BMW

BMW 1 Series build years & generations

Coverage 2004-present4 named generationsHatchbackDIESEL / PETROL

The BMW 1 Series spans several build years and named generations (2004-present). Match a build year to its generation, then see how each group of build years does at its MOT.

Newest BMW 1 Series generation shown; older shapes are pictured on the cards below.

Which year is which

Build years & generations, side by side

Find the build years you're looking at and see which generation they are. You'll also see which group of build years the MOT figures come from.

Built 2004
Generation
E87/E81/E82/E88
Figures from
cars built before 2005
Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
Built 2005-2008
Generation
E87/E81/E82/E88
Figures from
cars built 2005-2008
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2009-2010
Generation
E87/E81/E82/E88
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21 cars built in the same years.
Built 2011-2012
Generation
F20/F21
Figures from
cars built 2009-2012
Counted together with E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21 cars built in the same years.
Built 2013-2016
Generation
F20/F21
Figures from
cars built 2013-2016
Counted with this generation only.
Built 2017-2018
Generation
F20/F21
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with F20/F21 and F40 cars built in the same years.
Built 2019-2020
Generation
F40
Figures from
cars built 2017-2020
Counted together with F20/F21 and F40 cars built in the same years.
Built 2021-2023
Generation
F40
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with F40 and F70 cars built in the same years.
Built 2024+
Generation
F70
Figures from
cars built 2021 onwards
Counted together with F40 and F70 cars built in the same years.

Build years	Generation	Figures from cars built	What to know
2004	E87/E81/E82/E88	Before 2005	Counted with every car built before 2005, so much older cars can affect the figures.
2005-2008	E87/E81/E82/E88	2005-2008	Counted with this generation only.
2009-2010	E87/E81/E82/E88	2009-2012	Counted together with E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21 cars built in the same years.
2011-2012	F20/F21	2009-2012	Counted together with E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21 cars built in the same years.
2013-2016	F20/F21	2013-2016	Counted with this generation only.
2017-2018	F20/F21	2017-2020	Counted together with F20/F21 and F40 cars built in the same years.
2019-2020	F40	2017-2020	Counted together with F20/F21 and F40 cars built in the same years.
2021-2023	F40	2021 onwards	Counted together with F40 and F70 cars built in the same years.
2024+	F70	2021 onwards	Counted together with F40 and F70 cars built in the same years.

“Figures from cars built” is the group of build years behind each row's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

“Figures from” is the group of build years behind each card's MOT figures. Years where one generation gave way to the next can sit in a wider group until there's enough history to split them.

By build-year group

How each group of build years performs

Each card shows MOT results for one group of BMW 1 Series build years. “Age” means the car's age on the day of its MOT, not its build year. “25+” groups every test on cars aged 25 or older.

Built

2021 onwards

A mix of F40 and F70

These build years include both F40 and F70 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 4 years old (latest age)

9.1%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 8 (12.5%)

Ages with data

3 to 4 years old

MOT tests counted

26,341

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

3 years

14,6708.3%

4 years

11,6719.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 4 years old.

Built

2017-2020

A mix of F20/F21 and F40

These build years include both F20/F21 and F40 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 7 years old

14.8%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 6 (17.1%)

Ages with data

4 to 8 years old

MOT tests counted

125,250

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

4 years

10,02010.1%

5 years

24,02611.9%

6 years

33,90213.5%

7 years

34,24614.8%

8 years

23,05615.5%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 8 years old.

Built

2013-2016

F20/F21 only

These build years are all F20/F21, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 12 years old (latest age)

23.9%

UK average for cars this age: about 1 in 4 (25.9%)

Ages with data

8 to 12 years old

MOT tests counted

159,807

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

8 years

16,53716.9%

9 years

38,38417.6%

10 years

38,20819.8%

11 years

41,71222.0%

12 years

24,96623.9%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 12 years old.

Built

2009-2012

A mix of E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21

These build years include both E87/E81/E82/E88 and F20/F21 cars, so the figures are less exact than for a single generation.

Fail rate at 16 years old (latest age)

26.5%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30%)

Ages with data

12 to 16 years old

MOT tests counted

112,503

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

12 years

17,47525.3%

13 years

30,99225.6%

14 years

27,32525.5%

15 years

25,76126.1%

16 years

10,95026.5%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 16 years old.

Built

2005-2008

E87/E81/E82/E88 only

These build years are all E87/E81/E82/E88, so the figures are almost all from that generation.

Fail rate at 20 years old (latest age)

28.6%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.3%)

Ages with data

16 to 20 years old

MOT tests counted

42,038

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

16 years

8,08226.6%

17 years

14,23126.9%

18 years

9,40728.1%

19 years

7,48228.4%

20 years

2,83628.6%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.

Built

Before 2005

E87/E81/E82/E88 only

Counts every car built before 2005, so older cars with the same model name can be included as well as the E87/E81/E82/E88.

Fail rate at 21 years old (latest age)

28.1%

UK average for cars this age: about 3 in 10 (30.2%)

Ages with data

20 to 21 years old

MOT tests counted

1,450

Chart shows

Age at the MOT

Not the build year

Below typicalAbove typicalHigh (28% or more)Highest fail rateUK average for all vehicles this age

AgeFail rateMOT tests

20 years

1,11230.1%

21 years

33828.1%

Fail rate is the share of MOT tests that ended in a fail. Retests count as tests. How we count fail rates Highest fail rate at 20 years old.