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.

2,936 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2016 (65) - 2.0 120d Sport Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£9,995

Finance available £201 pm

2L
74.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Blackline Motors Ltd

01618042356 *

BMW 1 Series2008 (08) - 135i M Sport 2dr

Low Mileage

£6,995

Finance available £134 pm

3L
100.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Coupe

Junction 5 Car Sales

01494977888 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118i [136] Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

£20,998

1.5L
25.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Peugeot (Glasgow)

01414736424 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 1.6 116i SE Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£8,295

Finance available £163 pm

1.6L
32.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

W R Car Sales Limited

01274087616 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 (69) - 1.5 116d Sport Auto 5 Dr

Reduced

£17,495

1.5L
25.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Victoria Motors Ltd

01747440831 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (71) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr

£18,700

Finance available £364 pm

1.5L
46.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Ocean Group BMW Penryn

01326333538 *

BMW 1 Series(62) - 1.6 116i M Sport Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£9,249

Finance available £184 pm

58.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Not Supplied

M Cars Surrey Ltd

01342649540 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 - 1.5 116d M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Diesel DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£18,634

Finance available £402 pm

1.5L
47.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Carbase - Lympsham

01934312926 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 118i M Sport 5-Door

£19,750

1.5L
39.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Tayside

01382238686 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (72) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£17,990

1.5L
33.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

UK WHEELS LIMITED

02039537447 *

4.9/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 3.0 M140i Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Low Mileage

£19,995

Finance available £390 pm

3L
52.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

RSK CARS LIMITED

01902240171 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (20) - 1.5 118i M Sport DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£18,950

Finance available £401 pm

1.5L
25.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Car Planet Watford

01923927636 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2020 - 118i Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£16,898

1.5L
39.8K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Dumfries

01387340091 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2025 (74) - M135 xDrive 5dr Step Auto Petrol Hatchback

£37,516

2L
5.6K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Exeter

01392341615 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 (66) - 1.5 118i M Sport Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

£6,489

Finance available £123 pm

1.5L
115.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motorhub

01535281058 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118i [136] SE 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

£17,714

1.5L
38.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Brayley Nissan Altrincham

01616720399 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (62) - 3.0 M135i Sports Hatch Sport Auto 3dr

Reduced

£9,795

Finance available £197 pm

3L
96.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Derbyshire Performance

01332419213 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (13) - 2.0 116d M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (116 ps)

£5,100

Finance available £92 pm

2L
97.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Catalina Of Stanningley

01134675328 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£13,942

Finance available £289 pm

3L
111.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

SR Motors

01793268063 *

BMW 1 Series2017 - M140i 5dr [Nav] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£22,995

3L
20.7K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Marshall SEAT Braintree

01376312248 *

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.