Ranked #26 car in the UK · Hatchback · 20,154 units sold last year

BMW 1 Series

The current BMW 1 Series (F40, 2019 on) switched from rear-wheel drive to a front-wheel-drive platform shared with the 2 Series Active Tourer and MINI - a big change from the older, enthusiast-favourite rear-drive cars. In return it gained far more interior space and a more efficient package. The range runs from the 118i petrol to the 128ti and four-wheel-drive M135i hot hatches. Cross-shop the Audi A3 and Mercedes A-Class; if you specifically want rear-wheel drive, you need a pre-2019 1 Series.

How these figures are sourced — the valuation is anchored to a researched used-market price for this model (AutoTrader median, 2023 at 30k miles). Reliability, mileage and variant data are real DVSA MOT records. Dimensions, tyre sizes and costs, servicing figures and the insurance group are segment-level estimates rather than sourced per car, and are being replaced model by model.

BMW 1 Series
Photo: Alexander-93 via Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Body
Hatchback
Years
2018–2026
Fuel
Petrol / Diesel / Mild Hybrid
Economy
46 mpg

combined

Insurance
Group 23

The short version

65/100

Forecourt score

Value 72 · Reliability 67 · Insurance 49 · catalogue percentiles

The BMW 1 Series holds its value well and costs about average to run. Its MOT-based reliability is excellent — an MOT score of 81/100, ahead of 54% of the cars we track. On three-year value retention it ranks better than 72% of models.

The Forecourt score blends how this car ranks against the catalogue on value retention, reliability and insurance cost (weighted 40/40/20) — the from-new ownership picture. Higher is better; running cost is not yet folded in.

Pick your version

Estimates are tuned to the version you choose.

Fuel

Mild Hybrid · 1499cc

Power

156 ps

Drivetrain

FWD

Cam drive

Chain

Quoted MPG

46 mpg

The volume 1-Series. 1.5 three-cylinder turbo (B38) with 48V mild-hybrid in the F70 generation. Chain-driven, FWD. The BMW that drives like a Golf.

Tell us about the one you're looking at

2023
20182026
27,699 mi
0Expected: 27,699180k
good
PoorFairGoodExcellent

Tidy and well looked-after for its age — the typical car.

Remembered as you browse other cars.

Optional — fills in the exact year and ULEZ status for your specific car. The registration isn’t stored.

Estimated market value

How we got this number — click for the breakdown, or to challenge it.

£18,500

Range £15,600 – £21,600

medium confidence

When new (2023)circa £33,000Age-based value£20,911Mileage adjustment+£0Condition & region-£7Market calibration-£1,204Forecourt price£19,700Private sale£17,250Part-exchange£15,200
Holdthis 3-year-old

Fair value — depreciation is moderating.

At 27,699 miles it’s about the ~31,560 typical for a 3-year-old.

Seen one for sale?

£

A data-led guide from the depreciation curve, UK parc trend and reliability — not financial advice.

The depreciation curve

How a 2023-registration BMW 1 Series loses value over time.

What it costs to own

Over

Based on the 2023 car with 27,699 miles you entered above — worth about £18,500 today — here is the cost of owning it for the next 5 years, at roughly 9,233 miles a year.

5-year total

£19,274

Per year

£3,855

All-in per mile

£0.42

Fuel per mile

15.8p

If a company carAround £419/mo Benefit-in-Kind tax at the 40% rate (£210/mo at 20%) — 34% band

Depreciation£4,719
Fuel / energy£7,295
Servicing£2,570
Road tax£1,000
Insurance£3,690

If you're a company-car driver

At 34% BIK, a 40% taxpayer would pay about £419/month in company-car tax (£210/month at 20%) — on top of the running costs above. Full BIK table below for context.

Best age to buy — around 2 years

A 2-year-old example loses roughly £3,600 a year — 51% less than the £7,400 a one-year-old sheds. The steepest drop is behind it.

Uses current UK pump and home-charging prices (DESNZ weekly), typical-driver insurance and manufacturer service intervals. "Fuel per mile" is just the energy input — so an EV at ~9p and a diesel at ~22p make running-cost comparison direct. A guide; your own costs will vary.

