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.

2,655 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2014 (64) - 2.0 116d SE Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£5,295

Finance available £96 pm

2L
69.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Lighthouse Motors

01513177158 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (10) - 118d M Sport 2dr Step Auto

£5,495

Finance available £100 pm

2L
136.8K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Convertible

LRS Trade Cars

01206918829 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (140 ps)

Low Mileage

£17,695

1.5L
22.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Wavertree Car Centre

01513189401 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (68) - 2.0 120i GPF M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£8,989

Finance available £178 pm

2L
99.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorhub

01535281058 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (N) - 120i M Sport 2dr

Low Mileage

£3,500

Finance available £56 pm

2L
109.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Convertible

Rk Motoring Ltd

01702418738 *

BMW 1 Series2019 - 116d SE 5dr

Reduced

£12,995

Finance available £268 pm

1.5L
79.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Gary Hutchinson Car Sales Ltd

02890026790 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 118i GPF M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£10,489

Finance available £212 pm

1.5L
67.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Powerlease Ltd

01525305324 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 - 118d SE 3-Door

Low Mileage

£4,150

Finance available £70 pm

2L
83.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Stanley Automotive

01513189273 *

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 Series2017 (17) - 1.5 118i SE Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£8,500

Finance available £168 pm

1.5L
78.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Muirhead Motor Company

01592407413 *

BMW 1 Series2017 - 1.5L 116D Sport Auto Hatchback 5dr Diesel Automatic Euro 6 (114 bhp)

Low Mileage

£10,950

Finance available £222 pm

1.5L
52.2K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Rely Motors Ltd

01592807336 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (62) - 120d M Sport 5dr (1 year warranty c/w breakdown cover)(BT/DAB/AUX/USB)

Low Mileage

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

2L
73.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Kirkcaldy Motor Company Ltd

01592407734 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 1.5 118i SE Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£7,995

Finance available £156 pm

1.5L
63.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Top Gear Harrow Ltd

02038895522 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (60) - 2.0 118d SPORT CONVERTIBLE 2DR DIESEL MANUAL EURO 5 (143 PS)

£2,544

2L
124.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Convertible

The Van Sales Company

01616944772 *

0/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£24,995

Finance available £493 pm

1.5L
10.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Quest Motor Group

01376312247 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (61) - 2.0 118d SE Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£2,700

2L
133.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Kevin Car Sales & HCW Ltd

01708205498 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 116i Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£4,150

Finance available £70 pm

1.6L
87.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Rochdale Motors Group Limited

01706391404 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 118i SPORT 5-Door

Low Mileage

£9,995

Finance available £201 pm

1.5L
33.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

A R Used Cars Ltd

01280730307 *

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

Reduced

£19,999

Finance available £390 pm

3L
54.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Rom Motors Ltd

01455240096 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (17) - 116d SE 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

Reduced

£7,750

Finance available £151 pm

1.5L
49.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

L4C Oldbury

01215166136 *

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