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.

2,649 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 1.5 118i GPF M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps) Full

Low Mileage

£12,995

Finance available £268 pm

1.5L
47.5K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

H and M Cars Ltd

07921081064 *

BMW 1 Series2013 (13) - 3.0 M135i Auto Euro 5 (s/s) 5dr

Reduced

£11,490

Finance available £234 pm

3L
77.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Cars Direct Peterborough Limited

01733971397 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2017 (66) - 1.5 118i Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Reduced

£10,300

1.5L
43.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Fusion Motors Limited

01375808581 *

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 2.0 118d M Sport (LCP) Euro 6 (s/s) 5dr

£17,495

Finance available £339 pm

2L
42.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Tamebridge Cars Ltd

01642049641 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2015 - 2.0 116d Sport 5-door

£3,495

Finance available £56 pm

2L
175.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

NATIONAL VEHICLE SUPPLIERS LTD

01182270649 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 2.0 120I Sport 3dr

Low Mileage

£12,250

2L
38.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Liberty Green Cars

01329559706 *

3.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 - 2.0 118D Sport 5dr

£4,200

2L
112.2K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Vortex Cars Limited

01614700153 *

BMW 1 Series2021 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

£25,450

Finance available £502 pm

2L
46.4K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Jack Reid Cars Carrickfergus

02893448937 *

BMW 1 Series2014 - 2.0 116d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (116 ps)

£5,495

Finance available £100 pm

2L
98.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

The Garage at Shurlock Row

01182274533 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 1.5 118i M Sport Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (1

£11,000

Finance available £228 pm

1.5L
69.2K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Peterborough

01733971423 *

BMW 1 Series2018 (68) - 3.0 M140i Shadow Edition Hatchback 3dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps)

£18,900

Finance available £368 pm

3L
56.4K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Beechwood Autos Ltd

01623709945 *

2.5/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2012 (12) - 2.0 120d M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (184 ps)

Low Mileage

£6,290

Finance available £118 pm

2L
85.6K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Junction 21 Motors

01934312906 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (60) - 120d M Sport 2dr Step Auto

£2,499

2L
131.8K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Convertible

Wainman Motors

01733902676 *

BMW 1 Series2023 (73) - 118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto Petrol Hatchback

£22,950

1.5L
22.7K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Teesside

01642630363 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 - 118i M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£19,199

Finance available £406 pm

1.5L
32.2K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

FOW Trafford

01616969155 *

4.3/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Petrol Hatchback

Low Mileage

£19,718

1.5L
16.9K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Vertu BMW Bridgwater

01278555750 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (71) - 1.5 118i Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£17,945

1.5L
22.9K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Motor Trust UK Bury

01612416386 *

BMW 1 Series2017 - 116d Sport 3dr [Nav]

Low Mileage

£9,106

1.5L
54.1K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Marshall Volvo Derby

01332318472 *

BMW 1 Series2018 - 120i [2.0] M Sport 5dr [Nav/Servotronic] Step Auto

Reduced

£14,493

Finance available £301 pm

2L
58.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

David Hayton Ltd (Mazda Carlisle)

01228273252 *

BMW 1 Series2008 - 118d Edition ES 3dr Step Auto

Low Mileage

£3,950

Finance available £66 pm

2L
73.8K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

West View Motor Company

01768800648 *

0/5 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

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