The BMW X1 is the latest version of a family SUV that, it’s fair to say, has undergone quite the transformation in recent years. In its first generation the X1 was more of a rugged, jacked-up estate car powered by a few diesel engines. But with this new third-generation model, BMW has aimed to turn the X1 into a fully fledged posh and polished SUV, complete with electrified engine lineup.
The new X1 sits on the same underpinnings as the BMW 2 Series Active Tourer MPV. But now there’s a choice of one petrol and two diesels, most of which benefit from mild-hybrid technology, as well as two plugin hybrid versions, which promise a long 55-mile official pure-electric range. It’s a little bigger than the outgoing model, but still smaller than the more expensive X3 and X5—and yet it offers more space than its direct competitors in the family SUV class.
As well as being capacious, the X5 boasts a glitzy dual-screen layout on the dash, packed with features and capable of receiving over-the-air updates just like your phone. But before we get into the details, let’s check out its key stats.
| Brand-new price range | £34,000–£51,000 |
| Car Planet price range | £8,000–£14,000 / £168–£274 a month |
| Trims | 3 |
| Engines | 6 |
| Available fuels | Petrol, diesel, hybrid |
| mpg range across all versions | 58–353 |
| Doors | 5 |
| Company car tax at 20% (min/max) | £600/£3,000 |
| Company car tax at 40% (min/max) | £1,200–£6,000 |
Equipment, options and extras
The BMW X5 has 3 trim levels. The entry-level Sport is relatively well equipped, with cruise control, touchscreen infotainment, all-round parking sensors, a digital driver display and a reversing camera. The xLine trim adds some different styling, while the top-level M Sports tweaks the styling further and introduces the M Adaptive Suspension. Furthermore, each trim can be upgraded with the Technology Plus Pack for a head-up display, high-beam assist, an upgraded sound system and self-parking.
Costs, insurance groups, mpg and CO2
The BMW X1 is priced broadly in line with its rivals the Genesis GV70, Range Rover Evoque, Audi Q3 and Volvo XC40. Company car drivers will be drawn to its plugin hybrid versions which, thanks to the official 55-mile range, sit in the 8% BIK tax band. That’s better than the 34-mile plugin version of the Evoque which sits in the 12% band and the 28 miles of the XC40, which sits in the 14% band. The GV70 isn’t available as a plugin.
Private buyers will find that the regular versions of the X1 are fairly frugal. The xDrive223i, the most powerful petrol version, returns an impressive 37 mpg, compared to 34 mpg for a B4 FWD XC40 and 26 mpg for a GV70.
Safety and security
In 2022 the BMW X1 received a full five stars’ safety rating from Euro NCAP. It’s worth noting that its rival the Genesis GV70 outperformed the X1 when it came to adult occupants’ chest protection in a frontal impact and child occupants’ neck and head protection in a lateral impact. It’s hard to directly compare the X1’s safety with that of its rival the Volvo XC40, which was last tested by Euro NCAP in 2018 when they had less stringent test criteria.
The X1 includes automatic emergency braking as standard, although we recommend ticking the box for the Driving Assistant Professional package, which adds lane-keeping assistance, road sign detection, blind spot assistance and a rear cross-traffic alert system.
Reliability
The BMW X1 comes with a 3-year unlimited-mileage warranty. That’s better cover than the 3-year but 60,000-mile warranties offered by its rivals from Audi and Volvo.
The Car Planet verdict
Some of the BMW X1’s rivals in the family SUV class are a little more comfortable and better to drive, but you certainly won’t find any that’s more capacious, and you’re sure to be impressed by the pure electric range on offer in the plugin hybrid versions.
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