Audi A1 vs BMW 1 Series
A side-by-side comparison of the used Audi A1 and BMW 1 Series — price, real monthly finance, running costs and MOT reliability, all from live UK stock.
Reviewed by the Motoring Today Editorial team · methodology in our editorial standards.
Audi A1 or BMW 1 Series — which should I buy?
The BMW 1 Series starts cheaper (Audi A1 from £6,899, BMW 1 Series from £3,495), with illustrative finance from £185/mo and £142/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 43% and 73% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.
- A1 from
- £6,899
- 1 Series from
- £3,495
- In stock
- 7 vs 9
| From live stock | Audi A1 7 in stock · from £6,899 | ★ Best value overall BMW 1 Series 9 in stock · from £3,495 |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest in stock | £6,899 | £3,495★ lowest |
| Median price | £8,995★ lower | £9,999 |
| From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock | £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) | £142/mo (HP, 60 months, 15.9% APR)★ lower |
| Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock | £200/yr | £200/yr |
| Median mileage | 55,406 mi★ lower | 71,724 mi |
| Median year | 2017 | 2018★ newer |
| Median CO₂ | 112 g/km★ cleaner | 119 g/km |
| Typical power | 123 bhp | 134 bhp★ more |
| Most common fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Most common gearbox | Manual | Manual |
| MOT first-time passDVSA history | 43% | 73%★ more reliable |
| Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating | 2 / 7 | 3 / 9★ more |
| View all 7 A1 → | View all 9 1 Series → |
Motoring Today score
Our 0–100 vehicle-intelligence score: reliability is from real DVSA MOT pass rates, the rest from manufacturer specs (MPG/CO₂, insurance group, Euro NCAP, dimensions). Higher is better — the stronger side is highlighted.
| Score | Audi A1 | BMW 1 Series |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 70/100 | 63/100 |
| Reliability | 68 | 62 |
| Running costs | 72 | 71 |
| Safety | — | 49 |
| Family & practicality | 78 | 76 |
| Insurance | 60 | 56 |
A guide, not a guarantee — based on the sample of stock and MOT/spec records we hold for each model.
Specs, side by side
Manufacturer specifications across the Audi A1 and BMW 1 Series trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).
| Spec | Audi A1 | BMW 1 Series |
|---|---|---|
| MPG (combined) | 39–76 mpg | 30–83 mpg |
| CO₂ emissions | 97–168 g/km | 89–226 g/km |
| Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50 | Group 9–38 | Group 12–39 |
| Euro NCAP safety | 5 stars (2019) | 60% pillar avg |
| 0–60mph | 5.6s | 4.6s |
| Power | 84–227 bhp | 93–321 bhp |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Doors | 5 | 5 |
| Length | 3973 mm | 4324 mm |
| Width | 1906 mm | 1984 mm |
| Height | 1416 mm | 1421 mm |
How we compare. The “best value overall” column and the cells marked ★ are chosen from live market data, running costs, DVSA MOT history and manufacturer specs — the side that wins the most comparable rows leads. Deal ratings come from the Motoring Today price model. Our methodology →
About the finance figures
Monthly payments shown are illustrative examples drawn from real quotes on cars currently in stock — the exact rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check. They are not an offer of finance and are not a representative example of the total cost of credit.
Motoring Today is a trading style of Motor Genius Group Ltd (FRN 960504), an appointed representative of The Compliance Guys Ltd, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 941360).
Motoring Today is a credit broker, not a lender.
Frequently asked questions
- Is the Audi A1 or the BMW 1 Series cheaper to buy?
- In current stock the BMW 1 Series starts lower: the Audi A1 is available from £6,899 (median £8,995) and the BMW 1 Series from £3,495 (median £9,999).
- What are the monthly finance payments on the Audi A1 vs the BMW 1 Series?
- Illustrative finance starts from £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) on the Audi A1 and £142/mo (HP, 60 months, 15.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series. These are examples from cars currently in stock, not offers of finance — the actual rate, term and APR depend on your circumstances, the lender and a credit check.
- Which is cheaper to tax, the Audi A1 or the BMW 1 Series?
- The most common annual road tax (VED) across Audi A1 stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the BMW 1 Series — so the Audi A1 is generally cheaper to tax.
- Which is more reliable at MOT, the Audi A1 or the BMW 1 Series?
- Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Audi A1 averages a 43% first-time pass rate and the BMW 1 Series 73% — the BMW 1 Series edges it on this measure.