Is the BMW 1 Series or the MINI Countryman cheaper to buy?

In current stock the BMW 1 Series starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the MINI Countryman from £9,499 (median £15,745).

What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the MINI Countryman?

Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £212/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the MINI Countryman. 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 MINI Countryman?

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

Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the MINI Countryman?

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

Side by side

BMW 1 Series vs MINI Countryman

A side-by-side comparison of the used BMW 1 Series and MINI Countryman — 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 MINI Countryman — which should I buy?

The BMW 1 Series starts cheaper (BMW 1 Series from £8,294, MINI Countryman from £9,499), with illustrative finance from £193/mo and £212/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
Countryman from: £9,499
In stock: 9 vs 8

BMW 1 Series versus MINI Countryman 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	MINI Countryman 8 in stock · from £9,499
Cheapest in stock	£8,294★ lowest	£9,499
Median price	£10,699★ lower	£15,745
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR)★ lower	£212/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR)
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	65,753 mi	45,163 mi★ lower
Median year	2019	2019
Median CO₂	121 g/km★ cleaner	130 g/km
Typical power	134 bhp	162 bhp★ more
Most common fuel	Petrol	Petrol
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 / 8★ more
	View all 9 1 Series →	View all 8 Countryman →

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	MINI Countryman
Overall	63/100	74/100
Reliability	62	71
Running costs	71	78
Safety	49	—
Family & practicality	76	85
Insurance	56	60

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 MINI Countryman 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	MINI Countryman
MPG (combined)	30–83 mpg	32–67 mpg
CO₂ emissions	89–226 g/km	40–185 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 12–39	Group 8–38
Euro NCAP safety	60% pillar avg	5 stars (2017)
0–60mph	4.6s	4.9s
Power	93–321 bhp	88–301 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	4324 mm	4299 mm
Width	1984 mm	2005 mm
Height	1421 mm	1557 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 MINI Countryman cheaper to buy?: In current stock the BMW 1 Series starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the MINI Countryman from £9,499 (median £15,745).
What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the MINI Countryman?: Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £212/mo (HP, 60 months, 12.9% APR) on the MINI Countryman. 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 MINI Countryman?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the MINI Countryman — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the MINI Countryman?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the MINI Countryman 87% — the MINI Countryman edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

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