How it compares

Where this car ranks against the 340 vehicles in our index — higher is better.

Holds its valuebetter than 72%
Reliabilitybetter than 67%
Fuel economybetter than 59%
Cheap to insurebetter than 49%

Percentile rank across our full index. A measure is shown only where the data spreads meaningfully across the index.

Petrol, diesel, hybrid or EV?

How the available versions compare on price, running cost, and the headaches each tends to develop.

120i / 118d (volume)

BMW's premium hatch. Mk3 F40 broke with RWD heritage — now FWD/AWD only. Cross-shop Mercedes A-Class, Audi A3, VW Golf (cheaper, ICE). The M135i is the hot 1 Series — but enthusiasts mourn the old M140i. Old F20/F21 used market for RWD inline-6 fans.

New price
circa £36,000
Annual fuel / energy
£1,500
3-yr depreciation
46%

Watch for

  • ·iDrive 7 freezes early units (improved)
  • ·Some 2.0d examples had EGR issues
  • ·FWD/AWD only — broke RWD heritage (criticised by enthusiasts)
  • ·Old M140i (used market, RWD inline-6) cult car

Fuel/energy costs based on this week’s UK averages (w/c 03/08/2026) · Petrol 159.9p/L, Diesel 179.2p/L, Electricity 27.0p/kWh · DESNZ

Estimated insurance

Group 23 of 50 (mid — around the UK average) · Comprehensive · 3 years NCB

Indicative annual comprehensive premiums for this car, by driver age band and risk profile. Pick the combination closest to your circumstances.

3 years
0 yearsBaseline: 3 years15+
Risk profile:

Estimated annual premium · typical, age 33-39

£738/ year

Roughly £62 per month

Typical

Average UK driver — 3 years NCB, average postcode, no recent claims.
Age bandLower riskTypicalHigher risk
Age 17-25£1,682£2,102£2,732
Age 26-32£878£1,033£1,260
Age 33-39Selected£649£738£870
Age 40-49£551£612£710
Age 50+£491£546£644

How we estimate this

Indicative annual comprehensive premium estimates. The 'Typical' figure represents an average UK driver in each age band; Lower and Higher risk show the realistic spread driven by factors UK insurers legitimately price on (postcode, occupation, claims history, NCB, voluntary excess, modifications). Based on 10,000 miles/yr, £250 voluntary excess, and the no-claims bonus selected above. Always get individual quotes before buying.

Expected annual costs

Adjust the annual mileage to match how you'll actually use the car. Insurance is what you selected above (age 33-39, typical risk, 3 yrs NCB).

9,233 mi/yr
2,000UK avg for this model: 9,23330,000

Routine service

£290

Annual main-dealer service

Major service

£280

Every 2 years, annualised

Road tax

£200

Standard rate, post year-one

Fuel

£1,459

46 mpg, £1.60/L

Insurance

£738

Age 33-39, group 23

Clean-air zones

✓ ULEZ compliant
  • Mild Hybrid variants are compliant with London ULEZ and all UK clean-air zones.
  • All petrol variants meet Euro 4 standards and are ULEZ compliant.

Based on London ULEZ standards — Birmingham, Bath, Bristol, Sheffield, Glasgow and other UK clean-air zones generally follow the same rules.

Total expected£2,967 / year

Excludes depreciation and unscheduled repairs (see next section).

Unexpected costs

What out-of-warranty repairs typically run, by mileage band. Your selected mileage is highlighted.

0-30k miles

£120

per year · low risk

30-60k miles

£360

per year · low risk

60-100k miles

£780

per year · medium risk

100k+ miles

£1,350

per year · high risk

Tyres

195/65 R15 · 205/55 R16 · 215/45 R17

What a full set of four will cost you (including fit and balance), and which brand each tier of buyer should pick. A typical set lasts about 24,000 miles.

Budget

£300

set of 4, fitted · £60 per tyre

Mid-range

£440

set of 4, fitted · £95 per tyre

Premium

£620

set of 4, fitted · £140 per tyre

What to fit

Optional extras worth paying for

Factory options ranked by how much of their original cost they recover at resale. Anything above 70% return tends to make money back; below 40% is paying for your own enjoyment.

