BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe review – stylish compact saloon, but lacks excitement

Verdict – is the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe a good car?

The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is a great option if you want to spend 1 Series money but fancy the extra rarity and sleek look the 2 Series Gran Coupe offers. Bear in mind that, although the boot capacity is bigger, you will lose out on the hatchback versatility of the 1 Series, and we’d avoid the hot, range-topping M235 xDrive model, because it’s just not quite as fun as you’d expect, and the front-wheel drive 220 is arguably more rewarding to drive.

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe models, specs and alternatives

If you’re considering the BMW 1 Series hatchback, but want a more grown-up, saloon-car experience, then the 2 Series Gran Coupe fills that niche. The 2 Series Gran Coupe is a model that’s very often overlooked, but that might add to the appeal as you don’t see many on the road, giving it an air of rarity.

Despite what BMW might want you to believe, the 2 Series Gran Coupe is essentially a very heavy facelift of the last model. That means it gets the same front end as the latest BMW 1 Series, but past the front quarter panels it gets a sleeker, sportier silhouette that tapers off towards the back, where it forgoes the hatchback of the 1 Series in favour of a saloon-car boot. 

The best saloon cars to buy in 2025

The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s side windows are also pillarless, adding to its sporty look – in many ways the car looks just like a shrunken version of the BMW 4 Series Gran Coupe. Part of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe’s appeal lies in the fact that – given modern saloons have grown significantly in size – it’s got a similar footprint to a BMW 3 Series saloon from the 1990s.

The biggest changes from the old car are on the inside, where the 2 Series Gran Coupe gets a dash heavily influenced by the larger BMW X3 and iX models. It’s a more minimalist look than before, but that means some of the physical climate controls have been removed in favour of on-screen controls, which might disappoint some buyers.

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The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe gets the same lineup of engines as the 1 Series, which means the range starts with a turbocharged 1.5-litre petrol engine with mild-hybrid assistance badged 220, that’s also found in the petrol MINI Cooper. This engine is surprisingly economical, with mpg figures in the low 50s – in fact, it’s 1mpg more economical than the 1 Series with the same engine.

Go for the 223 xDrive and you get a 2.0-litre with a dose of extra power and four-wheel drive for added grip, but it comes at the cost of some fuel economy; you can expect mpg in the high 40s as a result.

The M235 xDrive is the sportiest of the lineup and also gets four-wheel drive, which, as you’d expect, means it’s also the thirstiest with up to 37.7mpg possible – that’s around 10mpg less than the 223 xDrive.
 

How much will the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe cost in tax?

The 2 Series Gran Coupe will cost the standard rate of VED (road tax) from the first renewal year. Bear in mind that because the hot M235 model costs over £40,000, it will incur the annual luxury car tax surcharge from years two to six.

What will the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe cost to insure?

The latest BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is yet to get insurance group ratings, but it’s worth noting the outgoing model started from insurance group 22 out of 50 for the base model, with this rising to 27 for the 220i and then 36 for the M235i. These are slightly higher than the groupings for the equivalent 1 Series models, and we're yet to see if the latest 2 Series Gran Coupe will have increased in terms of insurance groupings across the board.

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Under the skin, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is very similar to the 1 Series, and that means the entry-level cars are now front-wheel drive, while xDrive models get a four-wheel drive system. Just like the BMW 1 Series, the 2 Series Gran Coupe has lost the manual gearbox option across the lineup since its major revamp, so every version you get has an automatic gearbox.

In full-fat M235 xDrive guise, the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is particularly punchy, taking just under five seconds to get from 0-62mph. The dual-clutch automatic gearbox is very snappy and changes up in a flash. If we’re honest, though, while it may be quick, the driving experience just falls a bit flat and fails to feel particularly rewarding – we even found the noise emitted by the engine rather gruff and not that nice to listen to.

The impressive part of the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s drive is how well it handles – there’s an astonishing level of grip as you throw it into corners, and the M235 sticks so tight into them that you might even expect there was four-wheel steering at play even though there isn’t. The four-wheel drive system feels as though it’s equally balanced with no rear-wheel bias like you might expect from a BMW. 

One thing we don’t particularly like is the BMW M235’s steering – it’s not very progressive through the corners and we found it hard to judge the levels of grip on offer. If you want to upgrade this, however, BMW will be bringing the M Technology pack to UK models, which adds beefed up dampers and bracing bars from the front to the back, which supposedly sharpens things up further – we’ll reserve full judgement until we try it.

