2020 BMW X2 M35i SUV

For 2020, the SUV comes with the same engine as the base X2 but gets more power on the M35i variant, just like they do on the Competition packages on their M-Sport cars. Among the rivals like the Jaguar E-Pace P300 R-Dynamic, MINI Countryman JCW, and Volvo XC40 T5 R-Design, the 2020 BMW X2 M35i is the most powerful SUV, and it costs the most too. So what’s so special in this one compared to others, let's find out.

We are to discuss the top trim M35i, which gets some exclusive goodies for performance. The standard SUV gets 18-inch wheels, but here on the M series variant, we get 19-inch alloy wheels. The M sport badging adds a sporty suspension setup, differential, and an M-Sport steering wheel. For the cabin comfort, we do get all the bread-and-butter features like dual-zone auto climate control, synthetic leather upholstery, and power-adjustable seats with memory functions. 

The infotainment setup is upgraded for this year with a better if not best 8.8-inch touch screen unit with smartphone integration. We do miss the panoramic sunroof and adaptive suspension setup, but that’s optional. Overall, the 2020 BMW X2 M35i is pretty much loaded with all you need in a sporty SUV except for that adaptive suspension and genuine leather upholstery.

Apart from the standard features, many optional packages are also part of this SUV. The Premium ($1400) packages constitutes of heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a head-up display. The available Active driving assistant ($950) package offers Adaptive cruise control with stop & go. You can have specific features such as wireless charging, panoramic sunroof, and leather upholstery for $500, $1,250, and $1,400, respectively.

Which Trim should you buy?

The 2020 X2 M35i trim stands as a standalone option and comes with a respectable number of features, and there’s not much left to be desired honestly. We already are getting a much more powerful SUV with sporty handling and a comfy interior at a reasonable price. The BMW X2 M35i is a great option to get the best of both, performance and practicality. 

The 2020 BMW X2 M35i is a special SUV. Technically, there is only one engine on offer but BMW does some serious tweaks on that same 2.0L, Intercooled turbo engine, and it lets out a bonkers 301 hp & 331 lb-ft of torque. This is the most powerful 2.0L Turbo 4 pot engine made by BMW and probably the best among all. These power figures are close to a Naturally Aspirated V6 engine, thus BMW has done some commendable work on this engine. 

All this power is sent to all wheels via the standard AWD setup. The SUV gets an 8-speed automatic transmission, and it is slick shifting. With the help of paddle shifters, you can enjoy the transmission in manual mode as well. The outright acceleration of the 2020 X2 M35i is crazy fast, covering the 0-60MPH in just 4.7 seconds, the best in this class. Yes, the X2 M35i is a compact SUV, but regardless of that, such performance with just a 2.0L engine is nothing short of an engineering marvel.

This engine specs comparison is living proof of what engine tuning can do. All the SUVs come powered with a 2.0L engine with forced induction, but we still have a diverse power range across the rivals. MINI borrows its engine from BMW, and thus they have almost similar power and torque figures. The Jaguar E-Pace R-Dynamic is the only one that comes close to the X2’s power and handling characteristics. When comparing the price range, both MINI and Volvo stay back with a price tag close to $41,000.

How well does the 2020 BMW X2 M35i handle?

The X2’s small size is bad news for interior space, but the exact opposite for driving dynamics. The size and weight make the X2 M35i a nimble SUV that is happy to dive into corners. This SUV is meant for fun and athleticism, and the M Sport suspension setup is the reason why it is so agile to handle. While this makes driving this SUV fun & engaging, it makes the ride quality stiffer. There is an option to get the adaptive suspension which will ease off things a little bit. 

The xDrive system with a properly weighted steering wheel inspires confidence within any conditions given. With such power and sporty setup, the 2020 X2 M35i is a dream to drive on the highways, just try to dodge the tiny cracks or rough patches. The standard wheel setup on the M35i gets 19-inch wheels, and please don’t get those optional 20-inches. If you really like to roll out in low-profile looks, then add the adaptive suspension as well.

