BMW X1 (2016-2022) review - Reliability and safety

The X1 uses the same platform as the MINI Countryman, which is shared with the rest of BMW and MINI's front-wheel drive offerings. It's proving reliable so far, although satisfaction with BMW as a whole isn't great. The company finished a disappointing 21st out of 29 manufacturers in our 2021 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey, while the X1 itself was 74th out of 75 cars. Customers didn't rate front seat comfort highly, nor expensive list prices and running costs.

The X1 scored a full five-star rating in Euro NCAP’s crash tests in 2015. Standard safety kit includes front and rear parking sensors, Park Assist, cruise control with braking function and Active Guard, featuring a forward vehicle collision warning.

The optional Driving Assistant Plus pack adds a lane departure warning and active cruise control, so while six airbags and the usual stability control systems are all included, the X1 isn't quite as safety conscious as rivals such as the Volvo XC40. The X1 tested was an sDrive18d, which received 90% for adult occupant protection and 87% for child occupant safety.

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Warranty

As with the rest of the BMW range, the X1 is covered by a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty, with the latter feature giving BMW something different from rivals, which put a 60,000-mile cap on their warranty cover. The X1 also gets breakdown cover for the same period of time.

Servicing

BMW uses a condition-based service schedule, which sees on-board computers monitor all aspects of the car's running gear and alerts you about when a service is due via the dashboard display.

Owners can monitor wear and tear on their car by accessing a sub-menu within the iDrive system. This will show how the mechanical components are wearing, with anticipated mileage before replacement parts are needed.

In conjunction with this system, BMW offers its Pay Monthly Service Plan for a fee of around £20 a month, providing fixed costs to cover scheduled maintenance.