OptionNew costAdded used valueReturn

Tow bar (factory-fit)

Niche, but the buyers who want one will pay for it.

£650£45069%

Parking sensors & reversing camera

Near-expected now — its absence costs more than its presence returns.

£500£30060%

Heated seats / cold-weather pack

£450£20044%

Adaptive / matrix LED headlights

£900£40044%

Metallic or premium paint

Almost universal — an unusual colour is the bigger resale risk.

£600£20033%

Panoramic / opening roof

£1,100£35032%

Advanced driver-assistance pack

£1,500£45030%

Larger alloy wheels

£700£20029%

Premium sound system

£800£20025%

Parts most likely to fail

Drawn from owner reports and warranty data. Filtered for relevance to 27,699 miles.

Watch now

Failure typically happens around your current mileage.

Upcoming

A known weak point — but you haven't reached its usual mileage yet.

Already due

Past its usual failure mileage. Either already fixed, or about to.

Tyres & wheelsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £80-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

BrakesUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£500medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.1% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

SuspensionUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£450medium severityParts high

Recorded in 7.3% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Lighting & signallingUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £15-£120low severityParts high

Recorded in 5.6% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

Driver's viewUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £60-£300low severityParts high

Recorded in 3.1% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

EmissionsUpcoming

Typical at over 100k milesCost £150-£800medium severityParts high

Recorded in 1.9% of MOT tests over 100k miles — from 5,701,749 DVSA MOT tests analysed.

"Parts low/medium/high" indicates how easy the replacement part is to source — discontinued or specialist parts mean longer workshop time and bigger bills.

Safety rating

Euro NCAP's independent crash-test rating for the BMW 1 Series, from its 2019 assessment.

5/5
TEST YEAR2019
Rating lapsed after 2025 · protocol superseded

The passenger compartment of the 1-series remained stable in the frontal offset test.

Independent crash-test data from Euro NCAP. Star ratings reflect the test protocol of the year shown — newer protocols are stricter, so a 5-star from 2024 represents a higher bar than a 5-star from 2014. Euro NCAP ratings run for six years from publication; a lapsed rating means the protocol has moved on, not that the car performs any worse than it did on test.

MOT outlook

How this model fares at its MOT as it ages — from 5,801,224 real DVSA test records.

MOT pass rate by age

A 3-year-old 1 Series passes its MOT 87.6% of the time; by 25 years that has slipped to 85%. The y-axis is zoomed to this model’s range so the trend is readable.

Longevity

95%of 8-year-old examples are still taxed and on the road — a useful read on how well the model lasts.

From 28,116 vehicles registered in 2018.

Survival by registration year

93%95%98%100%20182022

Each point is one registration cohort. Older cars on the left, newer on the right. A flatter line means the model holds up over time; a steep drop means cohorts disappear from UK roads faster.

What’s on the road

The fuel-type split of every 1 Series with MOT history in the DVSA record. From 592,773 vehicles tested at least once - not the number on the road today, which is lower.

  • Diesel 49.7%
  • Petrol 44.3%
  • Hybrid 5.7%

What fails at the first MOT

The defect categories a 1 Series registered 2020–2023 fails on at its first MOT, from 61,466 first tests. Every car here is the same age and the same generation, so these are the faults that show up first - not the wear a high-mileage older example collects.

  • Tyres & wheels5.5%
  • Brakes0.7%
  • Driver's view0.7%
  • Seat belts & restraints0.3%
  • Lighting & signalling0.2%
  • Suspension0.2%

Share of first MOT tests recording at least one defect in that category. DVSA test-item categories, not parts: “Driver’s view” covers mirrors, wipers and glass.

Typical mileage by age

The average odometer reading for a 1 Series at MOT, by age — measured from the same DVSA records, not assumed. A useful yardstick for whether a given car has done more or fewer miles than its age suggests.

