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.

2,592 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2015 (15) - 1.6 116i Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£9,495

Finance available £190 pm

1.6L
58.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Right Hand Motor Ltd

01992660275 *

BMW 1 Series2024 (24) - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto Petrol Hatchback

£32,809

2L
9.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Sunderland

01918146399 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 116d SE (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

Low Mileage

£15,400

Finance available £259 pm

1.5L
29.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Peterborough

01733971423 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 118I M SPORT SHADOW EDITION 5-Door

Low Mileage

£13,750

Finance available £285 pm

1.5L
35.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Vic Young South Shields Limited

01916076221 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 2.0 118d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£13,495

Finance available £279 pm

2L
61.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Seacroft Ford Mablethorpe

01522308128 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (Z3) - 118d M Sport Shadow Ed 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£13,295

Finance available £275 pm

2L
53.4K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Evolve Motor Company

01633741704 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2024 (24) - 120d M Sport 5dr Step Auto Diesel Hatchback

£28,415

2L
8.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Sunderland

01918146399 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 - 118i [1.5] M Sport 5dr [Nav]

Low Mileage

£11,699

Finance available £232 pm

1.5L
48.4K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

cinch Warehouse Corby

01536219125 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£19,970

1.5L
23.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Stratstone BMW Maidstone

01622234873 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - 2.0 M135i Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£34,999

Finance available £698 pm

2L
5.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Worcester Road Motors Ltd

01299667626 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118i [1.5] M Sport Shadow Ed 5dr Step Auto

£13,480

1.5L
66.5K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Marshall Audi Coulsdon

02038895530 *

BMW 1 Series2013 - 2.0 116d M Sport 5 door

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

2L
116.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Peak Automotive Limited

01637801278 *

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

£16,990

Finance available £357 pm

1.5L
42.1K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

The Roxburghe Group

01217288719 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 1.6 118i M Sport Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£7,300

Finance available £141 pm

1.6L
86.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

SAID MOTORS Limited

02039577471 *

BMW 1 Series2016 - 1.5 116d Edition+ 5dr

£6,695

Finance available £127 pm

1.5L
85.7K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Sevenoaks Auto Village

01892572354 *

BMW 1 Series2012 - 1.6 116i Sport 5-door

Low Mileage

£4,500

Finance available £78 pm

1.6L
95.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

KPH SYKEHOUSE LTD TA Priory Motors

01405801107 *

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 Series2018 - 1.5 118I Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£10,500

Finance available £212 pm

1.5L
47.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Braunstone Crossroads Motors

01164028881 *

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 1.6 118i Sport Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£4,495

Finance available £78 pm

1.6L
83.9K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Oh My Car Limited

02038934353 *

BMW 1 Series2024 (24) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

Low Mileage

£25,850

Finance available £511 pm

1.5L
8.0K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Ocean Group BMW Paignton

01803225818 *

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