The Car Connection Expert Review
Likes
- Sharp handling in the coupe
- M240i’s explosive inline-6
- Coupe style
- Coupe’s performance for less than $40,000
- Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay standard
Dislikes
- Gran Coupe’s turtleback roofline
- Cramped rear seats
- Gets expensive
- No M2 or convertible (for now)
Buying tip
features & specs
The 2023 BMW 2-Series Coupe entices entry-level buyers with a pure take on the brand, while the four-door Gran Coupe introduces practical luxury.
What kind of car is the 2023 BMW 2-Series? What does it compare to?
The 2023 BMW 2-Series is a coupe or, in Gran Coupe form, a four-door sedan. The small but mighty 2-Series competes with the Toyota Supra, Lexus RC, and Porsche 718 Cayman.
Is the 2023 BMW 2-Series a good car?
The 2-Series is really two cars in one, with a sedan version called the Gran Coupe that is front-wheel drive based and a proper coupe with a rear-wheel-drive platform. They don’t share the same powertrain or the same platform; they mostly share the 2-Series name. The least expensive BMW, the Gran Coupe welcomes buyers into a brand bursting with luxury crossover SUVs. The Coupe does the same, but takes the fork in the Bimmer road down the performance path. It’s a better path.
We give the two a combined TCC Rating of 6.5 out of 10 overall, but the Coupe ranks higher in our hearts. (Read more about how we rate cars.)
What's new for the 2023 BMW 2-Series?
The 2-Series Gran Coupe remains the same while the 2023 2-Series Coupe that was redesigned last year now sports a standard 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster beside a 14.9-inch touchscreen under the same curved piece of glass.
The Coupe grew longer, wider, and a bit roomier last year, but it still wears its classic rear-drive sports car proportions. The design concessions made to the roomier four-door Gran Coupe result in a rounded turtleback that can look awkward on the 2-Series’ short overhangs.
Both models use a turbo-4 and telepathic 8-speed automatic transmission to uphold BMW’s reputation, but they go about it in opposite approaches, with front-wheel drive on the Gran Coupe and rear-wheel drive on the Coupe. All-wheel drive is available on either. The Gran Coupe 228i features a 228-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 and front-wheel drive, while the M235i offers a 301-hp turbo-4 engine with standard all-wheel drive.
The 2-Series Coupe starts with the 230i’s 255-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4, but a 382-hp 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-6 launches the M240i from 0-60 mph in about four seconds.
Both varieties are comfortable for front passengers, but not so much for those sitting in the rear, and the Gran Coupe has 50% more cargo room in back than the Coupe.
Standard safety features including automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and lane departure warnings on both body styles.
How much does the 2023 BMW 2-Series cost?
The Gran Coupe costs $37,595, including a $995 destination fee, making it the least expensive BMW and a reasonable entry into the brand. But the 230i Coupe is more fun and better equipped at $38,395.
The Gran Coupe comes standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen and 5.1-inch instrument cluster, while both models have wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power front seats in synthetic leather upholstery. The M240i xDrive tops the lineup at just under $50,000.
Where is the 2023 BMW 2-Series made?
In Germany.
2023 BMW 2-Series Styling
The 2-Series Coupe looks the part of the classic sports car made modern; the Gran Coupe muddles those lines.
Is the BMW 2-Series a good-looking car?
The Coupe? Yes. It grew longer and lovelier with last year’s redesign, with a long nose and a cabin that ends over the rear wheels. The Gran Coupe leaves it up to the beholder. Launched in 2020 as a way to bolster entry-level BMW sales with more practicality, the four-door Gran Coupe sits higher and its roofline arcs higher, like the Gran Coupe versions of BMW’s larger sedans.
The 2-Series Coupe earns a point outside and inside for a 7. The Gran Coupe would as well, it just doesn’t wear it as fittingly as the Coupe. They’re a 7.
The redesign boosted the Coupe into BMW’s modern design language inside, with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster beside a 14.9-inch touchscreen curving under the same piece of glass toward the driver. That makes it more on par with the 3-Series and elevates it above the Gran Coupe and its more crowded center stack and console layout.
2023 BMW 2-Series Performance
The 2023 BMW M240i stands out in place of a pure M model. The Gran Coupe is less inspiring.
The Coupe is a purer version of the 2-Series, largely because of its rear-wheel-drive architecture, while the Gran Coupe is a more practical one and uses front-wheel drive. Even in its slowest form, the 2-Series stays true to BMW’s heritage, earning a point for its quickness and another for its handling. If rated separately, the Coupe would earn two points for handling. Together, they’re a 7.
