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.

2,803 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i Sport 5dr

£14,250

Finance available £296 pm

1.5L
63.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

David Hayton Ltd (Autostore Penrith)

01768800651 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£18,999

Finance available £402 pm

1.5L
32.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FOW Trafford

01616969155 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2014 (14) - 2.0 120d BluePerformance SE Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£9,990

Finance available £201 pm

2L
51.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Fab Trade Cars

01584700196 *

5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 3.0 M140i GPF Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps

£19,499

Finance available £380 pm

3L
57.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Sansoms Specialist Cars Limited

01916077550 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£8,900

Finance available £177 pm

1.5L
97.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Catalina Of Stanningley

01134675328 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

£27,000

2L
38.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Listers Kings Lynn (BMW)

01553601557 *

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

£24,495

Finance available £483 pm

1.5L
43.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Pat Kirk Ford Omagh

02882440439 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 2.0 118d Sport Plus Edition Steptronic Euro 5 2dr

Low Mileage

£6,495

Finance available £123 pm

2L
87.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Coupe

Large Motor Company

01635885044 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 3.0 M140i GPF Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps

Low Mileage

£22,995

Finance available £452 pm

3L
43.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FIDA MOTORS LIMITED

01279215830 *

4.7/5 Stars

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

£3,995

Finance available £67 pm

1.6L
107.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Top Gear Harrow Ltd

02038895522 *

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i M Sport 5-Door

Low Mileage

£19,450

Finance available £379 pm

1.5L
24.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

MARLING CAR SALES LTD

01952953911 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 118I M Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£20,490

1.5L
18.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Phantom Motor Company

01942365271 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 2.0 M135i Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) (306 ps)

£26,000

Finance available £479 pm

2L
27.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Norwich

01603567768 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - M135i xDrive 5-Door

Low Mileage

£28,250

2L
15.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Tayside

01382238686 *

BMW 1 Series2006 (06) - 1.6 116i SE Euro 4 5dr

Low Mileage

£2,000

1.6L
125.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

LIV MOTORS

01612416374 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 2.0 120d Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (190 ps)

Reduced

£12,100

Finance available £248 pm

2L
38.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Hammond Cars Ipswich

01473927579 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118i [1.5] M Sport 3dr [Nav/Servotronic]

Low Mileage

£13,099

Finance available £270 pm

1.5L
31.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

FOW Winsford

01606535848 *

4.3/5 Stars

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

£11,995

1.5L
82.1K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Wavertree Car Centre

01513189401 *

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

£5,694

Finance available £105 pm

1.5L
106.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Vivian Price Cars

01172331344 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 118i 1.5 SE 5dr + LEATHER / SAT NAV / 1 OWNER / 35 TAX / ULEZ / DAB

£6,575

Finance available £125 pm

1.5L
90.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Nick King Car Sales (Gloucester)

01452227299 *

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