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 Series2014 (14) - 2.0 120d M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (184 ps)

£4,449

2L
128.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Hilton Car Supermarket Milton Keynes

01908049370 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 118i Sport 5dr ++ SAT NAV / DAB / BLUETOOTH / ULEZ / CLIMATE ++

Low Mileage

£7,275

Finance available £140 pm

1.5L
70.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Nick King Car Sales (Gloucester)

01452227299 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 118d Sport 5dr + 1 OWNER / NAV / ULEZ / DAB / BLUETOOTH

Low Mileage

£10,575

Finance available £214 pm

2L
44.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Nick King Car Sales (Gloucester)

01452227299 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 1.5 118i M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£9,500

Finance available £190 pm

1.5L
59.4K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

MIDLANDS AUTOHAUS LIMITED

01164646024 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 2.0 120i GPF Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (184 ps)

Low Mileage

£13,600

Finance available £287 pm

2L
43.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Peterborough

01733971423 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 118i M Sport 5-Door

Low Mileage

£21,500

Finance available £421 pm

1.5L
21.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Tayside

01382238686 *

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 Series2022 - 118i [136] Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro] SEMI-AUTO

£18,755

Finance available £365 pm

1.5L
34.5K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

TrustFord Glasgow

01412601245 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 1.6 116d ED EfficientDynamics Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£4,200

Finance available £72 pm

1.6L
99.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

High Street Motor Group Ltd

01924793492 *

BMW 1 Series2005 - 118I SE 5-Door

Low Mileage

£2,995

2L
93.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cheaper Cars Caerphilly

02920108588 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 1.5 116d Edition+ 5dr

£6,695

Finance available £127 pm

1.5L
85.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Sevenoaks Auto Village

01892572354 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 118d M Sport 2dr

Low Mileage

£3,495

Finance available £56 pm

2L
89.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Coupe

Beechwood Van Sales Ltd

01515417902 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 128ti Step Auto [Live Cockpit Professional] 5-Door

Low Mileage

£26,176

Finance available £540 pm

2L
13.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Scunthorpe

01724514202 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (72) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£18,999

1.5L
34.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Affordable Cars Prestige Car Supermarket

01904238447 *

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118i [1.5] M Sport Shadow Ed 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£17,899

Finance available £366 pm

1.5L
15.9K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

cinch Warehouse Corby

01536219125 *

4.3/5 Stars

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

Reduced

£6,250

Finance available £117 pm

1.5L
45.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

L4C Oldbury

01215166136 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (4Y) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Hatchback 3dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps)

Low Mileage

£16,495

Finance available £346 pm

3L
63.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cars4You Edinburgh West

01313226854 *

BMW 1 Series2008 (08) - 120d M Sport 2dr Step Auto

£1,250

2L
180.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Convertible

PCF Cars

01215160886 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 1.6 116d ED EfficientDynamics Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (116

Low Mileage

£4,795

Finance available £85 pm

1.6L
87.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Coventry Sterling Motors

02475103850 *

4.9/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (13) - 116d EfficientDynamics 5dr

£3,990

Finance available £67 pm

1.6L
112.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Denovan Motor Co Ltd

01786232417 *

4.6/5 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

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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