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 Series2019 (69) - 116d M Sport 5-Door

£17,100

1.5L
53.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Aberdeen

01224451046 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£18,980

Finance available £369 pm

1.5L
32.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Wembley Prestige Cars

02037803372 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 1.5 116d Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£6,695

Finance available £127 pm

1.5L
90.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Derbyshire Elite Car Sales Limited

01332419205 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£17,990

Finance available £349 pm

1.5L
33.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Lennox Auto Limited

02039484608 *

4.6/5 Stars

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

£17,890

Finance available £347 pm

1.5L
19.5K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

BABAN MOTORS

01216618726 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (16) - 1.5 116d Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

1.5L
74.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Carbon Motors Ltd

01216615534 *

BMW 1 Series2.0 128ti (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (265 ps) - M SPORT B

£22,776

35.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carsa Halesowen

01217525895 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 2.0 120d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£10,595

Finance available £214 pm

2L
82.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

H2 Autos Ltd

01782917254 *

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 1.5 118i M Sport Hatchback 3dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£7,300

Finance available £141 pm

1.5L
83.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Hammond Cars Ipswich

01473927579 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2025 (15)

£9,499

Finance available £190 pm

1.6L
33.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Not Supplied

CAZOON LTD

01162165624 *

BMW 1 Series2015 (64) - 2.0 116d M Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

£5,490

Finance available £96 pm

2L
103.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Prestigio Cars Ltd

01908767389 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118i M Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£16,998

1.5L
44.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Dumfries BMW/MINI

01387340162 *

4.7/5 Stars

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

£20,697

Finance available £422 pm

1.5L
31.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Barnsley

01226448498 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2009 (59) - 2.0 118d M Sport Euro 5 2dr

£2,800

2L
150.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Convertible

Horsepower Motor Centre Ltd

01732927681 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118d M Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

£20,450

2L
57.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Stratstone BMW Milton Keynes

01908104093 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 118i M Sport 5-Door

£22,500

1.5L
28.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Aberdeen

01224451046 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 2.0 118d M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£10,495

Finance available £212 pm

2L
61.9K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

BCW CARS SALES LTD

01977808775 *

BMW 1 Series2017 - 120d M Sport 3-Door

Low Mileage

£12,595

2L
41.5K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Spencers Car Sales

01603931848 *

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

Low Mileage

£18,150

Finance available £383 pm

1.5L
17.7K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Car Planet Watford

01923927636 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 - 1.6 116i Sport T 5dr

Low Mileage

£5,075

Finance available £91 pm

1.6L
62.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

CarsUnder3000

01268203496 *

4.8/5 Stars

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.