Skip advert
Advertisement

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

The BMW X1 achieves a top safety rating, but standard kit could be better

Reliability and Safety rating

3.8

How we review cars
RRP
£36,200 £54,375
Avg. savings
£3,145 off RRP*
Find your BMW X1
Compare deals from trusted partners on this car and previous models.
Or are you looking to sell your car?
Value my car
Fast, no-nonsense car selling
Value my car

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.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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.

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.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Which Is Best

Cheapest

  • Name
    sDrive 20i MHT Sport 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £36,200
Select car

Most Economical

  • Name
    xDrive 23d MHT xLine 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £43,070
Select car

Fastest

  • Name
    M35i xDrive 5dr Step Auto
  • Gearbox type
    Semi-auto
  • RRP
    £50,935
Select car

New & used car deals

BMW X1

BMW X1

RRP £36,200Avg. savings £3,145 off RRP*Used from £29,990
BMW X2

BMW X2

RRP £42,470Avg. savings £3,345 off RRP*Used from £12,300
BMW X3

BMW X3

RRP £49,505Avg. savings £2,770 off RRP*Used from £9,995
BMW iX1

BMW iX1

RRP £43,205Avg. savings £6,323 off RRP*Used from £34,600
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Car Deal of the Day: BYD Seal – signed, sealed and delivered for less than £305 a month
BYD Seal - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: BYD Seal – signed, sealed and delivered for less than £305 a month

The BYD Seal is a Tesla Model 3 rival, and a very good one at that. It’s our Deal of the Day for 31 March
News
31 Mar 2025
Best April Fools' Day jokes by car companies 2025
Best April Fools' day jokes 2025

Best April Fools' Day jokes by car companies 2025

We round up this year’s best car-related April Fools’ jokes, along with a few of the more famous japes from years gone by
Features
1 Apr 2025
Skoda Enyaq review
Skoda Enyaq 85 - front

Skoda Enyaq review

If you're looking for an all-electric family SUV that will fit effortlessly into daily life, the Skoda Enyaq is an excellent choice
In-depth reviews
31 Mar 2025