Braking Performance

For the 2020 X2 M35i variant, BMW says it gets bigger than standard brakes, though we don’t know the size, and the braking distance data is not available either. One positive factor that could work in favor of this SUV would be the size and weight. It’s the lightest vehicle in its segment at 3,721 lbs, and that could positively help X2 in braking. 

The Jaguar E-Pace is the heaviest in the group, and the brakes set up on this one stops the SUV in 130 feet, quite an average result for this class. We don’t have technical data for the MINI and BMW. The Volvo XC40 also gets similarly sized brakes and should stop the vehicle at similar distances like the Jaguar does. When comparing the curb weight, all the SUVs except the Jaguar stay below the 4,000 lbs mark, thus we can expect better braking performance at the end of the day.

German vehicles are always ahead in terms of fuel economy no matter how powerful the engine is or how big the vehicle is. The 2020 BMW X2 M35i is the spiced-up version of the regular X2, and in most cases, that would mean a dip in the mileage numbers. Surprisingly, there is a decrease of just 1 MPG compared to the base SUV xDrive28i. The X2 M35i returns 23 / 30 / 26 MPG in the city/highway/combined driving cycles, respectively. With a 16.1-gallon fuel tank, the SUV manages to returns 483 miles on the highway.

The competition is behind the German duo, but nothing is getting out of hand. There are very slight 1 or 2 MPG differences, but those can reflect greatly especially when looked at the overall driving range. Both Jaguar E-Pace and BMW X2 get similar driving ranges as the prior gets the biggest fuel tank and the latter gets the best mileage. BMW and Mini share the same engine, and thus their fuel economy figures are similar as well.

The interior of the 2020 X2 M35i won’t inspire or surprise you, especially in the mundane black color, but choose the Magma Red, and it flips the table. The two-tone finish inside the cabin makes it look like a sports sedan's cabin, and those sporty seats elevate the feel of the interior. BMW has used synthetic leather for all the upholstery business, and that’s not as great as the real deal, but it's certainly better than the synthetics we see on budget SUVs. The fit & finish is great, no complaints on that front, but we have seen much more modern and high-tech interiors on cheaper vehicles. 

Minimalist people will like this cabin, but we think it's time to upgrade the furniture for good. The seats on the 2020 BMW X2 M35i are one of the best in this segment and get all the power adjustments you can think of, including a manual under-thigh extension. The driver’s seat can even adjust the side bolstering for that snug fit. Both the front and the rear seating gets ample amount of legroom & headroom, something that people consider buying SUVs for.

Volvo offers some of the best interior and technologies in their respective segments, and the XC40’s cabin looks the most advanced among all. Jaguar also offers a luxurious cabin that has a sporty vibe to it but not to the point of what BMW offers, Jaguar is a little toned-down variant. MINI Cooper has the funkiest interior design in all the industry, and even if you like it or not, there aren’t any cars like the MINI so you either love it or live with it. Standout interior features include:

• Power-adjustable sports seats
• Heated front seats
• Leather upholstery
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Dual-tone color scheme
• M Sport door sill plate

What’s there to keep you entertained?

All the X2 SUVs come equipped with the same infotainment system, and while most of it is satisfactory, we don’t get any Android Auto. So it is high time to buy an iPhone with this SUV. Lucky enough, we don’t have that tiny 6.5-inch screen anymore and get a decent 8.8-inch touch screen with BMW’s iDrive software. A 7-speaker sound system is standard on all SUVs with an option to get the 12-speaker Harman Kardon system for $880. Thankfully navigation is standard. Apart from that, you also get an HD Radio and a wireless charging pad. Standout infotainment features include:

• 8.8-inch touch screen
• 7-speaker sound system
• HD radio
• Bluetooth
• Apple CarPlay
• SiriusXM
• Navigation

We can confidently say that the 2020 X2 M35i looks like a little angry SUV, and why wouldn’t it, M sport vehicles are all about aggression. The aggressive styling hints at the power it packs under the hood. We have those signature LED headlights with hexagon DRLs along with a blacked-out kidney grille. You must be aware of what BMW is up to with their new grille design for upcoming vehicles, so if you don’t like that one, better get the current one. The front fascia is full of angular shapes and cut-outs for air intakes, and those are all functional. 

