Which is the most popular engine in the BMW 1 Series?

The older 118d diesel powertrain has been among the most popular, but it isn't available in the newer models. This diesel engine had a good balance of value and power, rated at 148bhp. The most popular petrol engine is the 118i, likely because it's the entry level in the lineup, making it the most affordable to buy.

Which are the most popular trim levels?

The new 1 Series comes in five trims: SE, Sport, 128ti, M Sport and M135i. The M Sport is among the most popular in the used market because of its upgraded performance and styling features, including upgraded suspension, 18-inch alloy wheels and special 'M' trim detailing.

Is the BMW 1 Series a good family car?

Even though it's a compact hatchback, the BMW 1 Series is a good car for families. While it can be tight for adults in the rear seat, there's plenty of room for children, and ISOFIX points are included for child seats.

Is there a hybrid version of the BMW 1 Series?

BMW hasn't fitted a hybrid powertrain to the 1 Series yet. It has only been offered with traditional petrol and diesel engines.

Is the BMW 1 Series available as an automatic?

The 1 Series has been available as an automatic and with a manual gearbox. Both of these are popular among the used models, so it should be easy for customers to find the example that suits their needs.

Is there a four-wheel drive version available?

The BMW 1 Series started as a rear-wheel drive car. It was later reconfigured to have front-wheel drive as standard. The top specification M135i is equipped with all-wheel drive, as are some variants of the 120d. Look out for cars badged as xDrive - this is the name of BMW's all-wheel drive system.

2,990 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2019 - 2.0 118d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£12,290

Finance available £252 pm

2L
115.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Westbrook Car Sales

01733794312 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (4O) - 3.0 M140i GPF Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps

£18,499

Finance available £359 pm

3L
76.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Empressive Motor Company

01865591236 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 118i [136] Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

£17,895

1.5L
32.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

V12 Sports and Classics Hinckley

01455244504 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

Reduced

£23,490

Finance available £462 pm

1.5L
11.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Amanah Prestige Limited

02038235352 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 116d SE 5dr Step Auto £20 tax new shape leather camera

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

1.5L
119.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

JD Cars

01443809140 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 1.5 116d ED Plus 5-Door

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

1.5L
90.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Austins Autos

01472404036 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 116d M Sport Shadow Edition Hatchback 3dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (116

£13,399

Finance available £260 pm

1.5L
59.8K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Hilton Car Supermarket Milton Keynes

01908049370 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 1.5 118i M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£13,995

Finance available £290 pm

1.5L
78.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

ARJ MOTORS

01932507141 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 - 2.0 118d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

£7,098

Finance available £139 pm

2L
95.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Carbase - Bristol

01172331396 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 2.0 116d SE Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£3,899

Finance available £65 pm

2L
140.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Logo Motors Ltd

01375801651 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (64) - 3.0 M135i Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£12,490

Finance available £257 pm

3L
53.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Auto Haus

01274087673 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 2.0 118d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

£7,900

Finance available £154 pm

2L
90.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Bhakar-Wood Cars LTD

01952953931 *

4.9/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 - 116d SE 5-Door

£12,995

Finance available £268 pm

1.5L
82.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Motor Stores

01515419312 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (60) - 2.0 118d SE Hatchback 5dr Diesel Steptronic Euro 5 (143 ps)

Low Mileage

£4,790

Finance available £85 pm

2L
84.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpod LTD

01633831062 *

BMW 1 Series2024 (24) - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£23,799

1.5L
20.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

HPL Motors Oldham

01612416881 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 118d M Sport 5-Door

Low Mileage

£22,500

2L
17.7K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Aberdeen

01224451046 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps) - LAN

Low Mileage

£20,529

Finance available £410 pm

1.5L
24.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carsa Gloucester

01452227227 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (140 ps)

Reduced

£17,999

Finance available £349 pm

1.5L
26.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motorplus Car Supermarket

01633742350 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 1.5 118i Sport 5dr

Reduced

£10,792

1.5L
40.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Bridgend Motor Group - Kilmarnock Autoplex

01563590183 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£15,295

Finance available £319 pm

1.5L
76.3K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Tenby Car Supermarket

01582280726 *

Why buy a used BMW 1 Series?

