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All cars · BMW · SUV

BMW X1.

The best BMW X1 years are 2013, 2017, 2016. Years to avoid: 2014, 2018. Across 2013-2022, it has a Lemon Index of 89, where 100 is the average car and lower is better.

Reliability by year, 2013 to 2025.

89Lemon Index · 100 = average car

About average. Whole model, 2013-2022: 1.1× fewer complaints than average.

Best year 2013 · Worst year 2014

BMW X1
Photo shows a 2018 BMW X1. Vauxford, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Every year. Lower is better. Tap a year for its full report.

2013571.8× fewer complaints20141621.6× the complaints2016761.3× fewer complaints2017711.4× fewer complaints20181171.2× the complaints2023280early read · 2.8× the complaints2024128early read · 1.3× the complaints2025–few complaints

Best years to buy

2013.

2013571.8× fewer complaints than average2017711.4× fewer complaints than average2016761.3× fewer complaints than average

Years to avoid

2014.

20141621.6× the average car's complaints20181171.2× the average car's complaints

Quick answers.

Is the BMW X1 a good car?

It is about average, by owner complaints to the government per car sold (2013-2022: Lemon Index 89; 100 is average). Some years are much better than others: the best is 2013 and the worst is 2014.

What are the best BMW X1 years to buy?

By owner complaints per car sold: 2013, 2017, 2016.

What BMW X1 years should you stay away from?

The years with the most complaints per car sold: 2014, 2018.

How many recalls does the BMW X1 have?

32 safety recalls across the 8 model years we track. Most: 2014 (6), 2023 (6), 2013 (5). Each year's page lists them.

What are the most common BMW X1 problems?

Across every year, owners' complaints to the government name airbags, brakes and body structure most. Some years are much worse than others: see the chart above.

Every year in one table
YearIndexCompared with averageComplaintsTop complaintRecallsCrash testMPG
2013571.8× fewer complaints than average25airbags (56%)5—21–27
20141621.6× the average car's complaints49airbags (73%)6—21–26
2016761.3× fewer complaints than average21body structure (33%)3—25
2017711.4× fewer complaints than average23body structure (78%)2—25–26
20181171.2× the average car's complaints35body structure (60%)4★★★★★25–26
20232802.8× the average car's complaints70brakes (44%)6★★★★☆28
20241281.3× the average car's complaints30brakes (33%)3★★★★☆26–28
2025–too few complaints to score17electrical (53%)3★★★★☆26–28

Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the government within 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average, lower is better. How it works

BMW X1 transmission problems by year →

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data