BMW 1 Series reliability, MOT pass rate and rarity

Time Period & Model

Time period snapshot: Last 5 years

Manufacturer: BMW

Model: 1 Series

Model reliability rank

MOT-based rank from 494,496 selected-period tests.

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Overall MOT pass rate

82.2%

Share of this model's 494,496 selected-period MOT tests that pass.

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Efficiency, emissions & tax

Average MPG

52 mpg

CO2 emission

132 g/km

Euro emissions

Euro 6

Tax cost

£190/yr

Vehicle list price over £40,000?NoYes

Average vehicle miles

86,013

Moderate average mileage in the current pool.

Life expectancy miles

104,863

Moderate mature-fleet mileage expectation.

Average vehicle age

10.7

Average age sits in the mid-fleet band.

Vehicles represented

72,735

72,734 valid MOT, 1 under 3 years.

Tests analysed

494,496

494,496 MOT tests in the selected period.

Rarity ranking

Based on Make & Model

Uncommon

72,735On the road

Insight summary

BMW 1 Series is an uncommon model in this snapshot, with 72,735 represented vehicles and 0.17% of the active UK pool tracked by AutoRank. For the last 5 years, it has a pass rate of 82.2% from 494,496 MOT tests, with a reliability score of 58. The current pool shows an average of 86,013 miles and an average age of 10.7 years, while mature-fleet mileage is estimated at 104,863 miles. Petrol leads the fuel split, followed by diesel, and the most frequent defect themes are windscreen damage, tyre condition and lighting. The practical read is that the BMW 1 Series looks a little better than average, but still rewards careful checks on mileage and maintenance.

Fuel type breakdown (by model)

Fuel	Vehicles
PETROL	41,970
DIESEL	30,761
HYBRID ELECTRIC (CLEAN)	2
ELECTRIC	1
ELECTRIC DIESEL	1

Euro NCAP Safety

NCAP rating

4 / 5

Adult

78%

Children

84%

Pedestrian

85%

Safety systems

80%

Top 25 most common defects (by model)

Defect	Count
Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))	7,857
Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	4,807
Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	4,678
Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))	4,530
Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	4,449
Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	3,760
Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))	3,130
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))	2,647
Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,553
Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))	2,392
Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,221
Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	2,021
Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))	1,900
Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	1,774
Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,717
Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))	1,660
Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,600
Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))	1,586
Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))	1,535
Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))	1,534
Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))	1,459
Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))	1,408
Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))	1,396
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))	1,333
Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))	1,328

All 25 defects ranked by recorded countShowing 65,275 defects across this top 25 set

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

7,857

Nearside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

4,807

Nearside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

4,678

Offside Front Position lamp not working (4.2.1 (a) (ii))

4,530

Offside Rear Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

4,449

Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

3,760

Parking brake efficiency below requirements (1.4.2 (a) (i))

3,130

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.1.2 (h))

2,647

Nearside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,553

Rear Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (1.1.13 (a) (ii))

2,392

Nearside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,221

Offside Rear Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

2,021

Offside Front Shock absorbers has a serious fluid leak (5.3.2 (b))

1,900

Nearside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

1,774

Nearside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,717

Front Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (3.5 (a))

1,660

Offside Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,600

Nearside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

1,586

Offside Headlamp aim too low (4.1.2 (a))

1,535

Nearside Front Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm (5.2.3 (e))

1,534

Engine MIL inoperative or indicates a malfunction (8.2.2.2 (g))

1,459

Nearside Rear Tyre has a cut in excess of the requirements deep enough to reach the ply or cords (5.2.3 (d) (i))

1,408

Offside Side repeater not working (4.4.1 (a) (ii))

1,396

Offside Rear Registration plate lamp inoperative in the case of multiple lamps or light sources (4.7.1 (b) (i))

1,333

Nearside Front Tyre has ply or cords exposed (5.2.3 (d) (ii))

1,328

BMW 1 Series reliability and MOT data