  • 3 yr31,560
  • 4 yr40,236
  • 5 yr48,658
  • 6 yr57,169
  • 7 yr65,558
  • 8 yr73,867
  • 9 yr81,731
  • 10 yr89,105
  • 11 yr95,638
  • 12 yr101,489
  • 13 yr106,645
  • 14 yr111,154

Mean recorded mileage at MOT by vehicle age, from DVSA test records. Ages below three are not shown: the first MOT is due at three years, so the few cars tested earlier are a self-selected minority rather than a representative sample. Ages with at least 10 tests shown.

Reliability

81/ 100

Excellent

First-MOT pass rate and defect rate for cars registered 2020 onward (61,466 first tests), with cohort survival — high confidence.

MOT outlook · age 5 years

86%first-time pass rate

54th percentile — About catalogue average

Based on 560,878 MOT tests · ranked against 248 catalogue models with comparable data

Where this car sits in the catalogue

0%50%90%

Pass-rate distribution across 248 catalogue models

Things owners say

  • 01The key thing to know: 2019-on cars are front-wheel drive. If rear-drive handling is what you're after, that's the previous generation.
  • 02Many cars ride on run-flat tyres, which firm up the ride and cost more to replace - budget for it and check tyre condition.
  • 03The M135i is quick and AWD-secure but check for hard use; the lighter front-drive 128ti is the keener driver's pick.

Safety recalls

Manufacturers occasionally issue safety recalls to fix a fault free of charge. You can check whether the BMW 1 Series, or your exact vehicle, has any outstanding recalls on the official DVSA service.

Check on GOV.UK

Opens the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency recall checker. Choose the make, model and year of manufacture — no registration needed.

Theft risk

A general indicator from UK 2025 theft data and this car’s characteristics — not a prediction for any one vehicle.

Whole-car theft

Around average

Theft risk is around the UK average. Like most modern cars it has keyless entry, so relay theft is the method to guard against.

Parts theft

Higher

Hybrid versions are a catalytic-converter target — a hybrid cat is rich in precious metals and can be cut out in about a minute.

Worth doing

  • Keep keys in a Faraday pouch and away from the front door to block relay attacks.
  • A catalytic-converter guard or forensic marking makes a hybrid far less appealing to cut.

Clean-air zones

Whether driving a BMW 1 Series into a UK clean-air zone will cost you anything. Rules use the same Euro standard across most zones — petrol from 2006 and diesel from 2015 onwards are exempt; pure electric is always exempt.

Charging zones for cars

CityAreaDaily chargeLikely outcome
LondonAll of Greater London (within the M25)£12.50
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
BirminghamInside the A4540 Middleway£8.00
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
BristolCity centre and part of the Portway£9.00
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
GlasgowCity centre—
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
EdinburghCity centre—
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
AberdeenCity centre—
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.
DundeeCity centre—
Likely exempt
Diesel from September 2015 meets Euro 6.

Zones that don't charge private cars

  • Bath — City centre (Private cars and motorbikes are not charged).
  • Bradford — Outer ring road and the Aire Valley (Private cars are not charged).
  • Sheffield — Inside the A61 inner ring road (Private cars are not charged).
  • Newcastle & Gateshead — City centres and the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges (Private cars are not charged).
  • Portsmouth — Part of the city centre (Applies to taxis, PHVs, buses, coaches and HGVs only).

Model-level guidance only. To check a specific registration, use the official gov.uk clean-air zone checker. Zone charges and boundaries are set by local councils and change over time.

Company car tax

What HMRC's Benefit-in-Kind charge looks like if you ran this BMW 1 Series as a company car, by tax year and income-tax band. Calculated from a CO₂ of 142 g/km, using £37,000 as the P11D value.

Tax yearBIK %Tax @ 20%Tax @ 40%Monthly @ 20%Monthly @ 40%
2025-2633%£2,442£4,884£204£407
2026-2734%£2,516£5,032£210£419
2027-2835%£2,590£5,180£216£432
2028-2935%£2,590£5,180£216£432
2029-3035%£2,590£5,180£216£432

P11D value is approximated from the latest new price; the exact figure on your tax code will depend on options fitted. The 4% diesel surcharge applies only to non-RDE2 (pre-2021) diesels — we assume RDE2 compliance for current models. Bands and rates from HMRC's Autumn Budget 2024 confirmation through 2029/30.