In fact, the 220 we briefly tested actually felt more rewarding to drive in some ways. It’s lighter than the M235 over the front end, which means it feels keener to turn into corners and the front-wheel drive setup is still very grippy. While the 220’s engine may also be gruff, it settles down at speed, and we found it to be very refined and smooth when setting off, thanks to the mild-hybrid assistance.

Petrol models

There are now three engines offered withg the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. The first is a 1.5-litre turbocharged and mild-hybrid-assisted unit also found in the BMW 120 and the MINI Cooper. For a little more punch, there’s a 2.0-litre model with four-wheel drive, badged the BMW 223 xDrive, and for keen drivers there’s the M235 xDrive with almost 300bhp.

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The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe shares a lot with the closely-related BMW 1 Series, and that’s very evident on the inside. That’s no bad thing – the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s interior is just as well built and plush as that of the hatchback, giving a high-quality feel all round.

Compared to before, the latest car gets a more minimalist interior, with the previous chunky gear selector having been swapped out for a smaller, more elegant toggle switch. However, it’s lost its physical climate controls, which might irk some drivers who prefer their ease of use over the virtual ones you now have to access via the touchscreen.

Is the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe’s infotainment and sat-nav system easy to use?

Thankfully, although many of the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s controls have been relegated to the touchscreen, the good news is that this is a pleasure to use. The displays are incredibly crisp and clear to look at which helps make the car feel thoroughly modern. Loading times are quick and we like the layout of the menus, which makes the system easy to navigate.

We liked the fact that it was easy to access driver assistance settings quickly – the speed limit warning was easy to switch off with a long press of the ‘Set’ button on the steering wheel.

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The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe may be a saloon based on the 1 Series hatchback, but as cars have got bigger over the decades, it’s probably about the same size as a 1990s 3 Series saloon, so it feels substantial.

Rear legroom in the 2 Series Gran Coupe is pretty good, and two six-foot tall adults should be able to sit comfortably back there.

Does the 2 Series Gran Coupe have a big boot?

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While the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe may look sleeker and more eye-catching than the BMW 1 Series, the trade-off comes with the loss of the easy-to-access hatchback boot.

In terms of pure volume, the 2 Series Gran Coupe does offer more than the 1 Series. There’s 360 litres of boot space on offer in the mild hybrid, which is around 60 more than the 1 Series, while the 223 model and the sporty M235 are actually more generous in terms of boot space with up to 430 litres on offer.

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BMW isn’t a great performer in our Driver Power customer satisfaction surveys, but the brand has seen some improvements in the past year. In 2024 it came in 14th place out of 32 manufacturers, with a lower-than-average 21.4% of owners reporting an issue in the first year of ownership.

How safe is the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe?

The 2 Series Gran Coupe was crash-tested by Euro NCAP in 2019 in pre-facelift form, achieving a full five-star rating. While the testing regime has become slightly stricter since, we still reckon that rating holds up, given the high ratings it achieved in each category the first time around, and the fact that it still comes with a long list of safety assistance tech as standard.

Should you buy a BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe?

We’re surprised at how thoroughly overhauled the latest BMW Gran Coupe has been, considering it’s a smaller-selling model than many of BMW’s larger models. That said, the changes including updated class-leading interior tech, are very welcome.

However, given BMW is a brand that prides itself on driving prowess and puts that high on its list of priorities, we’re a little let-down by the flagship M235 model – it feels a little sensible and lacks excitement despite the power on offer, and we reckon you’re best off sticking to the 220 base model because it’s cheaper and even sweeter to drive.

What is the best BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe for keen drivers?

Though it might sound weird, we think most buyers are best off sticking to the 220 model. Even though the M235 xDrive is the model that’s aimed at keen drivers, it feels a little unexciting for our tastes, but we get that many a petrolhead will be swayed by the sporty looks and street cred that version offers.

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe alternatives

Main rivals to the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe include other German models like the Mercedes A-Class Saloon and Audi A3 Saloon – both of which are based on their hatchback counterparts, the Mercedes A-Class and Audi A3 Sportback. Though it’s not quite as premium, the Mazda3 Saloon could be considered a halfway house between conventional hatchback-based saloon cars and upmarket models.

• Mercedes A-Class Saloon
• Audi A3 Saloon
• Mazda3 Saloon

How we tested the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

We tested the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe in Europe in February 2025 in sporty M235 xDrive guise and briefly in base 220 trim in clear, mild weather.