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.

2,727 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - M140i 3dr [Nav] Step Auto

Reduced

£18,475

Finance available £359 pm

3L
54.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Sandwell Car Sales

01215160845 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 118i 5Dr M Sport 1.5 Auto

Reduced

£23,999

1.5L
10.6K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Gates of Waltham Cross

01992660808 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 - 118i [136] Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

Low Mileage

£22,144

1.5L
12.6K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Marshall BMW Hampshire

01256268420 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 116d SE 5dr Step Auto

Reduced

£13,250

Finance available £274 pm

1.5L
79.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

JB Autos Sales

02870440586 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 116d SE NAV Hatchback Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr Diesel Manuasel Manual (116 ps)

£7,500

Finance available £145 pm

1.5L
78.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

TOP RIGHT CAR CENTRE

01913001768 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 - 2.0 128ti (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (265 ps) - LANE DEPA

Low Mileage

£25,646

Finance available £517 pm

2L
11.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carsa Cannock

01543227664 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (61) - 2.0 118d SE Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£2,700

2L
133.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Kevin Car Sales & HCW Ltd

01708205498 *

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

Reduced

£18,995

Finance available £370 pm

1.5L
9.9K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Progress Motor Group

01536211991 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (140 ps)

Low Mileage

£19,700

Finance available £426 pm

1.5L
14.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Blue Bell Hill

01634557830 *

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

Low Mileage

£24,895

Finance available £556 pm

1.5L
9.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Motor Range Liverpool

01515417938 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 (61) - 2.0 118d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£8,000

Finance available £156 pm

2L
84.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Car Planet Watford

01923927636 *

4.3/5 Stars

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 Series2013 - 116d Sport 5dr Step Auto

£4,995

Finance available £89 pm

2L
116.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorhouse Wales

01656331561 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i Sport 5dr

£15,498

1.5L
55.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Greenock Used Car Centre

01475602098 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 2.0 118d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (143 ps)

Low Mileage

£5,395

2L
84.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Northwest Trade Centre Lancaster

01524938637 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 3dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£12,400

Finance available £255 pm

1.5L
56.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Hammond Cars Ipswich

01473927579 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2009 - 2.0 120d SE Coupe 2-Door

£2,295

2L
145.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Coupe

Phoenix Motor Group UK LTD

01603567765 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (RU) - 3.0 M140i GPF Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps

Low Mileage

£21,499

Finance available £421 pm

3L
42.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Empressive Motor Company

01865591236 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 1.6 116i M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£7,295

Finance available £141 pm

1.6L
77.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

GMC 2000

01134680586 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 120d Sport Plus Edition 2dr

Reduced

£4,495

Finance available £78 pm

2L
98.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Coupe

Trade N Save Centre

01452227275 *

0/5 Stars

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