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.

2,766 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i SE 5-Door

Low Mileage

£13,997

Finance available £279 pm

1.5L
40.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Lincoln

01522459088 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 2.0 116d M Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£5,495

Finance available £100 pm

2L
107.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

AutoTrade Southwest

01453701529 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 - 1.5 118I M Sport Auto 5dr

Low Mileage

£17,070

Finance available £330 pm

1.5L
22.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Ellahi Motors Limited

01256679122 *

4.7/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£22,859

Finance available £498 pm

2L
33.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carbase - Bristol

01172331396 *

4.4/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£20,300

Finance available £440 pm

1.5L
25.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Cannock

01543221765 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 118i [1.5] SE 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

£7,990

Finance available £156 pm

1.5L
78.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Fusco Vehicle Sales

02891249214 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (13) - 3.0 M135i Hatchback 3dr Petrol Auto Euro 5 (s/s) (320 ps)

Reduced

£10,949

Finance available £222 pm

3L
80.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

A1 Ortos

01613887641 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 1.6 116i Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£8,995

Finance available £179 pm

1.6L
58.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Right Hand Motor Ltd

01992660275 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (05) - M140i 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£13,250

Finance available £274 pm

3L
60.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Car Sales B33

01217288818 *

BMW 1 Series2024 - 120 M Sport 5dr Step Auto

£30,898

1.5L
7.2K
Miles
Hybrid
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Glasgow BMW

01416119940 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 2.0 118d SE Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£4,999

Finance available £89 pm

2L
107.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Karhouse

01494291900 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 2.0 118d M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

Low Mileage

£11,590

Finance available £237 pm

2L
67.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

AutoVenue LTD

01633747902 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 - 116d M Sport 5-Door

£6,495

Finance available £123 pm

2L
104.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Abberton Car Sales

01206879441 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 1.5 116d Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£8,995

1.5L
77.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Woodcroft Motors

01642030069 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (69) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (140 ps)

£12,490

1.5L
70.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Carworld Supermarket

01733794246 *

4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps) Ma

Low Mileage

£22,290

1.5L
8.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Dinnages Ford Haywards Heath

01444221466 *

4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 - 2.0 M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

£7,795

Finance available £152 pm

2L
95.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Ideal Car Centre Ltd

01902544596 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 116d Sport 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

£6,595

Finance available £125 pm

1.5L
112.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Julian Motor Sales

01993463580 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 118i [1.5] Sport 3dr [Nav/Servotronic]

Low Mileage

£7,500

Finance available £145 pm

1.5L
35.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Green Autos

01924667351 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£15,999

1.5L
35.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

HPL Motors Oldham

01612416881 *

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