Vauxhall Astra vs BMW 1 Series
Figures updated
The Vauxhall Astra and BMW 1 Series are two of the UK's most popular family hatchbacks. We compare the Astra L (2022–) and the F70 (2024–) 1 Series on price, size, boot space, performance, safety and running costs, plus how reliable each has been across 1,017,273 real MOT tests.
The short answer
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price, the bigger boot and lower fuel costs, or the BMW 1 Series for the better MOT record and more performance.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to buy new: from £27,495, £5,145 less than the BMW 1 Series.
- The Vauxhall Astra has the biggest boot: 422 litres, 42 more than the BMW 1 Series.
- The BMW 1 Series has the better MOT record. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 23% more often.
- The Vauxhall Astra is the cheapest to fuel: comparing petrol versions, about £104 a year less than the BMW 1 Series at 7,500 miles a year.
- Watch the exhaust and emissions on a Vauxhall Astra: it fails on them 1.4 times as often as the average car.
| Figure | Vauxhall AstraAstra L (2022–), 5-door hatchback | BMW 1 SeriesF70 (2024–), 5-door hatchback |
|---|---|---|
| Price and practicality | ||
| Price newUK list prices, across the range | £27,495 to £33,995May 2026 price list (best) | £32,640 to £45,630July 2026 price list |
| Body | 5-door hatchback | 5-door hatchback |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| BootSeats up / folded | 422 litres / 1,339 (best) | 380 litres / 1,200 |
| Length | 4,374mm | 4,361mm |
| WidthWithout mirrors | 1,859mm | 1,800mm |
| Height | 1,441mm | 1,459mm |
| Performance | ||
| Power | 130–195 PS | 170–300 PS (best) |
| 0–62mph | 7.6–9.7 sec | 4.9–7.8 sec (best) |
| Safety | ||
| Euro NCAP ratingTests get tougher each year | ★★★★★ (2022) | ★★★★★ (2025) |
| Economy and emissions | ||
| Fuel types | Electric, Petrol, Plug-in hybrid | Petrol |
| Official economyVersions of this generation | 45.0–62.6 mpg | 34.0–51.3 mpg |
| CO2 | 43–142 g/km | 121–173 g/km |
| Electric range | 237–267 miles | – |
| Running costs at 7,500 miles a year | ||
| Petrol or hybrid171.7p a litre, today's UK average | £1,098 (53.3 mpg) (best) | £1,202 (48.7 mpg) |
| Electric, charged at home26.3p per kWh standard tariff | £548 (4 mi/kWh) | – |
| Cheapest version to fuelWhichever fuel costs least | £548 (electric) | £1,202 (petrol) |
| Car tax a yearCars registered from April 2017 | £200 | £200£640 in years 2–6 for versions listed over £40,000 |
| Reliability from real MOT tests | ||
| Reliability score | 99Average | 122Well above average (best) |
| Failed MOT first time (ages 3–20) | 33.8% | 24.2% (best) |
| Failed at 3 years old | 12.4% | 9.8% (best) |
| Failed at 5 years old | 17.9% | 14.4% (best) |
| Failed at 10 years old | 32.8% | 26.9% (best) |
| Most common MOT fault | Coil spring (5.1% of tests) | Tread depth (3.0% of tests) |
| Fails more than average on | Exhaust and emissions (1.4×) | Nothing stands out |
| MOT tests analysed | 624,660 | 392,613 |
| About the cars | ||
| Type | Family hatchback | Family hatchback |
| Owners' average miles a year | 8,000 | 8,600 |
| On sale | 2022 on | 2024 on |
Green marks the better figure where the difference is more than 3%. Reliability figures cover every version of each model tested in the year. Running costs use the typical official economy of recent versions (WLTP where available); real-world economy is usually a little worse for every car.
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
›Is the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series more reliable?
The BMW 1 Series. Like for like on age and mileage, the Vauxhall Astra fails its MOT about 23% more often (reliability scores 122 and 99, where 100 is average). 24.2% of BMW 1 Serieses and 33.8% of Vauxhall Astras failed first time in 2024.
›Which is bigger, the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series?
They're almost the same length (4,374mm and 4,361mm). The Vauxhall Astra has the bigger boot: 422 litres against 380.
›Which is cheaper to buy, the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series?
The Vauxhall Astra: new prices start at £27,495, £5,145 less than the BMW 1 Series (from £32,640). These are manufacturer list prices; dealers and brokers often sell for less.
›Which is cheaper to run, the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series?
Comparing petrol versions, the Vauxhall Astra costs about £104 a year less to fuel at 7,500 miles (£1,098 against £1,202), using typical official economy and current UK average fuel prices.
›Which is safer, the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series?
Euro NCAP gave the Vauxhall Astra 4 stars (2022) and the BMW 1 Series 4 stars (2025). Euro NCAP makes its tests tougher every few years, so ratings from different years aren't directly comparable.
›Should I buy the Vauxhall Astra or the BMW 1 Series?
Pick the Vauxhall Astra for the lower price, the bigger boot and lower fuel costs, or the BMW 1 Series for the better MOT record and more performance. The comparison above sets out price, space, performance, safety, running costs and reliability side by side.
Sources: manufacturers' UK specifications and price lists and Euro NCAP (listed on each model's page); DVSA anonymised MOT tests 2024 (Open Government Licence v3.0); Vehicle Certification Agency car fuel data, © Crown copyright, VCA cannot accept liability for its accuracy; fuel prices from the GOV.UK Fuel Finder scheme. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each picture.