The side profile of the X2 M35i is very sleek and unlike the balloons, we see today called compact SUVs. We here love aggressive, sharp designs, and we just love the way X2 looks. The rear end has a lot of contours that would have been unnecessary, but considering the overall nature of the SUV, they seem fine. The only odd choice made by the brand is the placement of the logo on C-Pillar. Overall, the 2020 X2 M35i is the best-looking SUV in its segment which younger buyers will love.

MINI Cooper is the smallest vehicle in the group today, and it also gets the lowest ground clearance among all. Jaguar and Volvo both get a decent amount of ground clearance that makes them a worthy off-road machine for some rare occasions. Jaguar E-Pace gets a wider body overall compared to the rivals, which makes it a better place to sit inside. Standout exterior features include:

• LED headlights with DRLs
• 20-inch wheels
• Blacked out kidney grille
• Panoramic moonroof
• M Sport exterior design
• Aerodynamic body kit

Germans have set the industry standard in terms of built quality and safety equipment. Sadly, there are no crash tests done on the SUV for 2020 by either the NHTSA and IIHS. The 2019 model has received a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS, and this accolade is enough to anticipate the structural strength of the X2. This makes X2 a safe family SUV along with the active safety features it comes with. Standout safety features include:

• Automatic high beam headlights
• Lane departure warning
• Forward collision warning
• Low-speed auto emergency braking
• Adaptive cruise control

2020 BMW X2 M35i vs 2020 MINI Countryman JCW

Design-wise both the vehicles are night and day different. The X2 M35i looks like a sporty SUV, while the MINI looks just like all of their other products, just it is a bit longer. Talking about the interior, it is the same story as the exterior. MINI’s cabin is as funky as an automobile cabin can get, but the quality and finish are on par with the Bimmer. On the performance front, both the SUVs get a similar engine, but it’s the driving dynamics that make all the difference. The X2 has an enthusiast level of handling, while the MINI is set to give you a comfortable ride with enough power to spare.

2020 BMW X2 M35i vs 2020 Volvo XC40 T5 R-Design

This is a pretty fair comparison as both the SUVs are one of the best handling vehicles among the class. Volvo has a nice design overall that can stand between aggression and classiness, while the X2 is all-out aggression. Driving the XC40 feels nimble and responsive just like our host BMW. What Volvo does best is inside the cabin, the interior is one of the best, even better than the BMW. Volvos are known for their safety, and it still has the record going with a 5-star safety rating in the NHTSA & a Top Safety Pick from the IIHS. The XC40 even costs $5k less than the bimmer, and that makes it a really enticing package.

2020 BMW X2 M35i vs 2020 Jaguar E-Pace R-Dynamic

Jaguar is a bit bigger than the BMW, and the overall looks of the SUV are not as sharp as the X2. On the inside, the Jaguar gets a decent interior with a bigger infotainment screen, but the X2 has a better overall interior. The interior space is better but not by a huge margin. Driving both SUVs is a completely different experience. The X2 feels nimble and agile with that 7-Speed DCT, while the Jaguar even though gets the same power, feels sluggish and the transmission isn’t as smooth as the Bimmer’s. Deciding between these two is the easiest thing for you, at the same cost as the Jaguar, you get a superb handling SUV with best-in-class fuel economy. There isn’t anything significantly better which Jaguar offers over the X2.

The 2020 BMW X2 M35i is a phenomenal SUV, especially for performance enthusiasts. There are some things like cargo space and second-row space that are not so good on the X2, but the rest of the package is splendid. The handling and fuel economy of the X2 M35i is just great, but that sporty handling will take away the fun from a relaxing highway cruising experience, just keep this in mind. If you are looking for a driver’s SUV that will put a smile on your face every time you take it on a stroll, then the X2 M35i is the best you can get.