The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i is a five-seat small SUV. Let's see how it fares as a BabyDrive and put it through our family car testing with child seats and Thule prams.
BabyDrive Verdict
The BMW X2 XDrive 20i, which we are testing here, is the base model in the range costing $75,990. There are two fully electric variants: a front-wheel drive iX2 eDrive20 M Sport costing $82,900 and a twin motor, all-wheel drive iX2 eDrive30 M Sport priced at $85,700. The top-spec BMW X2 M35i xDrive sport model costs $92,900. (plus on-road costs)
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i looks sporty and confident on the outside. It's the BMW X1‘s hotter sibling but as we'll discover there's substance behind the style!
The interior of the X2 XDrive 20i is clean and minimal, with a sweeping landscape media screen along the dash and driver display screen.
The back of the X2 XDrive 20i is minimal, too, and has good storage.
The rear central seat back has a fold-down armrest with two cup holders that will hold a reusable coffee cup or kid's drink cup.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold but not conceal an iPad. There are two USB-C charging sockets in the back of the central console box, so rear passengers can charge their devices.
The rear door bins will hold a refillable water bottle and an iPad and wallet fit in them too.
The central console has some well-designed storage in the front. There are two cup holders in front of a vertical phone charging pad we call the “phone throne,” A floating armrest is the central console storage box that is just large enough to pop your phone in. Underneath this is a large open storage area that is great for stashing your handbag.
The glove box is a practical size for fitting your wallet and iPad.
Storage in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot is practical for family use.
The boot floor can be lifted up and underneath is a huge storage space where a spare wheel would previously have been stored. And judging by the state of it the previous person to test this car transported a bale of hay in there!
The boot floor is nice and flat and carpeted for emergency nappy changes, and comfortable for a medium-sized family dog to travel in.
When empty, the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot holds thirteen shopping bags, which is strangely one more than the boxier BMW X1 that you'd assume was the more practical of the pair. For comparison an Audi Q3 could fit eleven shopping bags, and the Volvo XC40 hybrid holds twelve.
When using all three rows of seats, the Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot with five shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the X2 XDrive 20i's boot with five shopping bags beside it.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat and bassinet beside it…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i with no shopping bags.
… with the back wheels removed, it will fit in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i with no shopping bags.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
…fits in the BMW X2 XDrive 20i boot with eight shopping bags.
The boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i can also accommodate two 70L Thule Chasm duffle bags in the space underneath the boot floor.
On top of the boot floor, it can also accommodate two 70L and two 40L Thule Chasm duffle bags.
The window blind is solid and attached to the window in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i, which is great for keeping it up out of the way when loading and unloading the boot.
When it comes to installing child seats in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i…
…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are within plastic guides, and they are nice and easy to connect to.
All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled so you don't use the unmarked tether points by mistake. They are easily located through the boot.
Three child seats just fit across the second row of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i. It's a tight fit, so you would need to test your different combinations of forward-facing and rear-facing child seats but like the boot space it was a bit roomier than the supposedly practicality-oriented BMW X1. I could only just fit in the central seat between two child seats, it was a definite shoulder squeezer!
Legroom is good in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i. With a rear-facing infant capsule in the second row, we could comfortably fit a 178cm-180cm driver in front of it. Alternatively, with a forward-facing child seat in the second row, we could fit a 186cm driver in front. Similar legroom to the BMW X1. The central rear footwell is not flat so rear passengers have to straddle that with their feet.
Rear passengers are kept comfortable in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i with air vents in the back of the central console box and two USB-C sockets for charging devices while travelling along.
The BMW X2 XDrive's media system is on a sweeping horizontal media screen that wraps around the driver's dash. It is modern and easy to use and navigate.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can safely access your phone's navigation, music, podcast and messaging apps while driving.
The touchscreen controls along the top make it easy to switch between screens and customise the vehicle's settings to your exact preference.
