Is the BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class cheaper to buy?

In current stock the Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999 (median £10,990).

What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. 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 BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.

Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?

Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 87% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Side by side

BMW 1 Series vs Mercedes-Benz A-Class

A side-by-side comparison of the used BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class — 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.

BMW 1 Series or Mercedes-Benz A-Class — which should I buy?

The Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts cheaper (BMW 1 Series from £8,294, Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999), with illustrative finance from £193/mo and £185/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 85% and 87% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

1 Series from: £8,294
A-Class from: £5,999
In stock: 9 vs 11

BMW 1 Series versus Mercedes-Benz A-Class on price, running costs and MOT reliability, from live UK stock. The best value in each row is highlighted.
From live stock	BMW 1 Series 9 in stock · from £8,294	★ Best value overall Mercedes-Benz A-Class 11 in stock · from £5,999
Cheapest in stock	£8,294	£5,999★ lowest
Median price	£10,699★ lower	£10,990
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR)	£185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR)★ lower
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	65,753 mi★ lower	71,672 mi
Median year	2019★ newer	2018
Median CO₂	121 g/km	111 g/km★ cleaner
Typical power	134 bhp★ more	114 bhp
Most common fuel	Petrol	Diesel
Most common gearbox	Manual	Automatic
MOT first-time passDVSA history	85%	87%★ more reliable
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating	1 / 9	3 / 11★ more
	View all 9 1 Series →	View all 11 A-Class →

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	BMW 1 Series	Mercedes-Benz A-Class
Overall	63/100	67/100
Reliability	62	60
Running costs	71	80
Safety	49	60
Family & practicality	76	79
Insurance	56	53

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 BMW 1 Series and Mercedes-Benz A-Class trim range. The stronger figure is highlighted where there's a clear better/worse direction (dimensions are shown for reference only).

Spec	BMW 1 Series	Mercedes-Benz A-Class
MPG (combined)	30–83 mpg	36–80 mpg
CO₂ emissions	89–226 g/km	17–197 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 12–39	Group 9–45
Euro NCAP safety	60% pillar avg	73% pillar avg
0–60mph	4.6s	4.1s
Power	93–321 bhp	75–375 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	4324 mm	4299 mm
Width	1984 mm	1992 mm
Height	1421 mm	1440 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 BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class cheaper to buy?: In current stock the Mercedes-Benz A-Class starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class from £5,999 (median £10,990).
What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £185/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. 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 BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Mercedes-Benz A-Class — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Mercedes-Benz A-Class?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Mercedes-Benz A-Class 87% — the Mercedes-Benz A-Class edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

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