After roaming alone in the lower priced (and sized) segments of the SUV luxury market for about a year and a half in the States, BMW‘s X1 will soon have to make space and greet two new rivals from its traditional German rivals, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, which will launch the GLA and Q3 respectively.

BMW already has plans for a replacement, as the car has been in the market (in Europe) since 2009, but for now, it is treating it to some light updates for the 2014MY at the Detroit Motor Show.

The changes seen on the North American market model will also be applied to Europe and elsewhere, with the 2014MY X1 to go on sale worldwide in the spring.

Exterior revisions include different air intake vents in the front apron, new accents in the boot lip, standard daytime driving lights on all models, new 17-inch alloy wheels and the addition of a Sparkling Brown metallic to the paint options.

Inside, on the XLine, Sport Line and M Sport trim models, the instrument cluster visor is now dressed in soft-touch plastics highlighted by lapfolded seam, while buyers can opt for high-gloss Black, matt Coral Red or pearl-gloss Chrome accents.

The final touch for the new model year is the expanded range of BMW ConnectedDrive services, which can be accessed via apps, using the smartphone or the SIM card that is installed in the vehicle.

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