BMW 1 Series hatchback - MPG, running costs & CO2

Short of buying a hybrid, the BMW 1 Series engines are some of the most advanced and economical offered in the family hatchback class, featuring the latest turbocharging technology.

BMW 1 Series MPG & CO2

Despite the downturn in diesel sales, BMW still reckons most customers will opt for a diesel in the 1 Series, at least for a few years. Three are offered, badged 116d, 118d and 120d as we've become familiar with. Pick a 116d and you'll be getting a 1.5-litre three-cylinder that used to be shared with the MINI range. It's thrifty, managing up to 61.4mpg and CO2 emissions of just 120g/km with a manual gearbox and smaller alloy wheels fitted.

The 118d and 120d are bigger, using a 2.0-litre diesel fitted with 'multi-stage' turbocharging for greater efficiency. With front-wheel drive the 118d can hit 58.9mpg with CO2 emissions of 127g/km. The front-wheel drive 120d becomes available from the Sport trim, and is capable of up to 57.6mpg and emissions of 129g/km. Adding BMW’s xDrive four-wheel-drive to the 120d reduces economy to 55.4mpg and increases CO2 emissions to 135g/km.

With 138bhp, the BMW 118i is the only petrol in the regular 1 Series range so far. It can return up to 49.6mpg and emits 130g/km, making it an affordable option for company-car drivers with a mid-range BiK benefit banding. During our time with the car, however, we were only able to achieve around 34mpg on average, with a figure in the high thirties possible on longer drives.

The standalone 128ti is a front-wheel drive performance version of the 1 Series that’s capable of 0-62mph in just over six seconds. Despite the rapid pace on offer, it’s actually reasonably efficient on paper, with claimed fuel economy of 40.1mpg and CO2 emissions starting at 157g/km.

The flagship M135i xDrive is a rival to the Volkswagen Golf R and Mercedes-AMG A35, returning up to 38.7mpg while emitting 167g/km of CO2, making it by far the most expensive 1 Series to run.

Insurance groups

Insurance groups for the BMW 1 Series range from 23 in the 118d to 28 in the 120d xDrive range-topper in diesel form. Go for a petrol and the range is wider - from 21 in the 118i model to 29 in the 128ti and 36 for the stand-alone high-performance M135i model.

Warranty

Every BMW comes with a three-year, unlimited mileage warranty that also includes roadside assistance. It equals the deal offered by Mercedes and can be increased in length for an additional cost.

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Servicing

Sensors in the car keep watch over the oil quality and alert you when it deems a service is required, usually between one or two years and less than 20,000 miles apart. Customers can also opt for a BMW service plan, paying a monthly sum to cover routine maintenance instead of being stung by unexpected bills.