
The reversing sensor beep feels like it moves around the car to where the obstacle is and I was surprised to find there was not a way to mute the parking sensors, but there is a button down in the central console that allows you to turn the sensors off altogether (but not just to mute the sound).
The lane departure warning is a vibration in the X2 which I didn't find too disturbing for passengers.
The indicators have a decisive short tick that I don't think would disturb a sleeping baby.
Becoming a parent I soon realised there are some noises and sounds I feel are unnecessary and I could happily live without if it meant my baby stayed asleep!! That often the distraction of my screaming, distressed baby is more dangerous when driving than not having a lane departure warning for example.
If it is the lane departure warning beeping that creates distress with my baby then which is safest? It's where I think we need to be able to strike a balance and choose when we can mute the warnings or swap them to a vibration in the steering wheel or flashing light perhaps?
A lot of these noises come with the increase in technology and especially linked to safety features and alerts. For me these all have their place. Another thing I have realised is I spend my time in a lot more places where small children roam, parks, beaches, play gyms, swimming lessons, daycare centre etc. I have become more aware that when I'm reversing or maneuvering in the car parks I have to triple check for small children running around behind me or being in my blind spot when reversing. For this I LOVE reversing cameras, I just don't like their beeping sounds!!
I have become so much more aware of safety and potential accidents or hazards since having a child and so I love the peace of mind that I get from the cameras and sensors combined with my own vision from windows and mirrors as I don't trust cameras alone.
I found the controls for the media system in the X2 were too spread all over the place. There are buttons and a wheel down in the central console, buttons on the dash and then the touch media screen as well. The combination of all three was a little difficult to coordinate and a bit too much to know which to use for what. Apple CarPlay is a $400+ added option!
The windows open and close with quite a loud mechanism and none of the door bins are lined, so when you close the doors or go over bumps everything rattles in the door bins!
The doors close quite easily with a gentle close, which was surprising for a car of this size. With baby asleep you can get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy. The same for the windows; their mechanism is not too noisy and I didn't notice them having a loud opening or closing sound. With baby asleep, you want to be able to get in and out without worrying the doors will be too noisy and wake Bub up!
You can come to a stop in the X2, remove your seatbelt and get out of the car, leaving the aircon and engine still running without an alarm going off!
Since becoming a mum I spend A LOT of time parked up somewhere with a nice view while my daughter is asleep in the back! If it's hot I need to leave the engine running and the aircon on but I do like to get out and drink my cuppa tea in the fresh air while enjoying the fact my limbs are free from said dangling child!! SO this is a very important test as I have found that sometimes I have been held hostage by a cars BEEEEPING alarms when I have taken off my seatbelt or opened the door while the engine is still running!! (I only stand outside the car, I am not a bad mother!!)
You can also lock the windows and doors from the driver's door control panel.
The auto engine cut out button is cleverly positioned next to the start button, I found this helped me to remember to turn it off when I first started the car, not getting a nasty surprise at the lights later! I really like that BMW's have the two buttons next to each other, it is a great BabyDrive feature!
I find this function really disturbing for sleeping babies, you have just got your baby to sleep in the car and you stop at lights and the engine turns off sometimes they will stay asleep but when the engine shudders to a start again it shakes baby awake and all your efforts are ruined!! Even coming to a stop at lights with the engine running can be enough to wake a sleeping child so turning the engine off and on again will definitely do it! I have driven routes I know have roundabouts rather than lights just to avoid coming to a stop for any length of time!!
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
The BMW X2 is a five-seater. In the back, there are ISO Fix in both outer seats within plastic guides that make them nice and easy to connect to.
In the two outer seat backs are the top tether points, which I found easy to connect through the boot. There are bars that look like top tethers all over all three seat backs, but the top tethers are clearly labelled. Still, you do need to ensure you connect to the correct anchor points.
You can only fit two child seats in the back seats of the X2. Installing the seats was really nice and simple and quick, I installed the Britax Graphene (rear facing) and the Britax Unity infant capsule.
With a rear-facing child seat installed behind the driver's seat, I could only just fit in the driver's seat and I am 162cm! Legroom is severely compromised with child seats installed in the back, in the front passenger seat you would get a 180cm passenger in front of a rear-facing child seat but it is a tight fit.
There is no room for a passenger to sit between the two child seats either. There is room to feed bub in the back seats with only one child seat installed, however it does still feel cramped.
Posting bub in and out of their child seat from outside the car is affected by the low roofline. From inside the ceiling is very low too. There is room to do it but there is not a huge amount of space.
Australia being a country of weather extremes- blazing sun and torrential rain, mean you may find it easier to put Bub into their seat from inside the car sometimes. If it's hot you can get the air-con going, cool the car down and not stand out in the sun while you fasten them in or shelter from the rain and not get soaked yourself whilst you're doing it. So it is important to test whether Bub can be easily installed from either direction!
BabyDrive Indepth - Drive & Comfort
The front seats of the X2 are quite comfortable but the seat base is too long for my legs! You can extend and retract the seat base but I find at my height, 162cm, the seat base does not retract far enough and so it was sticking in the back of my calf the whole time I was driving.