Servicing & the dealer network

How well-supported BMW is across the UK — a practical read on how easy servicing, parts and warranty work will be to find.

Franchised UK dealers

~145

Large network

Premium mainstream

Network size relative to the UK's largest (BMW is 3.2% of all franchised outlets)

Servicing, parts and warranty work are easy to find UK-wide, and most independent garages know the brand well — which keeps maintenance competitive.

For context, the UK has roughly 4,500 franchised car-dealer outlets in total, plus about 15,500 independent garages.

Approximate figures, curated from public UK industry sources (NFDA, Car Dealer Magazine). Franchised networks shrink year on year — these indicate network size, not an exact count.

Dimensions & weight

These are segment estimates, not manufacturer figures. 296 of 325 catalogued cars share one of 14 identical dimension sets, so they describe a class rather than this particular car. Sourced figures replace them model by model.

Length

4,300 mm

Width

1,790 mm

Height

1,460 mm

Kerb weight

1,350 kg

Boot

380–1,250 L

Fuel tank

48 L

How many are still out there

How the UK BMW 1 Series fleet splits: taxed and on the road, parked off the road on a SORN, and gone from the register where that figure is available.

Currently registered

423,878

Currently taxed & on road

400,032

94% of all registered

SORN (off road)

23,846

6% of all registered

Scrapped or exported

n/a

not in this DfT extract

UK fleet trend — 2014 to 2025

-0.5% vs 2024
281,306400,032

Source: DfT VEH0124 vehicle licensing statistics (year-end 2025) · Updated 29 Jul 2026

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Same underpinnings

Built on the BMW FAAR / UKL platform

Front-wheel-drive transverse-engine platform for BMW's smaller models, also shared with current Mini. Different badges, often substantially different residuals, but broadly the same mechanicals and repair cost profile.

BMW Front-wheel-drive Architecture · BMW

Common questions

BMW 1 Series, answered from the data

Is the BMW 1 Series reliable?
The BMW 1 Series scores 81/100 on Forecourt's MOT-based reliability measure, ahead of 54% of the cars we track. That is computed from 5,801,224 real DVSA MOT test results.
How much does a used BMW 1 Series cost?
A 2023 BMW 1 Series with around 27,699 miles is worth roughly £18,500 today (typical range £16,700–£20,250). Dealer forecourt prices sit higher and part-exchange offers lower; newer or lower-mileage examples cost more.
How quickly does the BMW 1 Series depreciate?
A new BMW 1 Series typically loses about 36% of its value over the first three years, then depreciates more slowly. Buying at three to five years old avoids the steepest part of the curve.
What insurance group is the BMW 1 Series?
The BMW 1 Series sits in insurance group 23 of 50 — the middle of the scale. Exact premiums depend on the trim (some versions sit a few groups higher or lower), your age, postcode and no-claims history.
What goes wrong on a used BMW 1 Series?
The most common age-related issues we track for the BMW 1 Series are: tyres & wheels (typically around over 100k miles, £80-£500 to put right); brakes (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£500 to put right); suspension (typically around over 100k miles, £150-£450 to put right). A full service history and a recent MOT with no advisories are the best protection.
What does the BMW 1 Series cost to run?
Expect around 46 mpg combined on the 118i 1.5 mHEV, £200 a year in road tax, about £290 for a standard annual service. The full cost-of-ownership table above breaks this down per year and per mile for the exact year and mileage you choose.
Is the BMW 1 Series ULEZ compliant?
Most petrol BMW 1 Seriess from 2006 and diesels from September 2015 meet the Euro standards for London ULEZ and other UK clean-air zones, so they are generally exempt from the daily charge. Pure-electric versions are always exempt.
How many BMW 1 Seriess are on UK roads?
About 400,032 BMW 1 Seriess are currently taxed and on the road in the UK, from DfT vehicle-licensing data.

Answers are generated from this car's Forecourt data — DVSA MOT records, DfT licensing statistics and our valuation model — and update with the weekly data refresh.

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