The recently used screen gives you quick access to your most used options.
Climate controls are always along the bottom of the media screen so you can access them quickly while driving and they expand onto the entire screen too.
There is a built-in satnav, which is easy to navigate and use.
When you put it in reverse, the camera images are very crisp and clear, and you have many angles from which to view.
Including a 360-degree camera.
You can clearly see your fuel range in the bottom left of the driver display screen and there is a good seatbelt visual along the bottom of that screen too.
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i is a great car to drive. It's really enjoyable, it's very punchy and solid feeling on the road with a great turning circle too. Visibility out of the back, even with three child seats installed, is good in the rearview mirror.
The steering is nice and light, so parking and maneuvering in tight school and supermarket car parks is easy. There is a great feature called ‘reverse assist' when reverse parking; it draws a line in the camera view and asks if you would like it to reverse park for you, or even find its way back out of a driveway or other parking spot by following its own “bread crumb trail”. It can be hard to trust technology sometimes, but I used it multiple times, and it was excellent!
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i has not been through ANCAP safety rating and has seven airbags as standard.
Dual front, front side, side curtain and a centre front airbag
You can quickly lock the rear windows from the driver's door control panel to stop little rear passengers from playing with them.
BabyDrive Indepth
BabyDrive Indepth - Storage
How big is the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i?
Storage in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot is practical for family use.
The boot floor can be lifted up and underneath is a huge storage space where a spare wheel would previously have been stored. Looks like a previous car reviewer used it for garden waste?
The boot floor is nice and flat and carpeted for emergency nappy changes, and comfortable for a medium-sized family dog to travel in.
When empty, the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot holds thirteen shopping bags, which is strangely one more than the boxier BMW X1 that you'd assume was the more practical of the pair. For comparison an Audi Q3 could fit eleven shopping bags, and the Volvo XC40 hybrid holds twelve.
When using all three rows of seats, the Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat…
…will fit in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's boot with five shopping bags.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with two sibling seats…
…will fit in the X2 XDrive 20i's boot with five shopping bags beside it.
The Thule Sleek, future-proof, multi-configuration pram with a single seat and bassinet beside it…
…will fit in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i with no shopping bags.
… with the back wheels removed, it will fit in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i with the wheels removed and no shopping bags.
The Thule Spring, lightweight and one-handed folding stroller…
…fits in the BMW X2 XDrive 20i boot with eight shopping bags.
The boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i can also accommodate two 70L Thule Chasm duffle bags in the space underneath the boot floor.
On top of the boot floor, it can also accommodate two 70L and two 40L Thule Chasm duffle bags.
The window blind is solid and attached to the window in the boot of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i, which is great for keeping it up out of the way when loading and unloading the boot.
When it comes to installing child seats in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i…
…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are within plastic guides, and they are nice and easy to connect to.
All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled so you don't use the unmarked tether points by mistake. They are easily located through the boot.
How good is storage in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i?
Storage in the front of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i, is all in the central console and it has some well-designed elements.
There are two cup holders in front of a vertical phone charging pad we call the “phone throne,” they will fit a reusable or disposable coffee cup. Behind them is a 12volt socket and USB-C sockets.
A floating armrest contains a small central console storage box. It is just large enough to pop your phone in. Underneath this is a large open storage area that is great for keeping your handbag.
The glove box is a practical size for fitting your wallet and iPad.
In the back rear passengers have a fold-down armrest in the central seat back. This has two cup holders that will hold a reusable coffee cup or a kid's drink cup.
There are net map pockets on the back of both front seats that will hold an iPad but not conceal it. There are also two USB-C charging sockets in the back of the central console box so rear passengers can charge their devices.
The rear door bins will hold a refillable water bottle, and an iPad and wallet fit in them, too.
BabyDrive Indepth - Noise
How noisy is the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i, and how easy is the media screen to use?
