• PHEV potentially the most efficient
• Mild hybrid system works well
• The xDrive23i petrol is surprisingly economical

What are the running costs?

On paper, the most economical of the conventional internal combustion models are the diesels. The two-wheel drive sDrive18d and four-wheel drive xDrive23d should both be capable of real-world mpg in the mid 50s.

Next up is the two-wheel drive petrol sDrive20i, which is officially claimed close to capable of 50mpg according to WLTP findings. And before you scoff at this, consider that during a 128-mile motorway crawl in the theoretically thirstier xDrive23i, we achieved more than 50mpg. This makes its official combined 40mpg figures seem imminently realistic. But this will still depend on the weight of your right foot.

The xDriveM35i will certainly encourage you to keep that limb extended. You’ll be have try pretty hard to claw your way above 30mpg in one of those.

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The xDrive25e and xDrive30e plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models feature an electric motor powering the rear wheels rather than a conventional four-wheel drive system. With 10-18kWh of battery capacity, these promise an electric-only driving range of between 50 and 57 miles before the petrol engine has to take over. As such, if you’ve a relatively short commute (for instance) and are able to regularly plug them in, these could prove extremely cost-effective to run with a EV-friendly electricity tariff.

They charge 0-100% using a domestic socket in around eight hours, or around 2.5 hours using a dedicated home charger. Official mpg, like most PHEVs, is largely dependent on how you drive it. Plug it in religiously and you could see three figure mpg scores.

Every X1 engine, except the sDrive18d and the PHEVs, uses mild hybrid technology. While this doesn’t allow them to travel on electric power alone, a dedicated drive battery and a clever starter-generator setup means allows them to save a little more fuel than usual and even benefit from a slight performance bump.

See our BMW X1 specs pages for more details.

Servicing and warranty

BMW has 150 dealers in the UK, so you’re unlikely to be too far away from the nearest one. Customer service is generally rated highly in industry surveys such as those conducted by JD Power.

BMW servicing isn’t based on mileage, but on condition – the car will tell you when it needs a service. Service plans are available to help manage the cost. How much you pay depends on the model.

All BMWs are covered by a three-year unlimited mileage warranty.

Reliability

• BMW doesn’t have a stellar reputation for reliability
• Infotainment software can be glitchy
• Engines used in many other BMWs

BMW may be a premium brand, but that doesn’t mean you should expect flawless reliability, and sadly this generation of X1 is no exception. It doesn’t take much looking to finding owners reporting issues ion forums and other places, although these do largely appear to be isolated issues rather than a consistent pattern of failure.

The X1 has also been subject to a number of official safety recalls. Many of these involve only a very small number of vehicles in the UK, but an electrical issue related to the integrated braking system was considerably wide-ranging.

If buying used, it’s worth seeing if the local dealer can tell if all the relevant recall work has been completed (there should be no cost to you if it still needs completing, but it may be inconvenient and perhaps also tell you something about the previous owner). The MOT history should now also highlight any outstanding recalls, but most X1s of this generation will be too new to have seen a test centre at the time of writing (August 2025).

Own an X1 already? Why not leave a Parkers owner review to help other people make an informed decision.