Test drive BMW X2 against Mercedes GLA and Volvo XC40: small but stylish
We meet three models in versions with economical and environmentally friendly diesel engines.
Getting out of your comfort zone can be an existential challenge, but when it comes to cars, people prefer to stay in it. Digging in the snow or diving into the mud are hardly the most sought-after activities in everyday life when family activities and travel, as well as achieving a goal, are the predominant priorities. The long popularized expression of risks and side effects actually shows just that - finding ways to eliminate them. Traffic jams are bypassed, goals in unfamiliar settlements are achieved with the help of navigation at a pre-calculated moment with an accuracy of up to a minute. And because so many people drive dual-drive off-road vehicles on paved roads and don't be late even in snow and ice, traveling by rail today can be considered one of the unpredictable directions of mobility.
Psychologists will surely like this thesis - the boom of SUV models as an expression of fear of danger. If you add to this equation the desire to fill your life with joy, then the BMW X2, Mercedes GLA and Volvo XC40 are ideal for such needs. For this reason, we decided to get to know them here in a comparison test. All of them are equipped with diesel engines, all with double gearbox and automatic transmission. However, there are risks for them, because only one will win.
BMW: I have my own opinion
If a niche doesn't open on its own, you open it. Although the head of BMW sales in the 60s, Paul Hahnemann (or the so-called Nischen Paule, but you know it - it's nice to dig into the past together) didn't put it that way, he just said BMW. And if today the X1 changes its priorities, becoming a more spacious, functional and more flexible compact SUV, it opens up space for a new niche and simply challenges the creators and decision makers at the Bavarian company to fill it. And hop, here comes X2.
With the same wheelbase, the new model is 7,9cm shorter and 7,2cm shorter than the X1. And, of course, it cannot offer the same amount of space, although four passengers can count on quite satisfactory space. The rear seats are positioned in the contoured shapes of the three-piece seat, but they have to rely on less functionality due to the inability to move horizontally and less light from the sloping windows. However, the X2 shows no shortage of space at 470 respectively. 1355 liters of luggage offers more interior volume than others.
The driver and his companion can rely on proprietary comfort systems and intelligent assistance systems. While the iDrive Control Module is responsible for many functions, it does the best job of managing an organization. However, the quality of the materials is not the best. X2 is playing in the league of cars with prices under 50 euros, which requires a lot of effort in terms of surfaces and joints in the interior. But such details quickly fade into the background, because the model captures passengers not only with its color shades and stylistic solutions, including wide and branded rear speakers, but also with its style of behavior. The first reason for this is the two-liter turbodiesel unit, which is equipped with a double protection system for cleaning from nitrogen oxides with SCR technology and a storage catalyst. Unlike the other models in the test, the X000 unit is based on a single turbocharger, which in turn has a twin-scroll design to separate the gases from the cylinder pairs in the name of more efficient operation. The balanced engine fills its rev range evenly, powerfully and exquisitely, and the Aisin drivetrain is very well tuned to the early burst of torque and diligently fulfills its tasks. It shifts gears optimally and allows the engine to deliver thrust when possible and spin when needed.
Both cars impress with the spirit of this BMW, but the chassis is set up even more rigidly - even sportier than the X1. Even in Comfort mode, the X2 responds sharply and firmly to short impacts. BMW's compact sports utility vehicle demonstrates its dynamic qualities with directness, precision and strong steering feedback, which, however, escalates into jitters on motorways. When changing load in a corner, the rear end expresses a desire to serve, but due to the lower center of gravity, it is less pronounced than in the X1. If in the latter it scares, then in X2 it becomes a source of pleasure. Unfortunately, the definition, which formulates the general character of the model, is accompanied by a not very pleasant price, which is not even partially offset by low fuel costs (average 7,0 l / 100 km in the test). The sporty model doesn't have the flair for day-to-day functionality that the X1 already has, but that's perhaps why it's more of a real BMW. Who dares to take risks...
Mercedes: I still wear a star
Risk, but within the framework of risk management criteria. In fact, this is part of the essence of Mercedes-Benz where they prefer to follow trends once they have taken shape. However, when it comes to compact SUV models, it can be argued that Mercedes is an absolute innovator in terms of shape, proportion and dynamic performance. He borrowed all of them directly from the A-Class and for this reason received genetically determined character traits. For example, a rather narrow body. There is a small trunk in the back, gloomy in front in the back, 5,5cm narrower, but at least 3,5cm higher than the X2. Passengers are not particularly attracted by the location of the stepped rear seats, as well as the limited visibility due to the integrated head restraints in the front backrests, which, in turn, push the heads of the driver and passenger next to him forward. In the GLA, and in terms of function management, things are no different. Whether it's using buttons or rotary and button controls, different menus need to be manipulated. On the other hand, a wide range of assistance systems are controlled by small buttons on the steering wheel.
