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• Reasonable fuel economy returns
• Some rivals hold their value better
• Large number of UK dealers

BMW is an upmarket brand, so servicing costs for the X1 will be higher than some its more mainstream rivals. Depreciation has been also a tad more severe than some direct rivals, such as the Audi Q3 and Range Rover Evoque, so it’s worth factoring this in.

When it comes to saving fuel, all X1s come with stop-start, an Eco Pro drive mode and gear shift indicator.

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MPG and CO2

• sDrive18i manual: 43.5-45.6mpg, 141-148g/km CO2
• sDrive18i auto: 42.2-44.1mpg, 145-152g/km CO2
• sDrive20i auto: 41.5-43.5mpg, 149-156gkm CO2
• xDrive20i auto: 38.7-40.4mpg, 159-165g/km CO2
• sDrive18d manual: 55.4-56.5mpg, 130-136g/km CO2
• sDrive18d automatic: 52.3-54.3mpg, 136-142g/km CO2
• xDrive18d manual: 50.4-52.3mpg, 142-148g/km CO2
• xDrive18d auto: 49.6-51.4mpg, 144-150g/km CO2
• xDrive20d auto: 49.6-51.4mpg, 143-151g/km CO2
• xDrive 25e: 148.7-156.9mpg, 40-43g/km CO2, electric-only range: 30.4-31.1 miles

Note that models sold between the Mk2 X1’s launch in 2015 and its 2020 facelift were badged the same, but had inferior fuel efficiency and emissions figures – you can check those out in the specifications section.

xDrive 25e

The X1 xDrive25e is the plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the X1, which massively broadens the appeal of the range. Visually the only difference is a flap on the nearside front wing to cover the charging port.

We found this plug-in hybrid to be quite easy to live with, but makes most sense for those who mainly cover shorter journeys. We saw a predicted 28-mile electric range from the battery, which would need to be topped-up as much as possible in order to reach that claimed mpg figure – you may otherwise see a similar 43.8mpg to us during our time of testing.

You can maximise the regenerative braking by switching to Sport drive mode, or maximise coasting by opting for Eco Pro instead.

Reliability isn’t the X1’s strongest suit

• Patchy reliability record doesn’t impress
• Multiple recalls on first- and second-generation models
• Double check all issues have been checked if buying used

BMW in general has a solid reliability record, yet, unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to have transferred to the X1. The first-generation model was the subject of four different recalls, while the current generation model has managed to better this with a total of seven thus far. 

With this in mind, it’s worth absolutely double checking that said recalls have been addressed if you’re buying a secondhand BMW X1. There’s no justifiable reason for it not being done as it won’t cost the owner anything – any BMW dealer will be able to confirm whether or not the work’s been done.