It was back in September 2025 when our spies managed to spot what could be the refreshed BMW X1. Now on its third generation, it has yet to receive a makeover since it was first launched in 2022 (revealed for the Philippine market in 2023).

Based on what our spies were able to capture last year, it appears the X1 facelift will get the Neue Klasse look, which was first used in the all-new iX3. That means we can expect a heavy redesign of BMW's smallest crossover offering.

Two months into 2026, and it looks like our suspicions have been confirmed. This comes after our spies managed to take pictures of the updated BMW X1 undergoing winter testing somewhere in Sweden. Despite the camo livery hiding most of its exterior, the refreshed X1 will get a redesigned look.

Immediately apparent is the restyled front fascia, which gets a new pair of LED headlights, along with what looks to be a new front bumper. But what really caught our attention is the new vertical dual kidney grille. Much like the pictures we saw last year, the refreshed X1 will most likely get the same appearance as the all-new iX3, albeit on a smaller vehicle.

The rest of the vehicle appears to be carried over from the pre-facelift version. However, the rear of the X1 is heavily disguised, which leads us to believe BMW may have made some changes. The LED taillights appear to look the same based on the corner lights that are slightly exposed, but the rest of the tailgate could undergo some important changes that BMW has yet to reveal.

As before, the updated X1 will most likely continue to be available with turbo-gas and turbo-diesel engines, as well as plug-in hybrid and full EV variants.

Can we expect BMW to launch the updated X1 later this year? Watch this space.