Audi A3 vs BMW 1 Series
A side-by-side comparison of the used Audi A3 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 A3 or BMW 1 Series — which should I buy?
The Audi A3 starts cheaper (Audi A3 from £6,495, BMW 1 Series from £7,295), with illustrative finance from £172/mo and £166/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 94% and 87% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.
- A3 from
- £6,495
- 1 Series from
- £7,295
- In stock
- 5 vs 12
| Metric | Audi A3 | BMW 1 Series |
|---|---|---|
| Cheapest in stock | £6,495 | £7,295 |
| Median price | £13,499 | £11,244 |
| From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock | £172/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) | £166/mo (HP, 60 months, 13.9% APR) |
| Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock | £200/yr | £200/yr |
| Median mileage | 42,008 mi | 61,455 mi |
| Median year | 2017 | 2019 |
| Median CO₂ | 108 g/km | 117 g/km |
| Typical power | 147 bhp | 134 bhp |
| Most common fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Most common gearbox | Manual | Manual |
| MOT first-time passDVSA history | 94% | 87% |
| Great/good deals in stockMotoring.Today price rating | 1 / 5 | 3 / 12 |
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 A3 or the BMW 1 Series cheaper to buy?
- In current stock the Audi A3 starts lower: the Audi A3 is available from £6,495 (median £13,499) and the BMW 1 Series from £7,295 (median £11,244).
- What are the monthly finance payments on the Audi A3 vs the BMW 1 Series?
- Illustrative finance starts from £172/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) on the Audi A3 and £166/mo (HP, 60 months, 13.9% 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 A3 or the BMW 1 Series?
- The most common annual road tax (VED) across Audi A3 stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the BMW 1 Series — so the Audi A3 is generally cheaper to tax.
- Which is more reliable at MOT, the Audi A3 or the BMW 1 Series?
- Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the Audi A3 averages a 94% first-time pass rate and the BMW 1 Series 87% — the Audi A3 edges it on this measure.