BMW X1 review

The BMW X1 is hardly cheap for a family SUV and it's predicted to depreciate faster than many of its key rivals. That said, good discounts are available (check out our latest deals) and monthly PCP finance costs are competitive. 

With relatively low CO2 emissions, RDE2 compliant diesel engines and decent fuel economy, the X1 is a relatively cheap option for company car drivers. However, for the cheapest monthly benefit-in-kind (BIK) tax bills you'll want to go for the plug-in hybrid xDrive25e. Depending on the trim level you go for, this officially emits as little as 41g/km of CO2.

The xDrive25e is rather pricey to buy privately, but if you charge its battery up (by plugging in to a domestic three-pin socket or, ideally, from a proper home wallbox), you can expect 20 to 25 miles of pure electric driving before needing to call on the petrol engine.

To find out what your car really does to the gallon try our True MPG calculator

Entry-level SE trim gives you a decent amount of standard equipment, including dual-zone climate control, 17in alloys, cruise control and an electric tailgate. 

Moving up to Sport brings mainly styling additions, while xLine adds a lot to the price, so we reckon it's best to stick with SE and add a few options. Range-topping M Sport trim is a popular choice for its more aggressive styling, but it's expensive and its standard sports suspension (excluding the xDrive25e) doesn't do much for ride comfort.

If you want a more detailed breakdown of what each trim comes with, have a look at our versions and specs page.

BMW came joint 9th (out of 31 brands) in the What Car? Reliability Survey. That's above Audi and Mercedes, with Lexus the only premium manufacturer featuring higher up the league table (it came first).

Better still, the X1 was found to be one of the most dependable family SUVs, with the Volvo XC40 the only direct rival scoring higher marks. 

All BMW X1s come with a three-year unlimited mileage warranty, which is better cover than the three-year/60,000-mile warranties offered by Audi and Volvo. Go for the plug-in hybrid xDrive 25e and the battery is covered by a separate six-year, or 60,000-mile, warranty – whichever comes first.

The BMW X1 was awarded a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating back in 2015. The rating is still valid – even though testing is far more stringent today than it was back then – but the Range Rover Evoque offers better crash protection for adult occupants, as does the Volvo XC40 .

Every X1 comes with front, side and curtain airbags as standard, plus a system that automatically informs the emergency services of your location if an airbag is deployed. It’s also great that low-speed automatic emergency braking (AEB) is standard across the range.

Security is impressive, too. An alarm, engine immobiliser and remote central locking are fitted to every X1 and security experts Thatcham awarded the car five out of five for resisting theft, and four for guarding against being broken into.

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