BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe (2025) Review

Introduction

It is hard to believe that the 2 Series has already been around for over a decade.

Mind you, if you know your BMW history, you’ll know that’s not the whole story.

You see, although the 2 Series moniker might only be eleven years old, the car itself is derived from the 1 Series, which first launched another decade before that.

BMW decided to separate the 1 Series hatchback from its coupe and convertible models. The same trick was pulled with the 3 Series, where two-door variants became the 4 Series.

The reason was partly to split off the sportier models from the more practical hatchbacks.

But it’s also given the 2 Series the opportunity to expand and take its own direction.

Naturally, that's resulted in several 'sub-models', such as the Active Tourer, Gran Tourer, and Gran Coupe - and we're testing the new version of the latter here.

Despite what the name would have you believe, the Gran Coupe is a four-door saloon, albeit with a more rakish sloping rear than your typical family saloon car.

A brand-new second-generation model unveiled last autumn has not long gone on the leasing market - and the 'M' version is already out, too.

Called the M235 (note that the 'i' suffix has now been dropped from its name), it’s not quite the performance powerhouse that is the full-fat BMW M2 coupe.

Nevertheless, the M235 promises to pack a punch.

How does it fair? And can it truly be considered an ‘M’ car?

We’ve taken one for a spin to find out.

At A Glance

Strip back all the marketing spiel, and you'll quickly realise that the Gran Coupe's sole purpose in terms of its looks is to appear sportier than the standard 2 Series.

It achieves that with ease, boasting athletic lines at the front, which carve out two air intakes at the sides. An open-mouthed lower grille sits beneath the iconic kidney grilles, flanked by two aggressively pointed headlights.

That’s just the ‘normal’ Gran Coupe model, though – on the M235, it looks even meaner, adding more aggressively chiselled ‘cheekbones’ out to the sides, with even wider grilles.

Turning the car 90 degrees, the sides feature sporty skirts and well-defined indentations, while the sloping roofline greatly helps justify the car’s performance credentials.

We're pleased to say there are significant changes at the back. The somewhat awkward and ugly rear end - which featured a bar through the rear of the BMW badge - has been replaced by a much cleaner design that’s more consistent with BMW tradition.

The new back end features pointy taillights and exhaust cutouts and, in its comparative simplicity, looks more imposing than its predecessor's chaotic styling.

The M235 version also features a lovely quad exhaust system and a subtly thin boot spoiler.

Overall, it has a lovely, athletic, and muscular design.

If you’re familiar with the even more aggressive M2, the M235 doesn’t copy its somewhat squared-off and right-angled front-end design.

The new version is also 20mm and 25mm longer and taller than the outgoing model.

Key Features

BMW's 2 Series Gran Coupe is available in two flavours.

M Sport trim has 18-inch alloy wheels, a 10.7-inch infotainment screen with BMW Operating System 9, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, digital radio, satellite navigation, voice control and a 10.25-inch digital driver display.

You also get automatic air conditioning, LED headlights and taillights, folding door mirrors, a leather steering wheel, adaptive M suspension, ambient lighting, an Anthracite headliner, heated front sports seats, and Alcantara and Veganza upholstery.

The M235 model has the same but adds an M quad exhaust system, M rear spoiler, M sport brakes with blue callipers, an M steering wheel, sun protection glass and a Harman Kardon surround sound system.

Three petrol engines are available, two of which are offered in the M Sport version.

The 220 is a 1.5-litre three-cylinder unit, producing 170PS, while the 223 is a 2.0-litre four-cylinder lump producing 218PS.

The M235 also gets a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol but produces a meatier 300PS – though that’s slightly less than the outgoing M235i, to comply with emissions regulations.

The 220 is front-wheel drive, while the 223 and M235 both have BMW's xDrive all-wheel drive and a seven-speed automatic transmission.

Performance & Drive

Our M235 gets from 0-62mph in just 4.9 seconds and on to an electronically-limited top speed of 155mph.

That’s pretty punchy, especially when you consider that the outgoing full-beans BMW M2 coupe is only 0.9 seconds quicker.

By comparison, though, the more modest 220 and 223 engines aren’t too shabby either, managing the 0-62mph sprint in 7.9 seconds and 6.4 seconds, respectively.

As a result, both standard models should suffice for most, especially as both feel relatively refined. However, the 223 is easier to drive than the 220, which needs to be worked harder to extract its performance.

The M235 is best leased by those who want some enjoyment without spending top dollar on the significantly pricier to lease M2.

It feels quick, and the engine revs strongly yet smoothly, producing a reasonably pleasing note considering this isn’t a bigger six - or eight-cylinder.

