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.

2,619 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 2.0 120d Sport Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£6,500

Finance available £123 pm

2L
83.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Auto City Trader Ltd

01182274525 *

3.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (70) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr

Low Mileage

£16,999

1.5L
31.9K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Bridgend Motor Group - Ayr Autoplex

01292431154 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£15,850

Finance available £332 pm

3L
86.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cambridgeshire Motor House LTD

01733666971 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118d Sport 5dr [Nav/Servotronic]

Reduced

£10,995

Finance available £223 pm

2L
75.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

McGillions

02881440369 *

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

£24,600

Finance available £430 pm

1.5L
10.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Blue Bell Hill

01634557830 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 116d SE 5drONE OWNER FROM NEWFULL MAIN DEALER SERVICE HISTORY**

£12,870

Finance available £265 pm

1.5L
75.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Hailsham Motoring Centre

01323914685 *

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

£19,600

Finance available £341 pm

1.5L
30.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Camberley

01276983839 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 2.0 120d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) (190 ps)

£18,200

Finance available £317 pm

2L
40.9K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Camberley

01276983839 *

BMW 1 Series2014 - 116d Sport 5dr

£4,995

Finance available £89 pm

2L
94.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

QMT Automotive Ltd

01905917499 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 2.0 120d M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (190 ps) - NA

£22,082

Finance available £443 pm

2L
30.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Carsa Gloucester

01452227227 *

BMW 1 Series2014 - 1.6 116i Sport 5-door

Low Mileage

£9,749

Finance available £195 pm

1.6L
42.1K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cavectra Centre

01375801182 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 1.5 116d Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£5,694

Finance available £105 pm

1.5L
106.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Vivian Price Cars

01172331344 *

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

£25,213

1.5L
18.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Marshall BMW Hampshire

01256268420 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 3dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£11,995

Finance available £246 pm

1.5L
56.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

BLOFIELD MC

01603931807 *

4.2/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Reduced

£19,499

Finance available £380 pm

1.5L
25.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motorplus Car Supermarket

01633742350 *

BMW 1 Series2024 - 118i [136] SE 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

£19,895

Finance available £439 pm

1.5L
31.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motor Range Liverpool

01515417938 *

4.6/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£34,251

2L
8.3K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Marshall BMW Hampshire

01256268420 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118I M SPORT 5-Door

Low Mileage

£19,995

Finance available £390 pm

1.5L
28.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Dennis Maltby LTD

01754800944 *

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 116i 5-Door

Low Mileage

£7,990

Finance available £156 pm

1.6L
41.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

NS Auto Trading Ltd

02039577375 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 118i [1.5] SE 5dr [Nav/Servotronic] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£16,950

Finance available £356 pm

1.5L
18.2K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Ocean Group BMW Penryn

01326333538 *

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