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.

2,792 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 118d SE 5dr

Reduced

£2,995

2L
117.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Beechwood Van Sales Ltd

01515417902 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 118i SPORT 5-Door

£12,475

Finance available £256 pm

1.5L
59.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

JMV

01634564263 *

BMW 1 Series2008 (08) - 120i SE 2dr Step Auto

Reduced

£3,499

Finance available £56 pm

2L
63.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Convertible

Newcastle Runabouts

01913387314 *

BMW 1 Series2017 - 120d M Sport 5dr [Nav]

Reduced

£9,995

Finance available £201 pm

2L
86.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Knightsbridge Cars NI

02890023756 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 118i Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£10,695

Finance available £212 pm

1.5L
38.8K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Tangelo Used Cars Exeter

01394331922 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£7,999

Finance available £156 pm

1.5L
72.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Zeus Cars Limited

01234237525 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 - 120d xDrive M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£21,698

2L
34.3K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Renault / Dacia (Elgin)

01343611162 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 2.0 118d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

Low Mileage

£16,999

2L
40.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

HPL Motors Preston

01772957419 *

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

£5,990

Finance available £111 pm

1.5L
83.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

RD Motors Ltd

01708973724 *

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

Low Mileage

£23,249

Finance available £487 pm

1.5L
5.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Newport

01633493027 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£17,995

Finance available £349 pm

3L
72.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

ARJ MOTORS

01932507141 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 - 120d xDrive M Sport 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£14,349

Finance available £289 pm

2L
61.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

cinch Warehouse Corby

01536219125 *

4.3/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£8,995

1.5L
39.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Regent Cars

01732441852 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 116d Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£5,250

Finance available £95 pm

2L
81.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Beechwood Van Sales Ltd

01515417902 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 2.0 118d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£12,550

Finance available £258 pm

2L
56.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Car Planet Watford

01923927636 *

4.5/5 Stars

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

£19,995

Finance available £390 pm

1.5L
39.1K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Alpheton Garage Ltd

01787323800 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£11,995

1.5L
72.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Dace German Car Centre

01616969152 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 1.6 116i SE Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£8,495

Finance available £167 pm

1.6L
43.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

W R Car Sales Limited

01274087616 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£19,998

1.5L
34.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Kirkcaldy BMW

01592802402 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2025 (74) - 120 Sport 5-Door

Reduced

£27,000

1.5L
2.3K
Miles
Hybrid
Automatic
Hatchback

Listers Kings Lynn (BMW)

01553601557 *

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