You get a crackle from the exhaust, which is even more noticeable if you put it in Sport mode – and once engaged, the Bimmer’s upshifts become even quicker, albeit more spaced out.

The paddle shifters behind the wheel are nice to use, though there's a wait between putting your foot down and the engine responding to your inputs.

In terms of handling, the M235 is right up there with everyday sporty saloons. It has minimal lean in the bends and excellent grip, helped by excellent, responsive steering and a limited-slip differential.

Of course, the 223 and M235 models have xDrive all-wheel drive, which helps the 2 Series Gran Coupe gain even more traction.

However, the M235 is best described as compliant, efficient, and entertaining, as opposed to the joyful, agility-laden excitement of a real M2.

Comparing it with just about any other non-premium brand car, the Gran Coupe performs admirably – it’s a BMW, after all – and the German manufacturer knows how to make its motors go around corners properly.

However, if you're a BMW 'M' car aficionado, you'll find it lacks the genuine deftness of the M2.

It’s a step forward over the outgoing M235i, though, which felt slightly more restrained.

BMW has made numerous changes, including uprated suspension and improved anti-roll bars. It has also stiffened the chassis to increase its stability and, with it, its eagerness to go around bends.

It has worked, but it doesn’t elevate the M235 to the same bracket as an M2 - that, of course, is deliberate, given that the standard M2 coupe costs nearly 65% more.

The ride is firm but not uncomfortable – in fact, when wafting along, the M235 is a comfortable cruiser.

It’s aided by adaptive suspension, which is included as standard on all Gran Coupes. It adjusts itself depending on whether you’re in Comfort or Sport mode, ensuring you can get the best of both worlds depending on the driving situation.

As a result, in Comfort mode, it’s adept at ironing out potholes, certainly by sports saloon standards, though even in this mode, the ride is still on the firm side.

Admittedly, putting it in Sport mode stiffens things up to the point that you'll likely not want to make long journeys in it, but then you'll probably put it in Comfort mode if you cruise along a motorway.

We are pleased to report that the steering is excellent, having also been tweaked to improve its weight, responsiveness, and precision.

Running Costs & Emissions

The M235 we’re focusing on returns up to 37.7mpg, emitting 170-185g/km of CO2, depending on the exact specification.

By comparison, economy figures improve to 53.3mpg and 120-126g/km of CO2 in the 220, and 47.9mpg and 133-138g/km of CO2 in the 223.

None are likely to suit if you’re after a company car, as the most significant Benefit in Kind tax savings are to be found with all-electric cars and plug-in hybrids.

Reliability-wise, things are finally looking up for BMW after years in the doldrums. Based on recent dependability surveys, it appears to be gradually returning to its former glory.

Interior & Technology

The M235 looks lovely inside – in fact, we prefer the revised cabin layout to the outgoing M2.

As you’d expect, the cabin is adorned with premium materials, including some nice silver patterns at either end of the dashboard. The entire interior feels soft and plush.

The inside is filled with M badges, a thick, sporty steering wheel adorned with silver spokes and plenty of buttons, and lovely-shaped seats.

Your eyes will likely be pulled towards the digital displays, though. The 10.7-inch infotainment touchscreen is angled slightly towards the driver for a better view and is housed in the same unit as the 10.3-inch digital instrument display behind the wheel.

BMW has ruled the roost regarding infotainment since the word was first invented thanks to its iDrive system, better known nowadays as the BMW Operating System – 9 being the latest version – and it's lovely to use.

It offers a very sharp display and intuitive interface and is very responsive.

One notable absentee – and a revision that’s becoming increasingly common in BMWs now – is the removal of the handy rotary dial on the centre console.

It does make things more convenient, and we'd have preferred to have one here. However, we concede that the improvement in the accuracy of voice control, named BMW Personal Assistant, is gradually making the rotary dial redundant.

The digital instrument screen is equally appealing. It offers sharp graphics and can display the SatNav map in full if you wish.

It has got plenty of features, too, to customise the display to your liking.

Regarding visual appeal, we think it's a step up from the recently updated Audi S3.

Mercedes-Benz is leading the way in terms of ostentatiousness nowadays, but sophistication over excessiveness is the order of the day here.

Practicality & Boot Space

It is easy to get comfortable in the 2 Series Gran Coupe cabin.

The driving position is about right – reasonably low without feeling like you’re sitting on the road.

There is lots of travel in the seats and steering wheel, too, while the seats are very comfortable and supportive, both on cruises and laterally around fast corners.

Frustratingly, the adjustment is manual unless you’re willing to pay extra – any lumbar adjustment is an optional extra, too.

The view out of the front is reasonably good, given that the driving position isn't commandingly high. BMW has worked to keep the windscreen pillars as thin as possible.

