IT'S said that all good things come in threes - which could be why BMW has introduced its new X1 to complete its trio of 4x4 vehicles.

The range started with the Range Rover sized X5 - the choice of numerous celebrities and premier division footballers.

Its success led to the launch of the smaller X3, based on the BMW 3 Series range.

Now comes the baby of the bunch to complete the BMW 1 Series range, the X1.

It is, however, a misnomer to call the X1 a baby. It might be the smallest and least expensive of the X models but it's certainly no baby. In fact it's a very spacious five-seater which offers an abundance of head room - thanks to its high roof - and an impressive amount of leg room.

Despite being a very practical vehicle the X1 also manages to have a sporting image thanks to its rakish roof line, flared wheel arches and dynamic 17-inch alloy wheels.

X1 models are available with rear-wheel-drive but this car - the flagship xDrive 23d SE - has four-wheel-drive with a 60-40 split in favour of the rear wheels, although in problem situations the split can be varied.

And such is BMW's engineering that the system permanently monitors the driver's needs and responds in just 100 milliseconds when any slippage is detected.

BMW describes the car as a Sports Activity Vehicle rather than an off-roader. It is a vehicle which has excellent on-road handling and road holding with no roll while at the same time still being a very capable off-road performer.

Inside the cabin it's a typical BMW layout, with a neat well laid out dashboard and everything falling easily to hand.

The uncluttered appearance is due to BMW's i drive system, which allows you to control everything from the navigation system to the radio stations via a single knob on the transmission tunnel.

This particular car, however, had a more distinctive, up-market appearance than the regular models thanks to its Design package (an extra £1,575) which includes cream leather sports seats, an anthracite headlining and a elegant mix of cream and black on the doors, dashboard and centre console. Running around the car was a "Fineline Wave" of wood trim.

Standard equipment on the car included a six-speed Sport automatic gearbox with paddles just behind the steering wheel for Formula 1-style gearchanges.

Powered by BMW's award-winning 2.3-litre turbo diesel engine the X1 has sports car acceleration but I did find it noisier than the marque's saloons fitted with the same engine.

Early morning start-ups were instantaneous with none of the normal slight delay usually associated with diesels.

There was certainly no lack of power from the engine and the kick down facility produced an instant reaction from the automatic gearbox.

For a four-wheel-drive vehicle too it was impressively frugal when it came to fuel consumption.

With a luggage capacity of 420-litres with the rear seats in place increasing to 1,350-litres with the rear seats folded fully flat, the BMW X1 is capable of carrying a hefty load, making it ideal for families and anyone with sporting hobbies.