The BMW 1 Series Hatchback is the smallest BMW on many shortlists. It also has one of the smaller engines in the range, which keeps road tax low. This guide goes through what it costs to buy and keep, one item at a time.
Insurance prices are examples for one stated driver, as of 1 November 2026. Your own price depends on your details.
The version on sale
The new-car list read on 2026-10-10 shows one version: the BMW 1 Series Hatchback 116 M Sport. It is a petrol car with a 1,499cc engine and 121bhp. The list calls it a hatchback, made in Germany.
The price page prices the same 116 M Sport. So the insurance figures below match the car on sale.
What it costs to buy
The 116 M Sport was listed at S$260,888 on 2026-10-10. That price included COE as listed that day.
Prices change after COE rounds. Ask for the current figure, and check that two offers include the same items before comparing.
Which COE it needs
For a petrol car with a small engine like this one, the COE category turns on power as well as size. The price page sets out the rule for the 116 M Sport:
- Category A if its power is 97kW (130bhp) or less. It closed at S$132,004 in the October 2026 2nd round.
- Category B if its power is more. It closed at S$131,901 in the same round.
In that round the two categories were close. Check the power figure on the car's papers, as the category follows that. A dealer can confirm which category a given car was registered under. The COE page shows later results.
Road tax each year
Road tax follows engine size. For 1,499cc, LTA's formula gives S$683.66 a year, before any age surcharge. That is low for a BMW.
Once a car is past 10 years, a surcharge applies:
- Over 10 years: +10%
- Over 11 years: +20%
- Over 12 years: +30%
- Over 13 years: +40%
- Over 14 years: +50%
The road tax page covers other engine sizes.
Car insurance for the standard driver
The BMW 1 Series Hatchback price page prices one set of details:
- The car: 116 M Sport, registered 3 years ago, private use, comprehensive cover
- The driver: aged 40, married, office job, 10 years' driving
- The record: 50% no-claim discount (NCD), no claims
- Repairs: at an authorised workshop, no options
On those details, 6 insurers give a price. The lowest is S$918.30 a year. The insurer whose lowest plan costs most asks at least S$2,501.33. That is S$1,583.03 more, or 172% on top. All prices include 9% GST.
The page lists 13 insurers with no online price, so 6 of 19 quote it.
Below the lowest price, three plans sit close together, between S$1,109.81 and S$1,117.58. That cluster is worth a closer look at the plan details.
Excess varies more than you might expect
Excesses on the page run from S$0 to S$2,500. The lowest premium carries S$600. Several plans carry S$500. The one with no excess costs S$1,543.32. The plan with the S$2,500 excess is also the dearest. So here, a higher excess does not buy a lower premium.
How the premium changes
The page shows the lowest price when one detail changes:
- No NCD (0%): S$1,795.21, which is S$876.91 more
- 20% NCD: S$1,437.05, S$518.75 more
- Driver aged 27, 3 years' driving, 30% NCD: S$1,878.07, S$959.77 more
- Driver aged 65, 20 years' driving: S$1,003.52, S$85.22 more
- A new car, registered this year: S$945.93, S$27.63 more, with 5 insurers
- A car 8 years old: S$874.08, S$44.22 less
The young driver is the costliest change, at 105% more. The no-NCD price is close behind. An older driver pays a little more, and the car's age barely matters.
All 6 insurers still quote an 8-year-old car. That keeps choice open if you buy used.
Against similar cars
The price page compares six cars of a similar size, for the same driver and car age:
- Mercedes-Benz GLB: S$822.26
- Hyundai Kona: S$763
- Honda Freed: S$756.48
- Mazda 3: S$730.18
- Toyota Corolla Altis: S$713.21
- Toyota Sienta: S$674.30
Their average lowest price is S$743.24. The 1 Series Hatchback costs 24% more. All six are cheaper to insure. Most of them also draw more insurers, from 10 to 15. Other BMW models are on the BMW car insurance page.
Costs that depend on you
- Parking: season parking at your HDB block or condo, plus parking at work and elsewhere.
- Petrol: set by your mileage and pump prices.
- ERP: depends on your routes and when you drive.
- Servicing and wear: follow the maker's schedule. Tyres, brakes and a battery need replacing over time. Ask what the warranty covers.
- Depreciation: turns on what you pay now and what the car fetches later.
Summary of yearly costs we can show
For the BMW 1 Series Hatchback 116 M Sport:
- Road tax: S$683.66 a year before any age surcharge (LTA's formula, checked 2026-10-19)
- Insurance, standard driver: from S$918.30 a year (as of 1 November 2026)
- Insurance, no NCD: from S$1,795.21
- Insurance, driver aged 27: from S$1,878.07
- Insurance, a car 8 years old: from S$874.08
The one-off cost, for reference: listed at S$260,888 on 2026-10-10, including COE as listed that day.
Before you buy: car insurance for the BMW 1 Series Hatchback
Before you drive off, get your car insurance through Shenton Brokers. Compare car insurance for the BMW 1 Series Hatchback to see today's prices from every insurer we compare and how they change with the driver and the car's age. Or get a quote with your own details.