You see, the GLA is smart. It moves with some ease, without the nervousness and rigidity of a BMW. The Bavarian vividly expresses his qualities even when a person does not need such a demonstration, and on the track his dynamic and tough behavior becomes wayward. Thanks to the adaptive dampers, the GLA overcomes bumps much more economically. Its dynamics are not intrusive, the body behavior is more balanced, the steering is precise and corresponds to the harmonic and safe adjustment of the chassis. All this ensures that the car stays in the zone of neutral cornering behavior for a long time, after which, at a very late stage, a slight tendency to understeer appears. At the same time, GLA reports equivalent X2 times in dynamic tests, but without sharp reactions when the load changes. Unfortunately, it lost the lead due to poorer braking performance, which is reflected in the form of a 12-point responsibility compared to the BMW model. The GLA also lacks engine performance. The outdated OM 651 diesel engine delivers "only" Euro 6d emission levels, and its way of working is not as advanced as that of the Bavarian machine. In fact, this 2,2-litre unit has never been known for its refined mannerisms, but it offers a pleasant power development and pairs well with the dual-clutch transmission. Only with dynamic movement does the latter allow the gears to develop excessively high speeds. This setting does not match the nature of the engine, which would have been better able to handle earlier gear shifts. Interestingly, the efficiency of the engine does not suffer from all this - with an average consumption of 6,9 l / 100 km, the 220d consumes the least amount of fuel in the test. The same with the price - a somewhat paradoxical fact that goes beyond the traditions of the brand.
Volvo: I'm in good shape
In Volvo's case, keeping the tradition alive may mean not so much staying in shape as class. Clearly, the "used brand" formula works, judging by the fact that Volvo is in great shape - so good that even conservative brand fans like what it does. The XC40 is the first car on a new platform for small and compact models that brings the style of its larger brothers to the compact class. The corner Volvo at 4,43m offers space worthy of the middle class, while the luggage compartment, which can expand from 460 to 1336 liters, is divided by a movable floor in height and depth. Only in this model, the folding backrest provides a completely flat floor. Combined with easy access to the cabin, the higher seating position and high-quality upholstery of the XC40's seats provide real convenience and comfort in everyday life. Details such as the parking ticket slot and the Swedish flags on the hood create a folkloric connection to the 60/90 series models from which the XC40 borrowed its powertrain, infotainment and support systems.
In addition, the model has a full arsenal of security systems, can partially autonomously move along the highway and stop in an emergency and independently in the presence of pedestrians and various animals, such as deer, kangaroos and moose. Systems are controlled via a vertical touchscreen... but it's best not to do this on the go, because the danger of running off the road becomes especially great when swiping through the menus - even for noble purposes, such as looking for a button to activate the system. ribbon compliance.
You'll see more plastic and simpler materials in the compact Volvo model than in its larger counterparts. The chassis is also simpler, although a multi-link rear axle has been added to the MacPherson strut. The first test car that arrived at the editorial office was R-Design level and equipped with a sports chassis, as a result of which it did not shine with either comfort or any achievements in handling. The car in the current test is a D4 with Momentum equipment level, has a standard chassis and ... does not shine with either comfort or handling. It continues to confidently pass through the bumps, swinging in short waves, and it lasts a long time. It's true that one idea makes it easier to deal with the disparity in question, but it's also true that bodywork leads a more active life as a result. In corners, the XC40 leans heavily towards its outer wheels and begins to understeer early, in no small part because the AWD system responds slowly and transfers torque to the rear axle late. This, in turn, causes the ESP to intervene decisively and apply the brakes abruptly.
Lately, Volvo has been offering the XC40 with adaptive dampers as well, but sadly the test car doesn't have them. For this reason, the management of the driving mode is reduced to adjusting the characteristics of the automatic transmission, engine and steering - unfortunately, without much effect. In each mode, the steering suffers from a lack of feedback and precision, the Aisin automatic shifting reluctantly through its eight gears, punctuated by unpredictable acceleration phases in which it shifts up and down repeatedly instead of choosing the right gear once and for all. Thus, it suppresses the temperament of the turbodiesel. The superior qualities of the latter include not so much rapid acceleration and the desire to show power, but certification according to the Euro 6d-Temp exhaust standard. The car increases power more carefully than competitors and consumes more fuel (7,8 l / 100 km), which is largely due to the advantage of 100-150 kg compared to competitors.
Thus, the XC40 lost its chances of winning, which eventually won the X2 by a wide margin. This versatile talent reduces the likelihood of risk.
CONCLUSION
1. BMW
BMW has made the X1 as dynamic and original as it once was. Now, however, it is called the X2 and makes some compromises with the needs of everyday life, but not in terms of handling.
2. Mercedes
Mercedes created the A-Class again, but now it's called the GLA. With refined comfort, versatile dynamics, but unfortunately weak brakes.
3 Volvo
Volvo has made Volvo again, this time in the form of a compact SUV. With style, superior safety equipment, thoughtful details, but rough suspension.
Text: Sebastian Renz
Photo: Dino Eisele
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