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Second gen BMW X2 Compact Sports Activity Coupe gets bigger, better, and smarter

This BMW crossover has some eye-catching features

Second generation 2024 BMW X2 compact sports activity coupe right rear three-quarter view driving on a desert highway.
BMW USA / BMW USA

Despite all the attention to new BMW EVs, the sports performance brand hasn’t abandoned fans of its internal combustion engine (ICE)-powered vehicles. At the Tokyo Mobility Show later this month, BMW will introduce the 2024 X2, the second generation of the BMW crossover, which BMW classifies as a compact sports activity coupe (SAC).

With a swath of stylized body components, punchier performance, and enhanced safety features, BMW appeals to drivers’ emotions and budgets. BMW says the 2024 X2 will be available in the U.S. in March 2024.

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2024 BMW X2: What you need to know

Purists could object to calling the X2 a BMW SUV. You might also wonder whether BMW is describing a vehicle or a person in the X2 news release. Emphasizing the four-door performance coupe’s physical appeal with its “elegant, wing-shaped inlays” and “eye-catching headlights,” the release also calls out the X2’s “eye-catching shoulders” and its “powerful rear end.”

Size also matters. The 2024 X2 is 7.6 inches longer, 0.8 inches wider,  and 2.5 inches taller than the previous model. The expanded dimensions allow more interior space for backseat passengers and cargo, adding practicality to sportiness. The 2024 X2’s cargo capacity is 25.3 cubic feet behind the second row of seats and 51.7 cu-ft with the rear seats down.

The BMW X2 will be available with two engines. The 241 hp X2 xDrive28i has an updated 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo four-cylinder motor with 295 ft-lb of torque. BMW claims the X2 XDrive28i will accelerate from 0-60 mph in 6.2 seconds. BMW says the more powerful X2 M35i delivers 312 hp, 295 ft-lb of torque, and 0-60 mph times of 5.2 seconds. Neither of the acceleration test results are shabby, but breaking the six-second mark aligns better with the BMW sports tradition.

The second-gen X2’s longer wheelbase and wider track, combined with overall lower vehicle weight and increased rigidity,  improves cornering and agility. BMW upgraded the Sports Activity Coupe suspension and damping components for greater driver and passenger comfort on long trips. Additional damping on the front axle smooths out small bumps and road imperfections while improving cornering ability.

Second generation 2024 BMW X2 compact sports activity coupe driver seat cockpit view with dual 10-inch displays.
BMW USA / BMW USA

Interior features

Inside the 2024 BMW X2, a 10.25-inch diagonal measure driver information display and a 10.7 diagonal control display combine to form the BMW Curved Display behind a single-piece glass surface that curves slightly toward the driver. The latest BMW Operating System 9 manages the navigation and other operations on the control display. BMW Live Cockpit Plus, standard in the 2024 X2, improves the navigation over previous versions with easier destination entry and faster route calculation, featuring frequent updating on the go with real-time traffic data.

The standard BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant responds to natural language voice commands instruction. As the digital assistant learns driver behaviors and requests, in appropriate circumstances, it will suggest new functions to help the driver learn functions and commands to get more from the vehicle.

All new X2s will have BMW’s Forward Collision Mitigation System, including Collision Warning and pedestrian and cyclist warnings and alerts. BMW’s standard equipment, Active Blind Spot Detection, has added exit warnings to alert drivers and passengers to cyclists or vehicles moving toward both sides of the car.

Second generation 2024 BMW X2 compact sports activity coupe right front three-quarter view parked next to a contemporary structure in the desert.
BMW USA / BMW USA

The 2024 BMW X2 xDrive 28i starts at $42,000, and the X2 M35i price list starts at $52,140. As with the BMW i5, you can quickly drive up the final price with options that embellish and improve the car’s comfort and convenience, technology, driving assistance features, and performance. If you’re not ready to select an EV for your vehicle purchase or lease, the style, increased capacity, and improvements in performance and handling suggest that you consider the 2024 BMW X2 Compact Sports Activity Coupe.

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Bruce Brown
A Digital Trends Contributing Editor and Contributor for TheManual.com, Bruce Brown writes e-mobility reviews and covers…
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