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.

2,676 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2011 (11) - 118d Sport 2dr

Low Mileage

£3,295

Finance available £51 pm

2L
108.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Convertible

Level Autos

01296791923 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£8,490

Finance available £167 pm

1.5L
87.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Junction 21 Motors

01934312906 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (69) - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

Low Mileage

£17,870

1.5L
22.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Dace Specialist Car Centre Stockport

01616945314 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2024 (74) - M135 xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack] Petrol Hatchback

Low Mileage

£38,957

2L
4.1K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Sunderland

01918146399 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 - 120d Sport Plus Edition 2-Door

Reduced

£7,995

Finance available £156 pm

2L
60.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Coupe

Imperial Motor Company Limited

01732443737 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 2.0 118d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

Low Mileage

£19,900

Finance available £349 pm

2L
30.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Enfield

02037634741 *

BMW 1 Series2025 (74) - 120 M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£29,900

Finance available £594 pm

1.5L
2.6K
Miles
Hybrid
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Ocean Group BMW Paignton

01803225818 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 118d Sport 5dr

Reduced

£3,795

Finance available £62 pm

2L
104.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

SK CAR COMPANY LTD

01384885534 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (70) - 1.5 118I M SPORT 5d 139 BHP 8.8in Sat Nav, 10.3in Active Display, Apple Car 5-Door

£20,990

Finance available £411 pm

1.5L
29.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cartime Rochdale

01615298277 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2024 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack]

£29,999

Finance available £635 pm

2L
11.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Derby

01332419211 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack] SEMI-AUTO

Low Mileage

£29,807

2L
17.2K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

TrustFord Epsom

01372231864 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2024 - 118i [136] Sport Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro] 5-Door

£22,697

Finance available £465 pm

1.5L
17.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Birmingham

01215165158 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (69) - 1.5 118i M Sport DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£13,250

Finance available £274 pm

1.5L
101.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FM MOTORS GB LTD

02039484610 *

3.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£16,800

Finance available £353 pm

1.5L
27.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

David Hayton Ltd (Autostore Penrith)

01768800804 *

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

Low Mileage

£19,295

Finance available £425 pm

1.5L
16.9K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motor Range Liverpool

01515417938 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps)

Low Mileage

£23,000

Finance available £452 pm

3L
49.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FS Performance Ltd

01582280332 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 2.0 118d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

Reduced

£9,890

Finance available £199 pm

2L
80.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpod LTD

01633831062 *

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

Low Mileage

£22,750

Finance available £447 pm

1.5L
19.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Tayside

01382238686 *

BMW 1 Series2012 - 3.0 1 Series M 2dr

Low Mileage

£48,990

Finance available £986 pm

3L
34.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Coupe

Churchs Performance Cars

01403331228 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 (72) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

Low Mileage

£21,450

Finance available £420 pm

1.5L
9.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

South West Motor Sales

01744419366 *

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