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i is not a noisy vehicle to drive. The media system is on a sweeping horizontal media screen that wraps around the driver's dash. It is modern and easy to use and navigate.
It has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto so you can access your phone's navigation, listening and messaging apps while driving.
The touchscreen controls along the top make it easy to switch between screens and customise the vehicle's settings to your exact preference.
The recently used screen gives you quick access to your most used options.
Climate controls are always along the bottom of the media screen so you can access them quickly while driving and they expand onto the entire screen too.
There is a built-in satnav, which is easy to navigate and use.
When you put it in reverse, the camera images are very crisp and clear, and you have many angles from which to view.
Including a 360-degree camera.
You can clearly see your fuel range in the bottom left of the driver display screen and there is a good seatbelt visual along the bottom of that screen to.
The BMW X2 XDrive 20i's indicator sound is not too loud, so it did not disturb my kids while sleeping in the back.
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i's windows and doors are not too loud or noisy to open and close, and they do not baby-wake!
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 manouvering in the car parks I have to tripple 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.
BabyDrive Indepth - Car Seats
How many child/baby seats can you fit in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i?
When it comes to installing child seats in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i…
…there are ISOFix points in both outer second-row seats. They are within plastic guides, and they are nice and easy to connect to.
All three second-row seatbacks have top tether anchorages, which are clearly labelled so you don't use the unmarked tether points by mistake. They are easily located through the boot.
Three child seats just fit across the second row of the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i. It's a tight fit, so you would need to test your different combinations of forward-facing and rear-facing child seats but like the boot space it was a bit roomier than the supposedly practicality-oriented BMW X1. I could only just fit in the central seat between two child seats, it was a definite shoulder squeezer!
Legroom is good in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i. With a rear-facing infant capsule in the second row, we could comfortably fit a 178cm-180cm driver in front of it. Alternatively, with a forward-facing child seat in the second row, we could fit a 186cm driver in front. Similar legroom to the BMW X1. The central rear footwell is not flat so rear passengers have to straddle that with their feet.
There is room to insert Bub into their child's seat from outside the car and from inside, and there is room to feed Bub in the back if only one child seat is installed.
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
How comfortable is the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i?
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i keeps rear passengers comfortable with air vents in the back of the central console box and two USB-C sockets for charging devices while travelling.
The climate controls are along the bottom of the media screen, and they are easily accessible while driving.
They expand to fill the whole screen for the full options.
The rear seats are comfortable for passengers without a child seat and have good legroom. The central seat footwell has a hump your feet have to straddle.
The upholstery is very dark grey with perforated central panels for seat heating. Which may trap little kids' spills and crumbs! So, seat protectors underneath the child seats are a good idea! The front seats are equally as comfortable as the rear seats.
There are four air-conditioning vents across the front of the dashboard, one on either side of the steering wheel for the driver and two along the dashboard in front of the front passenger.
Visibility is good in the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i. Even with three child seats installed in the back, I could see well over the top of them and out of the rear side windows.
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i is a great car to drive. It's punchy, smooth, and feels solid and sturdy on the road. It has a tight turning circle, so school and tight supermarket car parks are no problem.
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 Bub 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 parking in our tight apartment block carpark, but the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i was easy to reverse park! Especially using it's ‘reverse park assist' function it was very easy!
BabyDrive Indepth - Safety
How safe is the 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i?
The 2024 BMW X2 XDrive 20i has not yet been through ANCAP crash testing.
Seven airbags are standard:
Dual front, front side, side curtain and a centre front airbag are standard.
Some of these safety features are also features that drive me crazy as a mum! Like the lane departure and forward collision alert or the parking sensor beeping sound. I want all the safety technology AND to be able to mute the sound when Bub’s asleep!
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About Tace Clifford
Tace Clifford founded BabyDrive in 2017 after discovering a huge information gap in mainstream car reviews that left new parents and expanding families in the dark when it came to one of the biggest purchasing decisions of their lives.
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