– Palm Springs, California

The X2 is the final piece in BMW’s long-successful SUV puzzle. It fills the barely noticeable gap between the X1 and X3 as a smaller, sportier offering following more mainstream models before it. But as other automakers have already found out, this niche can prove lucrative. So, with a market already saturated with coupe-style SUVs, particularly from rivals like Audi, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, and others, what does the X2 have to do to stand out? For one, it needs to be unique.

The look of the X2 is distinctive, even for this segment, and its smaller size and stout frame give it an edge over more plainly styled offerings. Grey plastic details on the side profile and grille are the only major undoing in terms of design, but BMW says the styling cues help accentuate the X2’s ride height and give it a more rugged look overall, which should appeal to some adventure-seeking consumers.