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.

3,055 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2019 - 3.0 M140I Shadow Edition Auto 5dr

Low Mileage

£22,260

Finance available £437 pm

3L
37.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Ryds Group Ltd

02038704048 *

BMW 1 Series2024 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

£24,799

Finance available £521 pm

1.5L
15.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Burnley

01282504324 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (72) - M135i xDrive 5-Door

Low Mileage

£28,500

2L
16.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Tayside

01382238686 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 116d M Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

£15,990

Finance available £335 pm

1.5L
84.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

MSP (NW) Ltd

01706391368 *

BMW 1 Series2011 (60) - 2.0 118d M Sport Convertible 2dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (143 ps)

Low Mileage

£6,500

2L
70.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Convertible

Mersea Car Sales

01206489531 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Pro/Pro pk]

£17,949

Finance available £367 pm

1.5L
54.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

cinch Warehouse Corby

01536219125 *

4.2/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 116d SE 5dr

£3,250

2L
117.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

D T CARS bristol LTD

01225541204 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 1.5 118I M Sport Auto 5dr

Low Mileage

£20,990

1.5L
38.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Phantom Motor Company

01942365271 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 1.5 116d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£6,395

Finance available £121 pm

1.5L
117.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Norton Car Sales Limited

01616720268 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

Low Mileage

£21,350

Finance available £418 pm

1.5L
16.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Ballyrobert Bangor

02891249490 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£13,491

Finance available £279 pm

3L
111.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

SR Motors

01793268063 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 3.0 M135i Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (320 ps)

£8,995

3L
105.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Eclipse Car Sales Limited

02392006073 *

4.6/5 Stars

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

£18,900

Finance available £392 pm

1.5L
33.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Blue Bell Hill

01634557830 *

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

Low Mileage

£20,990

Finance available £411 pm

1.5L
17.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cartime Rochdale

01615298277 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 2.0 118d Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£8,195

Finance available £161 pm

2L
90.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Autoshop Norwich

01603959728 *

4.8/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£23,999

Finance available £503 pm

1.5L
3.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Peterborough

01733797063 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP] Petrol Hatchback

£23,701

1.5L
15.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu Renault Dacia York

01904917427 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 1.5 116d Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

1.5L
74.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Carbon Motors Ltd

01216615534 *

BMW 1 Series2025 (74) - 123 xDrive M Sport 5dr Step Auto Petrol Hatchback

£30,674

2L
6.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Bridgwater

01278555750 *

0/5 Stars

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

£19,700

Finance available £409 pm

1.5L
30.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Cannock

01543221765 *

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.