This is our complete review of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.
First Impressions
Let's get going. So basically, this is a 1 Series that’s available as a four-door coupé with a sloping rear roofline and a boot. You also get a new-look front grille, different headlights and different rear styling. It was launched because BMW, like many manufacturers, is aware of people downsizing.
It’s a seriously smart-looking car and, although based on the 1 Series, feels almost as roomy as the 3 Series. The additional room is gained because under the bonnet you’ll find a BMW rarity: a transverse engine and front-wheel drive. BMW purists needed smelling salts when the 1 Series was launched, but it confounded the critics by being a really sweet car to drive.
So, bearing in mind that the 2 Series has the same oily bits, this Gran Coupé is also hugely enjoyable to punt around.
Features
Our BMW 2 Series Gran Coupé is a 218i, powered by a three-cylinder 1.5 litre petrol engine which develops 138bhp. It has an 8-speed automatic gearbox which ranks as one of the slickest available. It’s lively and gives a fuel return of 47.1mpg. It’s a great all-rounder.
We’ve gone for M Sport trim which means the car comes fully loaded including sat-nav, air-con and parking assistance. There’s a smart touchscreen that controls just about everything, and thankfully there’s also the BMW iDrive which is a wheel behind the gear lever which you use to scroll through items on the touchscreen. It means you don’t need to prod the screen as you travel along…never easy. The lowered suspension gives the car a purposeful look. Needless to say, that build quality is superb. You also get a stack of safety kit included as standard.
Compact premium motoring doesn’t get any better than this.
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