Thanks to the curve of the rear windscreen and the shape of the back side windows, the pillars are thicker at the back and widen towards the bottom, but you can still see sufficiently well.

Besides, front and rear parking sensors are included as standard on all Gran Coupes, along with a rearview camera, which can be upgraded to a surround-view, as we'll cover later.

There’s a decent amount of space in the front seats, with lots of headroom and legroom, and a reasonably wide centre console should prevent you knocking shoulders with a fellow front-seat occupant.

It’s a different story in the back, though.

Even though legroom was more generous than we’d anticipated, with enough space to tuck your feet under the front seats, the rakish coupe-shaped roofline means headroom is limited, posing a significant problem for taller backseat occupants.

The 220 offers 360 litres of boot space, while the 223 and M235 offer an impressive 430 litres, making the latter two more accommodating than the 1 Series hatchback.

The larger figure is roughly on par with its saloon rivals, the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and the Audi A3.

Many smaller saloons and hatchbacks only offer a 60:40 split in the seats, but the Gran Coupe folds in a more convenient 40:20:40 arrangement, which is handy, although its German foes also offer this more versatile feature.

There's plenty of additional storage inside the cabin, including a generously sized glove compartment, large centre console cubby and fairly large door bins.

Safety

Euro NCAP crash-tested the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe in 2019, and it earned a five-star rating.

It scored 94% for adult occupants, 87% for children and 72% for safety assists.

The assists include automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, lane departure and lane change warning, speed limit assist, evasion assist, front collision warning, cruise control, and park assist.

The optional Driving Assistant Plus pack adds active cruise control, automatic speed limit assist, steering assist and lane assist.

You can also get Driving Assistant Professional, which goes even further, adding crossroads warning, emergency lane assist, lane change and lane keep assist, and emergency stop assist.

Options

If you're willing to pay extra, you can choose from around ten body colours, assuming you don't want the standard solid white. BMW will paint the car in just about any shade you fancy if you're willing to cough up enough money for it.

You can upgrade to 19-inch alloys from the standard 18-inches and choose from a selection of four leatherette upholstery colour schemes.

A Technology Pack adds adaptive LED headlights, folding door mirrors, high beam assist, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and a wireless phone charger.

Alternatively, the Technology Plus pack adds all the above plus a head-up display, glowing kidney grilles, Live Cockpit Professional and Parking Assistant Plus.

The M Sport Pro pack adds a host of sporty cosmetic features to the car and a handful of features that are standard on the M235.

The M235 can also have the M Dynamic Pack added, which offers a dynamic chassis setup and compound brakes, among other upgrades.

Many of the upgrades listed above can be bought individually, too.

Rival Cars

The Gran Coupe doesn’t really have many direct rivals.

There’s the Mercedes-Benz A-Class saloon – although it's now been discontinued, so you'd have to make do with a second-hand variant, including the performance-focused AMG A35.

You can still lease an AMG CLA35, albeit it's pretty pricey.

Then there's Audi, which recently upgraded its S3 saloon, adding the torque-splitting rear differential from the even sportier RS3 - and that gives the Audi the edge regarding cornering ability compared with the M235.

Other than, maybe, the Alfa Romeo Giulia, there isn’t much else on offer unless you’re willing to upsize.

Verdict & Next Steps

The BMW M235 is a fine car, which enhances its appeal compared with the outgoing model.

An improved interior and excellent infotainment are just two reasons to lease it – although the same applies to just about any other new-ish BMW on the market.

The driving experience has also progressed, with its tuned chassis, upgraded suspension, and enhanced anti-roll bars offering noticeable improvements over the outgoing model in terms of stability and handling.

Of course, any saloon marketed as a 'coupe' likely has four doors but a rear shape reflecting the latter - that marks it down in terms of practicality compared with the standard 2 Series, let alone the 1 Series hatchback, which shares many similarities.

So, unless you’re specifically in the market for a performance saloon, there’s not much to be gained by picking the M235 over the lesser Gran Coupes. In that case, we'd recommend leasing the 223 model, which is still very nice to drive and sufficiently quick.

Regarding comparisons with the proper M2, the M235 is noticeably toned down – but if sportiness is what you’re after, this is still a lot of car for the money.

After all, when you consider you’d be forking out a lot more to lease an M2, the M235 suddenly looks like the bargain of the century.

Where to next?

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**Score based on Select’s unique meta score analysis, taking into account the UK’s top leading independent car website reviews of the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe.

**Correct as of 02/06/2025. Based on 9 months initial payment, 5,000 miles annually, over a 48 month lease. Initial payment equivalent to 9 monthly payments, or £2,757.78 (Plus admin fee) Ts and Cs apply. Credit is subject to status.