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.

2,793 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2022 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£28,349

Finance available £599 pm

2L
11.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorpoint Edinburgh

01312028747 *

BMW 1 Series2022 - 1.5 116d Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Diesel DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

£18,925

Finance available £368 pm

1.5L
28.3K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

drivedirect Hull

01482421858 *

BMW 1 Series2006 (56) - 118d Sport 5dr

Low Mileage

£1,799

2L
127.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Shotton Part EX Change Centre

01913002315 *

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

£3,495

Finance available £56 pm

2L
110.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

MERIT MOTORS LTD

01204324385 *

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

Low Mileage

£37,723

2L
2.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Bridgwater

01278555750 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 116d SE Business Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

Low Mileage

£11,994

Finance available £246 pm

1.5L
32.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

AutoTrade Southwest

01453701529 *

0/5 Stars

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

Reduced

£5,290

Finance available £96 pm

2L
123.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Vivian Price Cars

01172331344 *

BMW 1 Series2017 (67) - 2.0 120d M Sport Shadow Edition Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£9,000

Finance available £179 pm

2L
119.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

S AND T MOTOR CO LTD

01913002236 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

Low Mileage

£19,998

1.5L
29.4K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Motorstore / BYD (Linwood)

01414736404 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 (22) - 2.0 118d Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (150 ps)

Low Mileage

£17,200

Finance available £369 pm

2L
16.9K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Wimbledon

02038235453 *

BMW 1 Series2009 (59) - 2.0 118i Sport Convertible 2dr Petrol Manual Euro 5 (143 ps)

Reduced

£3,150

Finance available £48 pm

2L
137.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Convertible

Autoselect

01482428561 *

3.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - 2.0 M135i Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) (306 ps) - HEATED S

Low Mileage

£26,994

Finance available £546 pm

2L
15.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carsa Bolton

01204323445 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 1.5 118I M Sport Auto 5dr

£19,500

1.5L
60.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

LMC Cars

01708206105 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (10) - 2.0 120i Sport Euro 5 2dr

Low Mileage

£2,799

2L
121.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Coupe

Basford Motors Ltd

01782390953 *

4.6/5 Stars

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

Low Mileage

£23,499

Finance available £462 pm

1.5L
13.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Bassetts Honda Swansea

01792940530 *

BMW 1 Series2015 - 116d Sport 5dr

£7,495

1.5L
86.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Nathan Cottam Ltd

01492551908 *

BMW 1 Series2024 (73) - 118i M Sport 5-Door

Reduced

£24,100

1.5L
7.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

John Clark BMW Aberdeen

01224451046 *

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

£17,990

Finance available £349 pm

1.5L
34.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Lennox Auto Limited

02039484608 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (64) - 2.0 120d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (184 ps)

Reduced

£6,490

Finance available £123 pm

2L
97.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Swift Cars south Wales Ltd

01495369894 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2016 - 2.0 120d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Low Mileage

£11,988

Finance available £246 pm

2L
63.5K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

UP PRESTIGE LTD

01746331186 *

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