A test in the mud with a whole bunch of BMWs is all scientific, we promise
Probably 9 out of 10 BMW customers will never take their beloved and expensive SUV off-road. We decided to do it, so you don't have to. It's all in the name of science, we promise.
It's really interesting to test how a big, muscular SUV finds its way through an obstacle course on a rainy, gray spring day. BMW's xDrive is actually pretty good at deciding which wheel gets how much torque. Also, one word of advice – turn off the traction control and the stability control systems, as they will hamper performance and grip while in the mud. We also put to the test the Hill Descent Control and found out it manages to do its job even if you are crazy enough to try and go down a steep slope backward.
For the challenge, we had access to the whole SUV family of the Bavarian car maker, from the small X1 to the big and brash X6. you might be surprised to know that the best suited for the test seemed to be the bottom-of-the-food-chain X1. The explanation is simple, although the X1 had only a meager 190hp 2.0-liter diesel, it was by far the lightest of the bunch, only being hampered by a smaller ground clearance.
Did we have fun in the process, too? Of course, we did, who are we kidding? Part of the fun was getting stuck as the track turned into something that reminded of the trenches of the First World War. But more about that, in the video below.