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.

2,990 Used BMW 1 Series cars for sale

BMW 1 Series2023 (23) - 2.0 M135i Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto xDrive Euro 6 (s/s) (306 ps)

Low Mileage

£32,290

Finance available £643 pm

2L
15.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

BYD Coulsdon

02039375311 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

£21,990

Finance available £431 pm

1.5L
40.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Mervyn Stewart Used Select

02895908140 *

BMW 1 Series2015 - 1.6 118i M Sport Hatchback 5dr Petrol Manual Euro 6 (s/s) (170 ps)

Low Mileage

£10,995

Finance available £223 pm

1.6L
25.3K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

The Small Car Company

02380017591 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto [Pro Pack] SEMI-AUTO

Low Mileage

£29,807

2L
17.2K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

TrustFord Epsom

01372231864 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

Reduced

£25,995

Finance available £513 pm

2L
35.9K
Miles
Petrol
Semi Auto
Hatchback

Murray Motors (FRS) Ltd

01346410646 *

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

Low Mileage

£18,246

Finance available £385 pm

1.5L
20.6K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Stellantis &You Walton

01932559049 *

4.6/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2018 (18) - 2.0 125d M Sport Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Diesel Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (224

Low Mileage

£15,000

Finance available £319 pm

2L
45.8K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Big Motoring World Peterborough

01733971423 *

BMW 1 Series2011 (61) - 116i SE 5dr

Low Mileage

£3,995

Finance available £67 pm

1.6L
107.0K
Miles
Petrol
Manual
Hatchback

Clean Cars Connection LTD

01524237312 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2013 - 2.0 M Sport Hatchback 5dr Diesel Manual Euro 5 (s/s) (143 ps)

Reduced

£5,995

Finance available £112 pm

2L
82.3K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

Ideal Car Centre Ltd

01902544596 *

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

Low Mileage

£27,950

Finance available £554 pm

1.5L
5.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

JKC Approved Used BMW

02870441623 *

BMW 1 Series2023 - 1.5 118i M Sport (LCP) Hatchback 5dr Petrol DCT Euro 6 (s/s) (136 ps)

Low Mileage

£23,706

Finance available £518 pm

1.5L
14.5K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Thurlow Nunn Wisbech

01905947748 *

0/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2021 (21) - M135i xDrive 5dr Step Auto

£20,970

2L
74.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Dace Specialist Car Centre Stockport

01616945314 *

4.8/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2025 (63) - 1.5

Low Mileage

£5,690

Finance available £105 pm

1.6L
32.9K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Jan London Trade Manchester

01216474048 *

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

Low Mileage

£19,750

1.5L
25.1K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

The Motoring Centre Ltd

01926569190 *

BMW 1 Series2010 (10) - 118d M Sport 2dr Coupe Step Auto

Low Mileage

£4,295

Finance available £74 pm

2L
90.0K
Miles
Diesel
Semi Auto
Coupe

Bowerhill Trade Centre Ltd

01225437232 *

4.4/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2022 - 118i [136] M Sport 5dr Step Auto [LCP]

£21,299

1.5L
41.8K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Stratstone BMW Leeds

01134676295 *

BMW 1 Series2019 (19) - 3.0 M140i GPF Shadow Edition Hatchback 5dr Petrol Auto Euro 6 (s/s) (340 ps

£19,495

Finance available £380 pm

3L
54.0K
Miles
Petrol
Automatic
Hatchback

Carter and Haines

01244562742 *

BMW 1 Series2024 - 116d M Sport 5dr Step Auto [Live Cockpit Pro]

Low Mileage

£25,798

1.5L
8.0K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Arnold Clark Glasgow BMW

01416119940 *

4.7/5 Stars

BMW 1 Series2009 (09) - 116d Sport 5dr

£1,795

2L
159.0K
Miles
Diesel
Manual
Hatchback

AR Cars

01254947703 *

BMW 1 Series2015 (65) - 2.0 125d M Sport Auto Euro 6 (s/s) 3dr

Reduced

£11,792

Finance available £241 pm

2L
65.8K
Miles
Diesel
Automatic
Hatchback

Car Bazaar ltd

01143086594 *

4.7/5 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.