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.

2,918 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2023 - 128ti Step Auto [Live Cockpit Professional] 5-Door

Low Mileage

£25,376

Finance available £523 pm

2L
13.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

CarSupermarket.com Scunthorpe

01724514202 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 (63) - 2.0 118d M Sport Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£9,995

Finance available £201 pm

2L
35.7K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Renown Motors

01613887637 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - 120d Sport 5dr Step Auto

£20,995

Finance available £411 pm

2L
36.1K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Donnelly Mallusk Motorstore

02895908087 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 118i [136] Sport 5dr [Live Cockpit Professional]

£20,850

1.5L
15.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Stratstone BMW Milton Keynes

01908104093 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£9,290

1.5L
23.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Bedford Car Centre

01234987603 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 - 118i (136) Sport LCP 5dr Step Auto (Navigation)(Fr

Reduced

£19,000

1.5L
25.3K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Motorparks Preston

01772347475 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (69) - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

Low Mileage

£17,791

Finance available £345 pm

1.5L
42.4K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Daniel Alexander Motor Group

01482296165 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 118i [1.5] Sport 5dr [Nav/Servotronic] Step 2018 PETROL AUTOMATIC ONE OWNER

£11,499

Finance available £235 pm

1.5L
67.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Mayesbrook Motors

02037808232 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (70) - 116d M Sport 5dr

£15,499

Finance available £324 pm

1.5L
63.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

John Griffiths Cars Ltd

01778308207 *

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118i [1.5] Sport 5dr [Nav/Servotronic] Step Auto

Low Mileage

£13,899

Finance available £288 pm

1.5L
38.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FOW Winsford

01606535848 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2023 - 1.5 118i SE (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps) - PARK

£17,030

Finance available £336 pm

1.5L
26.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Carsa Bolton

01204323445 *

BMW 1 Series2020 (69) - 1.5 118i SE Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (140 ps) 1 Owner / Low

Low Mileage

£13,990

Finance available £267 pm

1.5L
36.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Cartime Rochdale

01615298277 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2014 - 1.6 116I SPORT 5-Door

Low Mileage

£5,700

Finance available £105 pm

1.6L
78.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Heneage Cars

01472808001 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 116d SE Business 5dr [Nav/Servotronic]

Reduced

£9,550

Finance available £191 pm

1.5L
74.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

JB Autos Sales

02870440586 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (68) - 1.5 116d M Sport Hatchback 3dr Diesel Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (116 ps)

Low Mileage

£12,850

Finance available £265 pm

1.5L
45.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Nigel Geoffrey

01246383565 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (72) - 1.5 116d M Sport (LCP) DCT Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£19,990

Finance available £390 pm

1.5L
41.9K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

East Anglia Car Sales Ltd

01394331718 *

4.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 1.5 116d SE Business Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£11,970

Finance available £245 pm

1.5L
57.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Greenlight Automotive Ltd

01254920838 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£20,300

Finance available £440 pm

1.5L
31.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Blue Bell Hill

01634557830 *

BMW 1 Series2022 (72) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

£18,200

Finance available £307 pm

1.5L
27.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Cannock

01543221765 *

BMW 1 Series2019 - 118d Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£16,449

Finance available £335 pm

2L
26.3K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Hatchback

cinch Warehouse Corby

01536219125 *

4.3/5 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.