BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe review

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is a good car, but will only appeal to a small audience. It’s just about big enough to be considered family transport, but its coupe design brings compromises on rear space and practical load lugging ability. 

If BMW’s four-door coupe does meet your particular needs, you’ll also have to wrangle with looks which aren’t to everyone’s taste. Nonetheless, the 2 Series Gran Coupe does bring its own sense of style and, as an overall package, could tempt customers with its strong levels of standard equipment, on-board tech and decent driving dynamics.

About the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

At the turn of the millennium, BMW had just a handful of models to tempt customers who were looking for a premium, stylish car that was good to drive. Fast forward some twenty years and the manufacturer now has over thirty individual model lines, catering for pretty much every motoring need.

But why stop there? BMW certainly doesn’t think it should, and has now added the four-door Gran Coupe to its growing 2 Series family. The car sits alongside the smaller three-door 2 Series Coupe, the drop-top 2 Series Convertible and the family-focused 2 Series Active Tourer and Gran Tourer models.

The Gran Coupe is based on the front-wheel-drive platform of the 1 Series hatchback, adding extra space while aiming for a distinctive, more high-end look. It’s competitively priced when compared to its most obvious rival, the Mercedes CLA Coupe. Audi’s A3 saloon is available at a similar cost, but brings a boxier, more conventional design that may not meet the demands of those looking to make a style statement.

Customers struck by the four-door coupe style, but looking for more interior space, could look towards the Audi A5 Sportback, Volkswagen Arteon, or even BMW’s own 4 Series Gran Coupe, although these models obviously bring a significant increase in list price. 

BMW offers a simple range of engines for the 2 Series Gran Coupe. A single 1.5-litre, three-cylinder petrol unit is available, along with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel powerplant. The 218i petrol engine delivers 134bhp, while the oil-burner is offered as a 218d version with 148bhp and a 220d variant providing 187bhp. 

A six-speed manual gearbox is standard for the 218i and 218d, with the option of a seven-speed dual clutch automatic. The 220d is offered solely with an eight-speed Steptronic Sport auto ‘box.

At the top of the range is the performance-orientated M235i xDrive. Using a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, the four-wheel-drive model produces 302bhp and 450Nm of torque, and comes with the Steptronic Sport eight-speed automatic transmission, uprated brakes and stiffer suspension.

The 2 Series Gran Coupe includes generous levels of standard equipment with entry-level Sport cars featuring LED headlights, sports seats, dual-zone air-con, parking sensors and BMW’s Live Cockpit Plus infotainment system. We found that upgrading to M Sport trim sets off the Gran Coupe a little better, with the bigger wheels, styling kit and sporty touches adding to the premium feel.

Engines, performance and drive

BMW has softened the Gran Coupe’s set-up a little to help deliver a more comfortable ride compared to its smaller 1 Series sibling. The changes haven’t resulted in the Gran Coupe becoming too wallowy when pressing on and they offer noticeable improvements in the car’s ability to glide over road imperfections.

There’s a good level of steering feel and you’d be hard pushed to tell that the Gran Coupe sends its power to the front wheels. It shows good composure and retains a decent sense of balance through the twisty stuff.

The 218i petrol version uses the same 1.5-litre, three-cylinder engine from the MINI lineup and it offers adequate performance. Opting for the turbo diesel variants sees stronger acceleration and virtually zero lag when you press the pedal.

At the top of the price list sits the M235i xDrive which just about passes muster as a junior M-car, although the softer set-up of the Gran Coupe doesn’t really suit the remit of a model associated with BMW’s famous performance arm. The four-wheel-drive system works well and offers lots of traction, but the eight-speed auto gearbox is afflicted by slightly jarring upshifts when accelerating hard. 

Another disappointment is the rather lacklustre engine sound, offering very little in the way of character and prompting BMW into channelling a fake engine note into the cabin through the speakers when you select the sportier driving modes.

Engines, 0-60 acceleration and top speed

The entry-level 218i version delivers 134bhp from its 1.5-litre engine and is, unsurprisingly, the slowest car in the 2 Series Gran Coupe range. The six-speed manual version manages the sprint from 0-62mph in 9.2s, with the auto variant a tenth of a second quicker.

Choosing one of the diesel models brings respectable performance - the 148bhp 218d is capable of reaching 62mph in 8.6s, while the 187bhp 220d is able to top this time by just over a second.

The 302bhp M235i xDrive is super quick in a straight line, managing the dash in 4.9s and able to reach a 155mph maximum.

MPG, CO2 and running costs

The 2 Series Gran Coupe range is small, but perfectly formed, including a single petrol version, two diesel options and a top-of-the-range performance model. The entry-level 134bhp 218i petrol variant returns a maximum 49.6mpg on the combined cycle, which means trips to the fuel station shouldn’t be a regular chore.

For those covering higher mileages, diesel power will be a more economical choice. BMW claims the 148bhp 218d delivers up to 60.1mpg, with competitive CO2 emissions from 123g/km. The 187bhp 220d offers more power, but isn’t too far behind in the efficiency stakes, managing 57.6mpg and emitting 129g/km of CO2.

Customers opting for the performance M235i version probably won’t see fuel economy as a major sticking point, although there isn’t too much to worry about as it’s capable of up to 39.8mpg with CO2 emissions of 162g/km.

