Compare the2024 Volvo XC60VS 2023 BMW X1

Safety
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

The XC60’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The X1 doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

For enhanced safety, the front seat shoulder belts of the Volvo XC60 are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The BMW X1 doesn’t offer height-adjustable seat belts.

Both the XC60 and X1 have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The XC60 Plus/Ultimate/Polestar has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The X1’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Volvo XC60 offers optional built in child booster seats. They’re more crash worthy than an added child seat because of their direct attachment to the seat. BMW doesn’t offer the convenience and security of a built-in child booster seat in the X1. Their owners must carry a heavy booster seat in and out of the vehicle; XC60 owners can just fold their built-in child seat up or down.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the XC60 deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The XC60’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The X1’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

The XC60 has a standard Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS), which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the WHIPS allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. At the same time the pretensioning seatbelts fire, removing slack from the belts. The X1 doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Both the XC60 and the X1 have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, four-wheel antilock brakes, all wheel drive, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, post-collision automatic braking systems, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, driver alert monitors and available around view monitors.

The Volvo XC60 weighs 412 to 1002 pounds more than the BMW X1. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the XC60 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 128 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The X1 has not been tested, yet.

Engine

The XC60 B5’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 6 more horsepower (247 vs. 241) than the X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The XC60 T8’s standard 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid produces 214 more horsepower (455 vs. 241) and 228 lbs.-ft. more torque (523 vs. 295) than the X1’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the XC60 T8 2.0 turbo/supercharged 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the BMW X1:

	XC60	X1
Zero to 60 MPH	4.2 sec	5.4 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	10.2 sec	14.3 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	4.7 sec	6.6 sec
Quarter Mile	12.6 sec	14.1 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	111 MPH	99 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the XC60 T8 Extended Range running on electricity gets better mileage than the X1 xDrive28i (66 city/60 hwy MPGe vs. 25 city/34 hwy).

The XC60 T8 Extended Range can travel with zero emissions for 36 miles. The X1 can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

The XC60 has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the X1 (18.8 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

The XC60 has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The X1 doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

An eight-speed automatic is standard on the Volvo XC60, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the X1.

Brakes and Stopping

The XC60 stops shorter than the X1:

	XC60	X1
70 to 0 MPH	165 feet	167 feet	Car and Driver

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the XC60 has larger standard tires than the X1 (235/60R18 vs. 225/55R18). The XC60’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the X1 (265/35R22 vs. 245/45R19).

The XC60’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the X1’s optional 40 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the XC60 offers optional 21-inch wheels. The X1’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

Suspension and Handling

The XC60 Ultimate has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The XC60’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The X1 doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the XC60’s wheelbase is 6.8 inches longer than on the X1 (112.8 inches vs. 106 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the XC60 is 2.8 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the X1.

The XC60 handles at .88 G’s, while the X1 xDrive28i pulls only .86 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the XC60’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the X1’s (37.4 feet vs. 38.4 feet).

For greater off-road capability the XC60 has a greater minimum ground clearance than the X1 (8.5 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the XC60 to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

Passenger Space

The XC60 has 1.1 inches more front legroom, 2.1 inches more front shoulder room, 1 inch more rear legroom and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the X1.

Cargo Capacity

The XC60 has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the X1 with its rear seat folded (63.3 vs. 57.2 cubic feet).

Ergonomics

The XC60’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The X1’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are optional on the XC60 to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The X1 doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the XC60 has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the X1 only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

Consumer Reports rated the XC60’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the X1’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The XC60 offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The X1 doesn’t offer headlight washers.

The X1’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The XC60’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

The XC60’s standard side window demisters help clear frost or condensation from the side windows in the winter. The X1 doesn’t even offer side window demisters, so the driver may have to wipe the windows from the outside to gain side vision.

The XC60 has standard heated front seats. Heated front seats cost extra on the X1. The XC60 also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the X1.

Standard air-conditioned seats in the XC60 Ultimate keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The X1 doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

On extremely cold winter days, the XC60’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The X1 doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

The XC60 Ultimate offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the X1.

Recommendations

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the XC60 as the 2018 North American Utility Vehicle of the Year. The X1 has never been chosen.

The Volvo XC60 outsold the BMW X1 by over five to one during 2022.