The front seats are fully adjustable using electric controls on the side of it.
The headrests in the front poke forward so I found I couldn't wear a ponytail in the X2.
I had spent hours styling my hair this morning to get it just right too… said no new mum ever!!!
In the back, the seats are very firm, the panel between the seat back and base actually feels very firm and hard against the back of your bum. In the central seat, you sit very high and the backrest is uncomfortable because of the fold-down armrest too. In the central seat, I found headroom was a problem and I am only 162cm!
The seatbelt buckles are also all sunk into the seat base of the rear seats. I thought they would stick into your bottom but they are not too bad at all.
The second row of seats does not slide and adjust for legroom in the X2. Legroom is a problem in the X2. With rear facing child seats installed, a 184cm passenger could not fit in front of them.
The steering wheel is fully adjustable in/out and up/down. The cruise control buttons are very minimal and positioned on the left-hand side of the steering wheel. I found the cruise control to be very accurate and only varied from the set speed by about 4km either way on undulating roads which is good.
There are four air-con vents across the front dashboard, two in the middle and one at either end. They are really nicely shaped and styled in the front dash. The air-con controls in the front are well positioned on the dash and I found them easy to use too.
There is another pair of air vents in the back of the central console for the rear passengers and there is a dial there for adjustment that is reachable by the driver, which is excellent so you can adjust the rear climate whilst driving.
The windows in the X2 are tinted, meaning I didn't need to put a sunshade on any of the windows when I used it with my daughter.
For rear-facing passengers visibility is a bit limited as the windows slope up sharply at the back making them hard to see out of. In the back seats, it all feels quite dark so the passengers may feel a little claustrophobic. The rear windows are not very deep so even forward facing passengers need to be quite tall before they will see out of the windows.
Visibility for the driver is good out of the front but the side pillar and wing mirror create quite large blind spots.
With rear facing child seats installed, there are large areas on both sides of the boot that are blind spots, and so you have to rely heavily on the reversing camera when maneuvering.
There are lit vanity mirrors in both front visors. The visors are not very deep so when I pull them down they actually don't give any shade for your eyes at all!
The interior lights in the back are positioned too far to reach from the front but there is a main switch for them though which allow you to turn on and off from the front panel.
The X2 is a nice car to drive but I definitely felt slightly claustrophobic in the back!
Visibility out of the back is difficult, so when you are parking and reversing you do have to rely heavily on your rear parking sensors and camera view.
One thing I have noticed since being a mum is I hate it when I reach a destination or get home from being out and Tulsi has either done really well in the car or she is screaming her head off and I have done really well to keep it together for the entire journey (usually the latter!!) and it takes 10 minutes to park the car! It can be really stressful. Usually I dread when we get the big cars and utes as they take longer in our tight apartment block carpark, but the X2 was quite difficult to park and it is only a small car!!!
There are handles for hanging baby toys above both rear doors.
The X2 is a very well designed, stylish car that we refer to as the fish car because of its scale-like woven fabric on the seats and carried through to the metal panels on the doors too. The metallic blue and green lights are a great colour combination that with the silver panels look like the sides of a fish and how their colours and scales dance in the sunshine.
The BMW badges are added to the rear ‘hips' of the car too.
The seats are upholstered in the fish scale like fabric and suede panelling. These would both be very hard to keep clean!
There are blue trimmed floor mats in the front and back.
There is keyless entry and a silent powered tailgate, both are the fantastic BabyDrive features!
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
The BMW X2 scored a five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2015, with an adult occupancy protection score of 90%, and rating of 34.5 out of 38 points.
It scored 6.47 out of 8 for the frontal offset test, and 8/8 for both the side impact test and the pole test.
For child occupancy protection the X2 scored 87% (43 out of 49.)
The crash test performance for a 6-year-old child scored 11.89 and the crash test performance for a 10-year-old scored 10.96.
In the testing, both child dummies were positioned in rearward-facing child restraints for the frontal offset and side impact tests and the vehicle scored maximum points for its protection of the 18 month and 3-year dummies in these tests.
For child safety features and child seat installation, the X2 scored top marks, getting full points for onboard safety features, restraint installation and dynamic testing front and side.
For pedestrian protection, the X2 scored 74% (26.7 out of 36) and for safety assist it was scored 70% (9.1 out of 13).
The BMW X2 has a pretty long list of safety equipment as standard, with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), automatic emergency call eCall, adaptive headlights, anti-lock braking system (ABS), automatic headlights, automatic high beam, daytime running lights (DRL), electronic brakeforce distribution (EBD), electronic stability control (ESC), emergency brake assist (EBA), emergency stop signal (ESS), fatigue reminder and fatigue detection, forward collision warning (FCW), hill launch assist, lane departure warning (LDW), reversing camera, roll stability system, speed assistance manual speed limiter and speed sign recognition and warning.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Tulsi’s asleep!
The BMW X2 has six airbags as standard, dual frontal and side chest airbags in the front, and curtain head airbags for front and second-row passengers.
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