BMW 1 Series - Reliability and safety
The latest BMW 1 Series is too new for a Driver Power score, although we anticipate it’ll mirror its predecessor
The current, F70-generation 1 Series that arrived in 2024 was so heavily revised over the F40-generation (which launched in 2019) that despite sharing the same basic body and underpinnings, a new Euro NCAP test is required. The organisation hasn’t yet tested the latest version, but judging from previous results, it should perform well.
Safety technology on the 1 Series is pretty comprehensive as standard. There is BMW’s ‘Active Guard’, which incorporates forward collision avoidance and lane keep assist, plus ‘Driving Assistant’, a radar-based driver assistance system consisting of rear crossing traffic warning and speed limit information.
A ‘Park Assistant’ can provide automatic parking in parallel and bay parking spaces, plus helps with rear parking thanks to a reversing camera, and can automatically leave parallel parking spots.
As part of the £2,750 Technology Plus Pack, the 1 Series can have ‘Parking Assistant Plus’. This adds a panoramic view for the rear camera, a 360-degree exterior view, an anti-theft recorder and monitoring during parking manoeuvres.
BMW managed to secure three places in the top 25 of our Driver Power car ownership survey in 2024. The new 1 Series wasn’t among them because it’s too new, but the previous 1 Series came in at number 25. The BMW brand came 14th out of 32 manufacturers, beating Mercedes (25th) and Audi (27th) by quite a margin. Owners praised the engines, ride and handling, and safety features the most, although overall running costs were an area of concern.
| Key standard safety features | Euro NCAP safety ratings |
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Warranty
The BMW 1 Series receives a fairly standard three-year, although its unlimited mileage limit is far more generous than the 60,000 mile limit Audi imposes.
Servicing
For £970, BMW will provide your 1 Series with a service plan, which comprises a vehicle health check, servicing engine oil, air filter, microfilter, spark plugs (for petrol engines) and brake fluid. The plan sits over the first four years and up to 62,000 miles of the 1 Series’ life.
What do owners think?
Here’s what owners thought of the BMW 1 Series in the 2024 Driver Power customer satisfaction survey.
| What they like | What they don't like |
| “The infotainment and shortcuts work really well, and the Harman Kardon upgrade sounds fantastic.” | “My biggest bugbear is the instrumentation. It doesn’t dim properly at night, so it’s very distracting.” |
| “I love the driving experience, but what gets me every time I climb aboard is the build quality. It’s so well made.” | “The front seats are really uncomfortable and should come with lumbar adjustment as standard.” |
| “The dashboard is every bit as user-friendly as you’d expect a BMW to be, and the same goes for the nav.” | “The wide tyres lead to tramlining over white lines, and the suspension is too firm for our potholed roads.” |
| “The physical climate controls are very handy, and crucially, nothing important is buried in the touchscreen.” | “Official dealers are far too costly for routine servicing. And my car hasn’t been very reliable at all so far.” |
| “You have to remember to use the drive modes. Driving smoothly and accurately gets the best out of the car.” | “It should be more refined, the engine doesn’t sound sporty enough, and the stop-start isn’t smooth enough.” |
| “On a decent twisty road it really is an enjoyable car to drive. The brakes are very strong, with excellent feel.” | |
| “I used to own a rear-wheel-drive 1 Series, but I find the handling better after BMW’s switch to front-wheel drive. With 17-inch wheels, the ride quality is very good on scarred roads.” | |
| “The front seats are very supportive and they’re comfortable on really long journeys too, with plenty of adjustability. The use of high-quality cabin materials is also very reassuring.” | |
| “There are plenty of cubbyholes in the cabin, and boot space is pretty good. It’s a practical shape that’s nice and wide, usefully boosted by folding the back seats flat. There’s reasonable rear-seat legroom, with just about enough space to fit four adults.” |
