BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe Review 2024

October 2019

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe revealed

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is on sale now with prices starting from £25,815.

Based on the BMW 2 Series, the new Gran Coupe features an exclusive exterior design details including contoured kidney grille bars, a mesh grille for the flagship BMW M235i xDrive M Performance model an all-new design of the rear lights, which extend towards the centre of the rear.

BMW says the standout characteristic of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is its silhouette which, like the frameless side windows for the four doors, is lifted from the classical coupe blueprint. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is 4526mm long and 1800mm wide, but stands just 1420mm tall. Despite its low-slung appearance, passengers are well catered for thanks to the 2670mm wheelbase and there are various ways to expand the 430-litre load compartment.

The slightly angled headlights draw attention to the familiar BMW kidney grille. As on BMW coupes from higher up the range, the one-piece kidney grille adopts a sleek design which extends almost the full width between the headlights. The kidney bars are contoured with an eye‑catching vertical indentation, providing a three-dimensional effect on M Sport models with Aluminium satinated finish.

In contrast, an exclusive visual identifier of the line-up’s sporting flagship – the BMW M235i xDrive M Performance – is its striking grille design featuring pronounced three-dimensional mesh with a Cerium grey finish in place of the classical bars. The outer air intakes are also larger on the M235i xDrive and once again feature the Cerium grey finish.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is equipped as standard with full-LED headlights that can also be specified as an option in adaptive form. The rear lights also feature full-LED as standard. Also at the rear of the car are the 90mm dual chrome exhaust tailpipes (single on the 218i models), while the BMW M235i xDrive features free-form design tailpipe trims.

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe will be available from launch with a choice of three engines – one diesel and two petrol.

A revised 1.5-litre three-cylinder engine will power the entry level BMW 218i, with CO2 emissions reduced by 29g/km over the previous engine. Maximum power has been boosted by 4PS to 140PS. Peak torque is 220Nm while an overboost function will briefly generate an extra 10Nm in fourth gear or higher. The BMW 218i covers 0-62mph in 8.7 seconds and will reach a top speed of 134mph. Official fuel economy is 49.6-56.5mpg with CO2 emissions of 114-131g/km.

The 2.0-litre unit under the bonnet of the M235i xDrive is the BMW Group’s most powerful four-cylinder engine, delivering a maximum output of 306PS. Peak torque is 450Nm, which helps it reach 62mph in 4.9 seconds, while top speed is limited to 155mph. The M235i returns 39.8-42.2mpg with CO2 emissions of 153-162g/km.

The diesel offering comes in the form of the 2.0-litre four-cylinder BMW 220d, which generates a maximum power output of 190PS with peak torque of 400Nm. The sprint from zero to 62mph takes 7.5 seconds on the way to a top speed of 146mph. The BMW 220d returns 62.8-67.3mpg and emits 110-119g/km of CO2.

Improvements have been made to the shift comfort and acoustic properties of the eight-speed Steptronic sport transmission fitted in the BMW 220d and in the BMW M235i xDrive. Swift automatic gear changes ensure the car is driving in the highest possible gear, even when travelling at low speeds. The driver can also change gear manually using the shift paddles on the steering wheel.

*Provisional data

The entry level Sport model will be fitted with 17-inch light-alloy wheels while the M-Sport and BMW M235i xDrive M Performance models will run on polished 18-inch light-alloy wheels. The 19-inch rims will be available as an option for both the M Sport and M235i models.

A large panoramic roof with a glass area of 0.7 square metres is also optional. The opening in the headliner has an electrically operated roller blind to provide shading, while a net wind deflector and a comfort position for the glass roof panel keeps wind noise to a minimum when the roof is open.

Thanks to the car’s front-wheel-drive architecture with transverse-mounted engines and a lower centre tunnel, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe offers generous levels of cabin space. Rear passengers get 33mm of extra knee room over the BMW 2 Series Coupe, while the seating position is 12mm higher with 14mm more headroom when the optional panoramic roof is specified. The 430-litre boot (40 litres more than the two-door coupe) can be expanded further by folding down the 40/20/40 split rear seat backrest, while the rear bench can be released fully from the load compartment.

The interior offers an array of ambient lighting which highlights the car’s quality, including trim strips on the instrument panel and door panels that retain their normal appearance in daylight, but function as decorative lighting elements in the dark. On M Sport and M235i models with Extended Lighting as standard, there are six lighting colours to choose from and the brightness can be adjusted. The lighting is activated when the vehicle is unlocked and the desired colour and selected brightness level are stored in the personalised key.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe comes in three variants: Sport, M Sport and the M Performance M235i xDrive. The Sport model features sport seats, upholstered in Nivala Cloth/ Sensatec with orange or silver contrast stitching, while the M Sport gets sports seats in Dakota leather. The M235i adds the M Seats with integrated headrests upholstered in cloth Alcantara. A sports steering wheel with decorative aluminium-look insert is standard on Sport models, the M Sport and the M235i xDrive models come equipped with an M Sport leather steering wheel.

