Is the BMW 1 Series or the Volkswagen Golf cheaper to buy?

In current stock the Volkswagen Golf starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Volkswagen Golf from £4,495 (median £10,738).

What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Volkswagen Golf?

Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £119/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) on the Volkswagen Golf. 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 Volkswagen Golf?

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

Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Volkswagen Golf?

Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Volkswagen Golf 91% — the Volkswagen Golf edges it on this measure.

Side by side

BMW 1 Series vs Volkswagen Golf

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

The Volkswagen Golf starts cheaper (BMW 1 Series from £8,294, Volkswagen Golf from £4,495), with illustrative finance from £193/mo and £119/mo respectively. On MOT reliability they score 85% and 91% first-time passes. The full spec, running-cost and deal breakdown is below.

1 Series from: £8,294
Golf from: £4,495
In stock: 9 vs 16

BMW 1 Series versus Volkswagen Golf 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 Volkswagen Golf 16 in stock · from £4,495
Cheapest in stock	£8,294	£4,495★ lowest
Median price	£10,699★ lower	£10,738
From (per month)Illustrative, from live stock	£193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR)	£119/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR)★ lower
Road tax (VED)Typical car in stock	£200/yr	£200/yr
Median mileage	65,753 mi★ lower	73,408 mi
Median year	2019★ newer	2018
Median CO₂	121 g/km	117 g/km★ cleaner
Typical power	134 bhp★ more	120 bhp
Most common fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Most common gearbox	Manual	Manual
MOT first-time passDVSA history	85%	91%★ more reliable
Great/good deals in stockMotoring Today price rating	1 / 9	5 / 16★ more
	View all 9 1 Series →	View all 16 Golf →

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	Volkswagen Golf
Overall	63/100	73/100
Reliability	62	71
Running costs	71	85
Safety	49	66
Family & practicality	76	79
Insurance	56	61

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 Volkswagen Golf 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	Volkswagen Golf
MPG (combined)	30–83 mpg	0–83 mpg
CO₂ emissions	89–226 g/km	6–278 g/km
Insurance group1 (cheapest) – 50	Group 12–39	Group 6–39
Euro NCAP safety	60% pillar avg	80% pillar avg
0–60mph	4.6s	4.5s
Power	93–321 bhp	60–328 bhp
Seats	5	5
Doors	5	5
Length	4324 mm	4255 mm
Width	1984 mm	2027 mm
Height	1421 mm	1484 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 Volkswagen Golf cheaper to buy?: In current stock the Volkswagen Golf starts lower: the BMW 1 Series is available from £8,294 (median £10,699) and the Volkswagen Golf from £4,495 (median £10,738).
What are the monthly finance payments on the BMW 1 Series vs the Volkswagen Golf?: Illustrative finance starts from £193/mo (HP, 60 months, 14.9% APR) on the BMW 1 Series and £119/mo (HP, 60 months, 21.9% APR) on the Volkswagen Golf. 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 Volkswagen Golf?: The most common annual road tax (VED) across BMW 1 Series stock is £200/yr, versus £200/yr for the Volkswagen Golf — so the BMW 1 Series is generally cheaper to tax.
Which is more reliable at MOT, the BMW 1 Series or the Volkswagen Golf?: Based on DVSA MOT history across our stock, the BMW 1 Series averages a 85% first-time pass rate and the Volkswagen Golf 91% — the Volkswagen Golf edges it on this measure.

Motoring Today score

Specs, side by side

Frequently asked questions

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