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.

2,730 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto Petrol Hatchback

£29,629

2L
24.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Bridgwater

01278555750 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - M140i 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£20,990

Finance available £411 pm

3L
53.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

AUTOPRESTIGE

01274087615 *

3.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 - 1.5 116d Sport 5-Door

Low Mileage

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

1.5L
63.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Cavectra Centre

01375801182 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 1.5 116d SE Business Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£9,995

Finance available £201 pm

1.5L
70.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Cars Of Conwy

01492525999 *

BMW 1 Series2025 - M135 xDrive 5dr Step Auto

£42,195

2L
4.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Stratstone BMW Tunbridge Wells

01892571854 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Reduced

£21,675

Finance available £425 pm

1.5L
27.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

The Witley Car Company Ltd

01428771120 *

BMW 1 Series2011 (61) - 2.0 118d M Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

£1,995

2L
125.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Max Bradley Cars

01621734802 *

BMW 1 Series2009 (59) - 118i SE 3dr

Low Mileage

£2,275

2L
86.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Staines Motors LTD

01784779334 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£9,250

Finance available £184 pm

1.5L
80.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cars To Go Ltd

01202051975 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (72) - 128ti 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Professional] Petrol Hatchback

£24,411

2L
35.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW York

01904237114 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2025 (25) - M135 xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack] Petrol Hatchback

£41,690

2L
2.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Durham

01918146639 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 118i M Sport Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (136

£13,295

Finance available £275 pm

1.5L
62.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motoring Way LTD

01633742355 *

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 116d M Sport 5dr + DAB / BLUETOOTH / 20 TAX / ULEZ / SENSORS

Low Mileage

£8,375

Finance available £165 pm

1.5L
75.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Nick King Car Sales (Gloucester)

01452227299 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 2.0 120d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£7,000

Finance available £134 pm

2L
106.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

AM Car Solutions Limited

01543229540 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118d M Sport 5-Door

£18,897

Finance available £384 pm

2L
33.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Birmingham

01215165158 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 1.6 116i Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

1.6L
60.8K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Not Supplied

Dereham Motor Company ltd

01362700376 *

3.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2011 (61) - 2.0 120d Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 2dr

Low Mileage

£5,495

Finance available £100 pm

2L
73.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Coupe

Elm Motor Company

01752749650 *

3.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 - 118d SE 5dr [Nav/Servotronic] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£13,500

Finance available £274 pm

2L
29.9K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Vospers Approved Used Torquay

01803222847 *

5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - 120d M Sport 5-Door

Low Mileage

£27,500

2L
6.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Stoneacre Darlington Toyota

01325529181 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 116d Sport 3dr

Low Mileage

£4,995

Finance available £89 pm

2L
88.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Beechwood Van Sales Ltd

01515417902 *

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