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.

2,661 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 1.5 118i M Sport DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£18,490

Finance available £359 pm

1.5L
44.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Whites Cars

01245968116 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 118i GPF M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£10,489

Finance available £212 pm

1.5L
67.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Powerlease Ltd

01525305324 *

4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 2.0 120d M Sport Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,980

Finance available £178 pm

2L
106.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Vision Motors Direct Ltd

01942367552 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack]

£26,999

Finance available £569 pm

2L
16.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Norwich

01332419206 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 128ti Step Auto [Live Cockpit Professional] 5-Door

Low Mileage

£26,176

Finance available £540 pm

2L
13.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Scunthorpe

01724514202 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (13) - 2.0 120d M Sport xDrive Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£6,900

Finance available £132 pm

2L
70.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

High Street Motor Group Ltd

01924793492 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP] Petrol Hatchback

£21,032

1.5L
30.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Sunderland

01918146399 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£7,999

Finance available £156 pm

1.5L
72.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Zeus Cars Limited

01234237525 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 1.5 116d SE Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£5,595

1.5L
102.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Northwest Trade Centre Lancaster

01524938637 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 116d EfficientDynamics Plus 5dr

£7,450

Finance available £144 pm

1.5L
79.8K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Campbell Trade Sales

02890023194 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£17,950

Finance available £348 pm

1.5L
47.6K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Farlan Automotives Limited

02038730401 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 - 118d SPORT 5-Door

Reduced

£9,499

2L
76.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

The Motor Brokers

01922661947 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP] Automatic

Low Mileage

£20,944

Finance available £410 pm

1.5L
25.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

D M Keith Select Ossett

01924667079 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118d M Sport 5dr Step Auto

£19,350

Finance available £377 pm

2L
50.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

JB Autos Sales

02870440586 *

BMW 1 Series2008 (58) - 123d SE 3dr

£1,990

2L
145.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

TS Motors

01282509437 *

BMW 1 Series2024 - 116d M Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

Low Mileage

£27,950

Finance available £554 pm

1.5L
6.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

JKC Approved Used BMW

02870441623 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 2.0 M135i Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) (306 ps)

Low Mileage

£23,700

Finance available £411 pm

2L
30.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Leeds

01134689988 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 116d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,501

Finance available £168 pm

1.5L
101.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

PRO AUTOCARS LTD

01256587054 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£19,998

25.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Click & Collect Swansea

01414839956 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 2.0 120d BluePerformance SE Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£3,990

Finance available £67 pm

2L
110.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

MERIT MOTORS LTD

01204324385 *

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

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.

Used BMW 1 Series snapshot review

Pros