The Sport model comes with plenty of standard features including 17-inch alloy wheels, front & rear Park Distance Control, two-zone automatic air-con, BMW Connected Package Plus, BMW Live Cockpit Plus and Active Guard Plus with Lane Departure Warning. The M Sport version adds 18-inch alloys, M Sport Suspension, M Aerodynamic bodystyling, M Sport steering, electric folding mirrors, Digital Cockpit Professional, BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant and BMW Connected Package Professional. Customers who opt for the M235i xDrive get exclusive Cerium grey 18-inch alloys, M235i M Sport suspension, rear spoiler, M Performance exhaust system, Limited Slip Differential on the front axle and eight-speed sport automatic transmission featuring launch control.

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe allows drivers to use a variety of operating methods, depending on the situation and personal preferences. In addition to the usual buttons on the centre console and steering wheel. The BMW Live Cockpit Plus is standard on Sport models and includes features such as a Touch Controller, navigation system, two USB ports for data transfer and a WiFi interface. The 8.8-inch control display features a touchscreen, whilst the instrument cluster has a 5.1-inch colour display.

As part of BMW Live Cockpit Plus the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe includes a host of connected services as standard, including Emergency Call, Teleservices, Over-the-air and USB map updates, BMW App connectivity and Intelligent Voice assistant. In addition to this the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe offers the BMW Connected Package Plus as standard. This features elements drivers are already accustomed to, such as Remote Services, Real Time Traffic Information, and adds Concierge Services and Apple CarPlay Preparation.

Apple CarPlay Preparation will be standard on all new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe models. This service will be included for one year from build, and then renewable via the BMW ConnectedDrive portal thereafter, with one year, three year or lifetime subscriptions available.

The BMW Live Cockpit Professional is standard on M Sport and M235i models. This includes a fully digital, customisable instrument display behind the steering wheel with a screen size of 10.25 inches, coupled with a 10.25-inch Central Information Display.

All new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe models offer the driver and passengers a host of intelligent ways to input commands into the vehicle. All models feature the iDrive Controller as standard, including a touchpad for character and numerical entry. Central information displays are also offered with touchscreen functionality, meaning that the full system can be controlled via touch commands.

Optional gesture control is also available and includes seven different gestures, two of which can be assigned to functions of the driver’s choosing.

In addition a number of voice control systems with online speech processing are included, enabling the driver to control a number of functions and features simply by speaking.

The new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe offers an optional 9.2 inch Head-up Display which intelligently positions information relevant to the journey into the driver's field of vision on the windscreen. The projection of information onto the windscreen is in full colour, relates to driving data and is specific to the current situation. It has automatic brightness control and 3D graphics for junction view. The information that can be displayed includes navigation information, speed, country-specific display of traffic signs in the relevant colours, warning information from driver assistance systems, entertainment and communication lists.

If the Comfort Access option is specified, the BMW Digital Key allows drivers to lock and unlock their vehicle from a Samsung Galaxy smartphone using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

Holding the smartphone up to the door handle opens the car, even if the phone battery is dead. The engine can be started as soon as the phone has been placed in the smartphone tray or wireless charging tray. Accessible via BMW Connected once the owner’s identity has been checked, the Digital Key offers unrivalled flexibility, as the driver can share keys with up to five other people. The BMW Digital Key is available for top-of-the-range NFC-capable Samsung Galaxy smartphones running Android 8.0 and above. Alternatively, the BMW Key Card can be used, which also features NFC technology.

The BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant first seen in the BMW 3 Series is also available on the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, as part of BMW Live Cockpit Professional offering.

The intelligent, digital character responds to the prompt “Hey BMW” and learns the driver’s routines and habits in order to apply them in the appropriate context. The system helps the driver, learns their preferences and is familiar with their favoured settings – e.g. for the seat heating or the places they drive to frequently using the navigation system (“Take me home”).

One unique feature is that drivers can give the Intelligent Personal Assistant a name to create even greater individuality and personality. Not only does the Intelligent Personal Assistant await the driver’s every command, it is always there to assist them and even provide casual conversation. Saying “Hey BMW, I’m cold” will prompt the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant to adjust the temperature inside the car accordingly.

The arrival of the BMW Intelligent Personal Assistant ensures there is always a genuine BMW professional on board. The Personal Assistant is able to explain all sorts of different functions (“How does the High Beam Assistant work?”), provide current status information (“Is the oil level okay?”) and help answer questions (“What messages do I have?”).

Drivers can allow access to their calendar and contacts, which will enable the assistant to find parking spaces at the destination, provide information on traffic jams along the route, find the nearest fuel station and remind the driver when they need to set off.

The range of available functions and skills is constantly expanding thanks to regular updates, which can be carried out over the air or via a smartphone and in-car with the help of the new Remote Software Upgrade facility.

The standard BMW Stereo sound system offers six speakers and 100-watt amplifier, while a Harman Kardon surround sound system with 464 watts of audio power and 16 speakers is optionally available.

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is on sale from 16 October with prices starting from £25,815. Deliveries are expected from early 2020.