BMW 1 Series statistics

• Licensed in Great Britain 427,395 +0.1% on a year earlier
• Declared SORN 24,131 Off the road, not taxed
• MOT first-time pass rate, 2025 75.9% Cars of the same ages 72.1%
• Rank by number licensed No. 12 of 1,149 models we cover
• Licensed count At its peak highest since 2004
• Average annual mileage 7,413 miles a year

How many BMW 1 Series are left in Great Britain?

There were 427,395 BMW 1 Series licensed in Great Britain at the end of June 2026, and a further 24,131 declared off the road (SORN). That is the most on the road at any year end since 2004.

BMW 1 Series versions

3 versions of the BMW 1 Series have their own page. The figures above include every version; each version page covers only the cars DVLA records under that version’s name.

Is the BMW 1 Series reliable?

On the only measure that covers every car in the country, the MOT, the BMW 1 Series does clearly better than other cars of the same age: 75.9% passed first time in 2025, against 72.1% for cars of the same ages, which puts it 58 of 216 models with enough tests to rank.

• First-time MOT pass rate 75.9% cars of the same ages 72.1%
• Tests finding a dangerous defect 7.7%all cars 7.3%
• Most common reason for failing Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment on 37.1% of failed tests
• Average annual mileage 7,413 miles all cars 6,727 miles

MOT results measure the condition of cars on the road, tested to the same standard everywhere, which is why we use them. They do not capture breakdowns, warranty claims or the cost of putting a fault right. The figures behind this are below, and every model is ranked on the same basis in most reliable cars.

BMW 1 Series MOT reliability

In 2025, 75.9% of BMW 1 Series MOT tests were passed first time, against 72.8% for all cars. Cars of the same ages as the BMW 1 Series tested pass 72.1% of the time, so the BMW 1 Series does better than average for its age, by 3.8 points. In 2024 its pass rate was 75.7%.

BMW 1 Series MOT failures

Lamps, reflectors and electrical equipment is the most common reason a BMW 1 Series fails its MOT, appearing on 37.1% of failed tests. A failed test can have defects in more than one category, so shares add up to more than 100%. 7.7% of BMW 1 Series tests found at least one dangerous defect, against 7.3% for all cars.

Most common BMW 1 Series MOT defects and advisories

The single most common reason a BMW 1 Series failed its MOT in 2025 was “Tyres: tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm”, on 11.3% of 91,957 failed tests. 50.6% of tests ended with at least one advisory, a problem to watch that did not fail the test; the most common was “Tread depth: worn close to legal limit or worn on edge”. The same fault on any wheel or side counts once.

What goes wrong with a BMW 1 Series: every fault, what it means and what to check

BMW 1 Series by year

19 years of the BMW 1 Series, by year of first registration, have their own page with MOT results, common faults, mileage and how many are left. Against all cars of the same age, the 2008 cars did best at their 2025 MOT (65.5% passed first time) and the 2020 cars worst (87.8%).

BMW 1 Series engine sizes and fuel types

Of the 399,897 BMW 1 Series licensed in the UK at the end of 2025, 43.2% have an engine of 1,401cc to 1,500cc, and 42.8% have an engine of 1,901cc to 2,000cc. The share with an engine of 1,401cc to 1,500cc has grown from 0.0% in 2014 to 43.2%. Diesels made up 66.4% of those licensed in 2014 and 49.4% in 2025.

United Kingdom figures from DfT table VEH0220 (licensed cars at the end of each year, SORN excluded), so they differ slightly from the Great Britain counts elsewhere on this page. How we use engine sizes.

BMW 1 Series fuel economy and CO2

The Vehicle Certification Agency’s new car data lists the BMW 1 Series from 2005, and still lists it. On the WLTP test (listings 2025 to 2026), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and petrol hybrid versions ranges from 34.0 to 53.3 mpg, with CO2 of 121 to 185 g/km. On the older NEDC test (listings 2005 to 2018), official combined fuel economy for its petrol and diesel versions ranges from 29.4 to 83.1 mpg, with CO2 of 89 to 226 g/km.

Source:VCA July 2000 to 15 September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

• Official figures from laboratory type-approval tests. VCA says they may not be achieved in real-world driving, and should not be used to rank cars with similar figures.
• NEDC figures (in VCA’s data until September 2018) and WLTP figures (from the 2019 guide) come from different tests, so they are shown separately and should not be compared.
• VCA’s data has no BMW versions for 2019 to 2024, so the years listed may leave out years the BMW 1 Series was on sale.
• Engine sizes are rounded to the nearest 0.1 litre. A version is one line in VCA’s data (description, gearbox, engine and fuel), counted once however many years it was listed. Matched from VCA’s model names “1 Series 5-door F20, From September 2011”, “1 Series E81/E82/E87/E88”, “1 Series 3-door F21, From September 2012”, “1 Series E81/E87”. How we use VCA’s figures.

BMW 1 Series safety recalls

DVSA lists 39 safety recalls for the BMW 1 Series since 1992, the first in 2004. The most recent was launched on 12 January 2026.

All 39 BMW 1 Series recalls, with defects, remedies and build dates

A recall applies to cars built on particular dates or with particular VINs, not to every BMW 1 Series. The details come from manufacturers through DVSA, which says they may be delayed or incomplete. To check a specific car, use GOV.UK’s vehicle recall check or ask the manufacturer or a dealer. How we match recalls to models.

Source:DVSA,UK Motoring analysis January 1992 to September 2026 Updated 15 Sept 2026

Compare the BMW 1 Series with similar cars