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Used Car Expert Rating

BMW 1 Series (2011 to 2019)

Expert Rating

Used car score:

58
%
D

This model is no longer on sale or in production, so it doesn't have a New Car Expert Rating score.

Expert Rating report card

Media Rating:

73
%
B

Safety Rating:

43
%
E

Eco Rating:

-

Reliability Rating:

56
%
D

Running Costs:

58
%
B

How are our Expert Rating scores calculated?

Expert Rating

Used car score:

58
%
D

This model is no longer on sale or in production, so it doesn't have a New Car Expert Rating score.

Expert Rating report card

Media Rating:

73
%
B

Safety Rating:

43
%
E

Eco Rating:

-

Reliability Rating:

56
%
D

Running Costs:

58
%
B

Summary


The BMW 1 Series is a medium-sized three- or five-door hatchback. This model is the second generation of 1 Series. It was launched in 2011, with a major update in 2015. It ended production in 2019 and was replaced with an all-new model.

Unlike the original 1 Series, there were no coupé or convertible versions of this model. Those cars were re-named the 2 Series and were positioned above the 1 Series in both price and specification.

The BMW 1 Series received mostly good to very good scores from the UK media, especially for the high-performance M140i model. Reviewers generally praised the car’s driving dynamics, but criticised the lack of interior and boot space.

In its 2020 owners’ survey, What Car? rated the diesel-engined 1 Series in first place on its list of the most reliable family cars. The petrol-engined versions ranked tenth. The 1 Series maintained its top raking in the 2021 edition of the reliability survey, although the petrol versions were reported to be more reliable than the diesels.

Key specifications


Body style: Three- and five-door hatch
Engines: petrol, diesel
Price when new : From £23,055

Launched: Summer 2011
Last update: Spring 2015
Replaced: Summer 2019


Media reviews


Reviews, road tests and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.

Auto Express

+

Autocar

+

Car

+

Carbuyer

+

Evo

+

Honest John

+

The Sunday Times

+

Top Gear

+

What Car?

+

Safety rating


Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP

Overall score: 5 stars
Date tested: February 2012
Date expired: January 2019
Read the full Euro NCAP review

Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 83%
Vulnerable road users: 63%
Safety assist: 86%

Notes on safety rating

The BMW 1 Series was awarded a five-star safety rating from Euro NCAP back when this model was launched in 2012. However, this rating expired in January 2019 as the 1 Series no longer met the requirements for a five-star car. This is normal practice, as Euro NCAP reviews its ratings on most cars annually with most ratings expiring after about six or seven years.

However, if you are comparing a used BMW 1 Series to vehicles of similar age, whose ratings will have probably also expired, its safety rating score is still useful.

Eco rating


Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP

No eco rating

The BMW 1 Series was never lab tested by Green NCAP during its production life.

Reliability rating

MotorEasy logo 600x167

Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy

All data based on MotorEasy average workshop costs for extended car warranty claims

Despite positive owner reports in magazine surveys, warramty data on the BMW 1 Series doesn’t paint a very flattering picture. As of April 2024, it has a reliability rating of 54%, which is well below average. This is based on warranty claims data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our commercial partner, Motorway, and applies to both this generation 1 Series as well as both newer (2019 onwards) and older (pre-2011) models.

Based on quite a large number of claims, the average repair cost for a 1 Series to date is more than £700 – which is obviously a lot more than the cost of a used car warranty so that’s certainly worth considering.

A particular concern is the high number of engine problems, which are also the most expensive kind of problems with an average repair bill of more than £1,400. Costs for the various other categories are also reasonably expensive compared to similar cars, which is worth keeping in mind if you’re looking at a used BMW 1 Series.

Similar cars


If you’re looking at the BMW 1 Series, you might also be interested in these alternatives

Alfa Romeo Giulietta | Audi A3 | Infiniti Q30 | Lexus CT | Mercedes-Benz A-Class | Volkswagen Golf | Volvo V40


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The BMW 1 Series received mostly good to very good scores from the UK media, especially for the high-performance M140i model. Reviewers generally praised the car's driving dynamics, but criticised the lack of interior and boot space.BMW 1 Series (2011 to 2019)