Insurance groups

Insurance premiums shouldn’t be too expensive for 2 Series Gran Coupe owners. The entry-level petrol 218i Sport version is in group 22, although the more powerful diesel variants only climb to group 24 for the 218d, or group 28 for the 220d.

The 302bhp M235i xDrive model sits in group 34, which looks good value when compared to the group 42 rating for its Mercedes CLA 35 4MATIC rival.

Depreciation

The 2 Series Gran Coupe should hold onto a decent chunk of its value over an average ownership period of three years and 36,000 miles. Data suggests that, over this time, it should retain an average of 54% of its original list price.

There aren’t any huge variations across the model range in terms of residual values, although the entry-level 218i petrol cars perform slightly better, with an average of 56%

To get an accurate valuation on a specific model check out our free car valuation tool...

Interior, design and technology

The 2 Series Gran Coupe uses BMW’s UKL2 platform and shares components with its 1 Series hatchback sibling and some MINI models. Although the four-door coupe style has become more popular over the past few years, the overall look of the 2 Series Gran Coupe still divides opinion. 

It has a rather awkward stance, and feels very much the niche car it is - full of compromises and shouting to the world at large that you wanted the bigger 4 Series Gran Coupe, but couldn’t quite afford it.

The interior is a saving grace, with good build quality and plenty of soft-touch materials throughout to raise the ambience. We found it to be on par with the classy Mercedes CLA, while some of the Gran Coupe’s key touchpoints actually feel more premium.

Entry-level sport trim is well equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, sports seats, dual-zone air-con and BMW’s Connected Package Professional media set-up.

We’d recommend upgrading to M Sport trim which gives the car a more dynamic edge and a much needed visual boost. It adds bigger 18-inch alloys and the usual M Sport exterior addenda, while the cabin includes Dakota leather upholstery, heated front seats, a 10.25-inch infotainment screen and digital instrument dials

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Sat-nav, stereo and infotainment

BMW includes its Live Cockpit Plus infotainment system as standard. It features an 8.8-inch display, while the M Sport and M235i xDrive versions get an upgraded 10.25-inch touchscreen and a digital dash.

The central screen is excellent, with very sharp graphics, a user interface that’s simple to understand and lots of features. The digital dial pack isn’t quite as sharp as the unit in the Mercedes CLA, but all the info you need is there and it works well enough.

The set-up in the 2 Series Gran Coupe is good to use while driving, because BMW has stuck with the rotary dial controller on the centre console. Once you’re used to the menus, it can be controlled without looking.

Apple CarPlay connectivity is standard and BMW is working towards providing Android Auto across all models using its latest OS 7 infotainment software.

Practicality, comfort and boot space

Customers considering the 2 Series Gran Coupe probably won’t be overly concerned with issues of practicality. It does offer more boot space than the 1 Series hatchback, but the coupe style means there’s less head room in the rear and it isn’t as versatile in being able to easily carry family kit such as buggies and bikes.

The sloping shape of the Gran Coupe means rear visibility is also not the best, although BMW has fitted front and rear parking sensors as standard, which helps with parking and tricky manoeuvres.

BMW also offers its Comfort packs at extra cost across the range. These include extra features such as a heated steering wheel, electric seat adjustment and extended lighting throughout the cabin. A space saver spare wheel is also optional for all versions, with the exception of the top-of-the-range M235i xDrive.

Dimensions and size

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is 4,526mm in length, 1,800mm wide and stands 1,420mm high. This makes it smaller all-round than the Mercedes CLA which is 4,695mm long, 1,830mm across and is 10mm taller.

Leg room, head room & passenger space

Four adults can fit perfectly comfortably in the 2 Series Gran Coupe, but we’d advise using the extra space for a fifth occupant only for shorter journeys. There’s plenty of room for both the driver and front passenger, although the space is a touch tighter in the back. 

Boot space

With a total of 430 litres of boot space, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is 30 litres down on its Mercedes CLA rival. Loading bulky items easily could also prove to be a problem, due to the small ‘saloon-like’ boot opening

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Reliability and safety

The 2 Series Gran Coupe hasn’t featured in our Driver Power customer satisfaction survey yet, but with many of its parts shared across the 1 Series hatchback and MINI models, we’d expect it to prove reliable. 

BMW itself didn’t fare too well in our poll of best brands, finishing 27th out of 30 manufacturers - although this was one place ahead of Mercedes. Exterior looks received some criticism, but on-board tech and infotainment systems were praised for their ease-of-use.

Euro NCAP hasn't assessed the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe yet, but the 1 Series on which it's based scored a full five-star rating. Safety kit includes BMW’s Active Guard Plus system which comprises a City braking function, a Lane Departure Warning and Speed Limit Info including a no-overtaking indicator. Cruise control, front and rear parking sensors and automatic wipers and headlights are also standard.

The options list includes extra safety and tech equipment which you can spec individually or as part of a pack. 

Warranty

BMW offers a three-year, unlimited warranty for the 2 Series Gran Coupe. The manufacturer also provides 12 months cover for all of its approved used models.

Servicing

The BMW Pay Monthly Service Plan means you can spread the cost of servicing your car by paying on a fixed monthly basis. As an incentive to encourage customers to use the service, BMW also throws in one free MOT, seasonal health checks, a wash and vacuum after every service and free fluid top-ups.