For most shoppers in mid October 2026, the used BMW X1 to buy is a 2016-2022 xDrive28i if you need all-wheel drive, a 2016-2022 sDrive28i if you live somewhere without snow and want to save money, or a 2023-on car if the budget stretches and you want the newer safety tech and some factory warranty left. The 2013-2015 X1 is a different car underneath, rear-drive based, and it carries an older air-bag and water pump recall load that you have to check by VIN.
Consumer Reports breaks the X1 into three U.S. generations: 2013-2015, 2016-2022, and 2023 to present. The first one was based on the previous-generation 3 Series. For 2016 BMW moved the X1 to a front-wheel-drive-based platform shared with the Mini Clubman, which is why our used Mini Cooper buying guide is weirdly relevant here. If you need more room, the used BMW X3 buying guide covers the next size up. So, price both at the same year and mileage and let the gap decide.
2013-2015: sporty, older, and easy to overspend on
CR describes the first U.S. X1 as a compact five-seater with a 240-hp turbo four and an eight-speed automatic, offered with rear- or all-wheel drive, plus a 300-hp turbo six with a six-speed automatic. It feels sporty, but CR found the ride stiff and the steering heavy at low speed. Their used-car advice is refreshingly plain: the four-cylinder is plenty, so skip the six, stick to basic cars with the Premium and Cold Weather packages, and do not chase loaded options that make the price silly even used.
The recall feed for a 2014 X1 shows two campaigns, and both matter. 20V-017 replaces the driver air bag on 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, xDrive28i, and xDrive35i models, along with many other BMWs, because the inflator can explode and throw metal fragments. 24V-608 covers 2012-2015 X1 sDrive28i and xDrive28i models plus a long list of other BMWs with a water pump electrical connector that may not be sealed and can short; NHTSA lists the risk as fire, and owner letters went out March 28, 2025. That one is recent. A ten-year-old BMW may have been sold twice since the letter went to the first owner.
2016-2022: sDrive vs xDrive and what to check
The second-gen car is the volume used buy. CR says it got larger and roomier, kept a 2.0-liter turbo four with an eight-speed automatic (both new designs), and drove more ordinary than sporty. A 2020 freshening added an electronic gear selector. Recall filings name both the sDrive28i, which is front-drive, and the xDrive28i with all-wheel drive. Decode the VIN with our BMW VIN decoder or NHTSA's vPIC instead of trusting the badge, because a liftgate badge is cheap to swap and the drivetrain changes what you pay.
Recalls to clear on this generation: 19V-349 covers about 106,182 2016-2019 X1s whose interior B-pillar trim may not absorb enough impact when a head hits it, so dealers replace the trim. 16V-747 replaces the driver's seat belt on certain 2016-2017 cars because the retractor may not lock. The 2018 X1 feed adds a taillight bracket fix (19V-074), a small tie rod campaign (19V-601), and a crankshaft sensor firmware campaign (18V-465) that can cause a stall. 2020 cars had a rollover sensor fix in the air-bag control unit (20V-283), and some 2021 cars had a seat belt retractor inspection (21V-554).
2023 and newer: AWD standard, different feel
Car and Driver's current X1 page, written for a 2026 model it says carried over unchanged, lists the xDrive28i at 241 hp and the M35i at 312 hp, both with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic and standard all-wheel drive, and EPA ratings of 25/34/28 mpg for the xDrive28i. C&D likes the handling but says the M35i rides too harshly, so the xDrive28i is the one they would buy. CR found the dual-clutch makes take-offs jumpy and that climate controls buried in the touchscreen are distracting. C&D lists current coverage at four years or 50,000 miles plus three years or 36,000 miles of scheduled maintenance, so confirm the in-service date and ask BMW what remains on a 2023-2024 car.
Newer does not mean recall-free. The 2023 X1 feed showed six campaigns when we pulled it on October 15, 2026, including a driver air bag that may not deploy (23V-079), pinched rear belts (23V-260), and integrated brake system campaigns that can cost you power assist or ABS and stability control function (24V-104, 24V-697, 24V-739, and 26V-422, with owner letters for that last one scheduled for August 21, 2026). Use our BMW recall check by VIN guide to see what is still open on the exact car.
History report and price
A small luxury crossover with one minor accident and a repainted fender can look perfect after a detail, and the dealer summary sheet will not always say so. Ask for the report, not a dealer's summary of it. As of mid October 2026, a CARFAX through us is about $5.50 as a guest or $4.50 as a member, and a CARFAX plus AutoCheck bundle about $6.75, while retail runs roughly $39.99 to $44.99. Confirm at checkout. We are a licensed reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, or Experian. Pull a real CARFAX vehicle history report before the deposit.
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