If you're in the market for a car that's practical, fun to drive and stylish, then a used BMW 1 Series is a fantastic choice. With BMW build quality, a used 1 Series provides luxury motoring at an affordable price. The interior offers supportive seating, high-tech features and upscale materials that provide a refined driving experience.

Used BMW 1 Series snapshot review

Author: Jack Evans

View profile

Pros

Economical diesels
Fun to drive
Excellent build quality

Cons

Lack of hybrid/electric model
Limited cabin and boot space
Firm ride

Read our BMW 1 Series review

BMW 1 Series video review

lite-youtube[videoid='ryiOCbFViwg']{cursor:initial;background-image:url("https://i.ytimg.com/vi_webp/ryiOCbFViwg/sddefault.webp")}lite-youtube[videoid='ryiOCbFViwg']::after{background:no-repeat center/68px 48px url('data:image/svg+xml;utf8,<svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" viewBox="0 0 68 48"><path d="M66.52 7.74c-.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79.13 34 0 34 0S12.21.13 6.9 1.55c-2.93.78-4.63 3.26-5.42 6.19C.06 13.05 0 24 0 24s.06 10.95 1.48 16.26c.78 2.93 2.49 5.41 5.42 6.19C12.21 47.87 34 48 34 48s21.79-.13 27.1-1.55c2.93-.78 4.64-3.26 5.42-6.19C67.94 34.95 68 24 68 24s-.06-10.95-1.48-16.26z" fill="red"/><path d="M45 24 27 14v20" fill="white"/></svg>')}

Used BMW 1 Series buying guide

Engines and transmissions

The BMW 1 Series has been available with petrol and diesel engines, a manual or an automatic gearbox, and rear, front or four-wheel drive.

Petrol

1.5-litre 118i produces 134bhp for a 0-60mph time of 8.6 seconds and an efficiency rating of up to 49.6mpg. This is the most popular engine.
2.0-litre 128ti boosts the output to 261bhp, giving it a 0-60mph time of 5.9 seconds and an efficiency rating of 40.9mpg.
3.0-litre M135i tops the range with 315bhp and a 0-60mph time of 4.9 seconds, but the efficiency drops to 35mpg.

Diesel

1.5-litre 116d makes 114bhp for a 10-second 0-60mph time and a rating of up to 62.8mpg.
2.0-litre 120d outputs 187bhp to reduce the 0-62mph time to 7.3 seconds, while still maintaining efficiency of up to 57.6mpg.
Older 118d creates 147bhp and was one of the most popular options.

Practicality

Despite being a compact car, the 1 Series hatchback provides a surprising amount of room, making it practical for everyday driving.

Interior space

Front seats are supportive and offer a lot of room.
Rear seats can be tight for adults on long drives.
ISOFIX mounting points for child seats are easy to access.

Boot space

380-litre boot compares with the Audi A3.
Folding the rear seats down opens up 1,200 litres of room.
Available 40:20:40 split folding seats allow for the middle seat to be folded independently.

Bodystyles

Five-door hatchback has been the main body style since its introduction.
Three-door hatchback was discontinued after the second generation.
Two-door coupé was available for part of the first generation, later joining the 2 Series lineup.
Two-door convertible was only available during the first generation, but later became part of the 2 Series lineup.

Safety

Five-star Euro NCAP safety rating given in 2019.
87% rating for child occupant and an 83% adult occupant rating.
Standard safety kit includes parking sensors (front and rear), cruise control and LED headlights.

Technology

10.3-inch Live Cockpit Professional driver display matches the 3 Series.
Larger 10.3-inch infotainment system display replaced the smaller 8.8-inch model.
Available wireless device charging.

Buying a used car checklist: what to look for

Buying a used car can be a daunting task, but with our checklist, you can make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

View guides

* Telephone numbers starting with 084X or 087X will cost you up to 13p per minute plus your telephone company's access charge. Calls to other telephone numbers will only cost your phone company's access charge.