BMW 1-Series cars for sale

Frequently asked questions about the BMW 1-Series

• What is the BMW 1 Series?
• As BMW’s entry-level car the 1 Series has an important role: it's a compact family hatchback that must entice people into showrooms and be a stepping stone towards larger, more expensive models as customers become more affluent. It brings the things we’ve come to love about traditional BMWs – silky, powerful engines and rear-wheel drive, at least until the Mk3 arrived in 2019 – to the humbler world of the family hatch, and it’s been doing so since the first generation debuted in 2004.
  
  Its rivals include the Audi A3, Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Lexus CT. The 1 Series has always struggled slightly in terms of aesthetic appeal, and practicality; an engine that’s positioned in a way that it encroaches on cabin space up front, linked to a shaft leading back to the rear axle further compromising cabin space at the rear. That said, it’s always has been the drivers’ choice in this class.

• Which versions of the BMW 1 Series are available?
• With the arrival of the Mk3, the range of cars sold under that name has been depleted further - now down to the five-door 1 Series Sports Hatch after the three-door wasn't replaced. Replacements for the Mk1 Coupe and Convertible became part of the 2 Series family long ago. For fans of BMW's development codes, this third generation of 1 Series is known as the F40.
  
  There’s a diverse range of powerplants on offer from efficient, small-capacity three-cylinder motors up to turbocharged four-cylinder units - gone are the bigger six-pot engines. Petrols and diesels are both available, as is xDrive all-wheel drive on selected versions. Trim levels follow BMW’s usual pattern of SE, Sport and M Sport, with the punchier M135i topping the latest range. The big news here, though, is models not equipped with xDrive now send their power exclusively to the front wheels.

• What are the BMW M135i and M140i?
• Today, the sporty model in the 1 Series line-up is badged M135i, packing a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 306hp driving all four wheels through its xDrive system. Purists may struggle with this concept as previous iterations of the M135i and later M140i have enjoyed the silken soundtrack of a six-cylinder engine and rear-wheel drive.

• Is the BMW 1 Series good to drive?
• Suspension and steering are both excellent, as you’d expect of BMW. All engines bar the lowest rung perform strongly, but the top-line motor from the M135i isn't the gem the old six-cylinder was. Despite its athleticism, the 1 Series settles down perfectly comfortably, too, proving you avoid specifying enormous wheels to preserve comfort levels. Usefully, the xDrive versions deliver a useful degree of extra traction for faster cornering as well as offering added security in more slippery conditions.

• Should I buy a BMW 1 Series?
• Like its predecessors, the 1 Series is likely to be an absolute hit in terms of finance deals, once its newness has dampened down. The 1 Series is priced very well by comparison with rivals, matching an equivalent Audi A3 Hatchback almost pound-for-pound at pretty much every level. That it's lost its rear-drive handling prowess is in reality not going to concern many - it remains fun to drive, just with a different spirit.