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.

3,050 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 3.0 M135i Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£15,490

Finance available £324 pm

3L
66.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

DSI Performance Cars

01306772198 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 2.0 125d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£8,495

Finance available £167 pm

2L
102.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

MOSSGATE MOTORS LTD

01613887618 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 118i GPF M Sport Shadow Edition Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£14,995

Finance available £313 pm

1.5L
32.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Kayenn Group LTD T/A Kayenn Prestige

01616694594 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (62) - 116d M Sport 3dr

Low Mileage

£6,900

2L
73.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Preseli Car Sales

01834820915 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 118d M Sport Shadow Ed 5dr Step Auto

£11,895

Finance available £243 pm

2L
99.9K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

SM Motors NI

02827440451 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 1.6 116d ED EfficientDynamics Business Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (

Low Mileage

£6,250

1.6L
67.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Hearsall Common Car Sales

02475105300 *

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

Low Mileage

£18,891

Finance available £368 pm

1.5L
42.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Nortree Motor Company

01225437270 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

Low Mileage

£11,749

Finance available £240 pm

1.5L
33.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Distinct Motors Ltd

01618048207 *

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

£24,599

Finance available £517 pm

1.5L
21.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Birmingham

01217525223 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (72) - 118i M Sport 5-Door

£21,300

1.5L
27.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Aberdeen

01224451046 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 2.0 M135i Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Xdrive Euro 6 s/s 306 Ps

Low Mileage

£22,917

2L
37.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Pentagon SEAT & CUPRA (Huddersfield)

01484248052 *

4.1/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

£25,995

Finance available £513 pm

2L
35.2K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

BMW Bavarian

02895908116 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 120i M Sport 2dr

Low Mileage

£4,250

2L
90.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Convertible

WELLANDS MOTORS LTD

01733978724 *

BMW 1 Series2008 (08) - 2.0 120d SE Steptronic Euro 4 5dr

Reduced

£2,999

2L
93.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Basford Motors Ltd

01782390953 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2011 - 2.0 D M SPORT 5Dr

Low Mileage

£3,995

2L
97.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Master Cars Bedford

01767668796 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 116d Sport 3dr [Nav]

Low Mileage

£8,995

1.5L
56.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Hillington Motor Co Ltd

01414730658 *

BMW 1 Series2006 (56) - 2.0 118d SE Euro 4 5dr

Low Mileage

£1,699

2L
127.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

AL PRESTIGE CARS LTD

02380017157 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 - Hatchback (2015 - 2017) 5-Door

£6,290

2L
126.3K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Auto Pro Cars Ltd

01234987565 *

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

Low Mileage

£18,500

Finance available £360 pm

1.5L
38.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Stringers of Petersfield

01730779314 *

4.7/5 Stars

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

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

1.5L
103.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Summit Cars

01737301722 *

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.