BMW X1 F48 sat nav update

Which sat nav does the X1 F48 have?

If your X1 has Navigation Professional, the answer is straightforward: it has NBT EVO. The question most F48 owners actually need answered is about Business navigation, because BMW changed the Business unit during the car's production and the two versions do not share maps:

We have not put years on these changes because they depend on the exact build. Our VIN lookups have found both EntryNav and EntryNav2 on F48 cars, so two Business X1s of a similar age can need different packages. The VIN check above tells you which one is in yours.

EntryNav vs EntryNav2: why the difference matters

The key thing to know about the F48 is that EntryNav and EntryNav2 are not two versions of the same map. EntryNav uses the ROUTE maps, sold as East or West Europe and activated with a code you type on the screen. EntryNav2 uses the WAY maps, which cover Europe in one package and are activated with an FSC file that the car reads from the USB stick. Ordering the wrong one simply will not install.

Professional cars have their own split. Every NBT EVO X1 uses the EVO maps, but early cars may run ID4 software, which takes a typed code, while later cars run ID5/ID6 and take an FSC file.

• Professional, early cars: NBT EVO ID4, EVO maps, typed code
• Professional, later cars: NBT EVO ID5/ID6, EVO maps, FSC file
• Business, earlier cars: EntryNav, ROUTE maps, typed code
• Business, later cars: EntryNav2, WAY maps, FSC file

Business vs Professional navigation in the X1 F48

On the X1, the navigation option shapes more than the map you buy. A Professional car has NBT EVO, takes the EVO maps and costs £59.99 to update. A Business car costs £39.99 if it has EntryNav and £59.99 if it has EntryNav2, and the activation method changes with it.

That is why we would not guess from an advert or a service book that just says "Business navigation". It tells you the tier, not which Business unit is fitted. If you are buying a used X1 and want to know what the maps will cost to bring up to date, the VIN check gives you the unit and the price before you commit.

How to update the maps in your X1

ROUTE comes as East or West Europe; you install one and each includes the main roads of the other. EVO and WAY cover Europe in a single package. For units that take a typed code, your order includes a Lifetime FSC code where the unit supports it. If your X1 uses an FSC file, copy it exactly as the guide shows and don't rename it. Let the install run to the end with the X1 safely parked; the guide explains what to expect on screen. For a side-by-side look at dealer and DIY prices, see BMW sat nav update cost in the UK.

Apple CarPlay in the X1 F48

The X1 F48 is not currently on our list of models for USB CarPlay activation, so we cannot promise that CarPlay can be switched on in your car. If CarPlay matters to you, check compatibility by VIN first rather than relying on what a similar car has. Our guide does my BMW have Apple CarPlay? explains how to see what your car has now, and the Apple CarPlay activation page explains how USB activation works on the cars it suits.

The X1 after the F48, and the X2 F39

The F48 was followed by the U11 X1, which has BMW's newest iDrive. On that generation the maps typically update over the air while the car's map update subscription or free period is active; once it has ended, a USB update with an FSC file is the way to keep the maps current. The X2 F39 is closely related to the F48, but run the VIN check on the car itself rather than assuming it matches an X1.

Before the F48 came the first X1, the E84, which used CIC instead: see the BMW E84 sat nav update. The 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer share the F48 platform and have similar units: see the BMW F45 sat nav update.