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.

2,941 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2020 - 1.5 118I Sport Auto 5dr

Low Mileage

£18,995

Finance available £370 pm

1.5L
27.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Richlee Motor Company Billericay

01277281160 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (65) - 116d M Sport 3dr Step Auto (M Performance Kit)

£7,995

Finance available £156 pm

1.5L
105.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Quad Automotive Limited

01144788641 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Petrol Hatchback

Low Mileage

£19,648

1.5L
19.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Sunderland

01918146399 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 - 1.5 116d Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£5,850

Finance available £108 pm

1.5L
131.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Hartlebury Cars

01562547645 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 1.5 116d Sport 5dr (LCP)(SAT NAV, HALF LEATHER)

Reduced

£17,488

1.5L
40.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Jeff White Motors

02920028289 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - 118d Sport 5dr [Nav]

£7,995

Finance available £156 pm

2L
83.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

CMR CARS LTD

01905947745 *

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

Low Mileage

£25,376

Finance available £523 pm

2L
13.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Scunthorpe

01724514202 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr

Reduced

£15,662

1.5L
31.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Bridgend Motor Group - SuperMini World

01563590214 *

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

£20,499

Finance available £401 pm

1.5L
29.8K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motorplus Car Supermarket

01633742350 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (64) - 2.0 118d M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Auto Euro 5 (s/s) (143 ps)

£4,495

Finance available £78 pm

2L
108.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Rhondda Motor Company

01443803258 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 118d M Sport Shadow Ed 5dr Step Auto, NAVIGATION, AUTOMATIC LIGHTS, FRONT &

Low Mileage

£14,970

2L
41.7K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

TrustFord Barnsley

01226107151 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr

£15,599

1.5L
43.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Bridgend Motor Group - Kilmarnock Autoplex

01563590183 *

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

£4,995

Finance available £89 pm

1.5L
119.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

PINNACLE MOTOR GROUP LTD

01156848090 *

BMW 1 Series2019 - 116d Sport 5dr Step Auto

Reduced

£15,995

Finance available £335 pm

1.5L
36.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

NI Car Sales Ltd

02838447728 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 118d M Sport 5dr

£5,495

Finance available £100 pm

2L
109.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

IK UNIQUE MOTORZ LTD

01782367054 *

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 2.0 120d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (190 ps) ***DRIVE A

£8,585

Finance available £169 pm

2L
90.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Kirkham Part Ex Centre

01772348362 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 1.6 116d ED EfficientDynamics Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (116

Low Mileage

£4,995

Finance available £89 pm

1.6L
62.9K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

GMC 2000

01134680586 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

£19,998

39.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Click & Collect Thurrock

01416118466 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

Low Mileage

£25,490

1.5L
9.7K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Auto MC Limited TA Automotive Cars

01535280995 *

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 118d M Sport 5dr Step Auto

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

2L
122.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Quality Car Sales

01924667062 *

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.