Is the BMW 2-Series AWD?
It’s optional for $2,000 more across the lineup, except on the M235i Gran Coupe, where it is standard.
How fast is the BMW 2-Series?
It’s pretty quick in all forms. The slowest model, the 228i Gran Coupe, hustles from 0-60 mph in just 6.0 seconds with a 2.0-liter turbo-4 that makes 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The base 230i Coupe does it better with a turbo-4 that makes 255 hp and 295 lb-ft to make the same sprint in 5.5 seconds. An 8-speed automatic transmission ubiquitous in BMW’s lineup is timed to perfection.
BMW tunes the turbo-4 in the M235i Gran Coupe to 301 hp and 332 lb-ft that slashes the 0-60 mph time to 4.5 seconds, but the quickest—and best of the bunch—is the M240i coupe. Its turbocharged inline-6 makes 382 hp and 369 lb-ft, launching it to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds.
The bigger difference between the two models comes down to power delivery and handling. The front-drive Gran Coupe has a limited-slip differential up front to help cut corners, but rear-wheel drive has been a hallmark of sports cars for decades for better weight distribution and more balanced handling, and that’s evident in the Coupe.
The Coupe delights on twisty roads, thanks in part to a nearly 50/50 weight distribution (the Gran Coupe is 60/40). The 230i offers a sport suspension that can be a bit busy in everyday driving, but the M240i’s adaptive suspension softens in comfort mode for the day-to-day and stiffens up nicely when you want to drive hard. Both do an excellent job of controlling rebound as the 2-Series coupe exits corners, providing enough balance to get on the power with confidence. The Coupe also sits an inch lower, with a ground clearance of 5.0 inches. It’s the superior and uncompromised 2-Series.
2023 BMW 2-Series Comfort & Quality
The Gran Coupe fits people better than the Coupe, but in both cases, two’s company, three’s a crowd.
Another key distinguisher between the 2-Series Coupe and Gran Coupe comes in interior roominess. The Coupe has a longer wheelbase and is 1.5 inches wider, yet the bubblier proportions of the Gran Coupe better accommodate rear passengers in a pinch.
The Gran Coupe has five seats, four of which are functional, while the Coupe has four seats but we wouldn’t stay for more than a joy ride back there. The fit and finish on the 2-Series makes up for its poor rear seats to net a 5, while the Gran Coupe inverts that formula. Its black-on-black blahness can be upgraded with colorful leather for at least $1,500, but the reliance on hard rubber surfaces reveal its entry-car status.
The front sport seats in both vehicles have power adjustments, plenty of bolstering, and good support. The Coupe’s interior made a leap forward last year, with a streamlined center console that swaps in an electronic shift plate in place of the mechanical shifter in the Gran Coupe. It’s more modern, with a cleaner center stack, and the metal accents lend it an overall feel more in line with the 3-Series.
Though the Coupe grew last year, its backseat shrank to 32.2 inches of legroom compared to 34.4 inches in the Gran Coupe, which also has better headroom. It’s hard to climb into and difficult to fit two adult passengers in the back of the Coupe. The Gran Coupe is better, and kids would fit OK.
It’s the better to carry stuff in as well, with 15.1 cubic feet versus 10.0 cubic feet in the Coupe. The Gran Coupe has a hidden cargo floor where a spare tire might go on vehicles not equipped with run-flat tires, and folding down the 40/20/40-split rear seats adds some versatility.
2023 BMW 2-Series Safety
Good driver-assist tech offsets the incomplete crash-test data on the 2023 BMW 2-Series.
How safe is the BMW 2-Series?
The NHTSA has yet to crash test either the Coupe or the Gran Coupe, but the IIHS found both models were “Good” in crash tests. The IIHS also gave the 2-Series Gran Coupe a Top Safety Pick award when equipped with adaptive headlights. That’s worth a point, as are the sophisticated options and standard automatic forward emergency braking, blind-spot monitors, and active lane control at speeds above 44 mph. It’s an 8.
Options include adaptive cruise control and a parking assistance package that automatically steers the car in reverse, and includes a surround-view camera system as well as a video recorder that captures video for up to 20 seconds before and after a crash or other impact.
2023 BMW 2-Series Features
The Gran Coupe is the entry-level BMW, but the Coupe is more BMW.
The 2023 BMW 2-Series tells a tale of two cars. Both the Coupe and Gran Coupe earn a point for good standard features, a long options list, large and simplified touchscreen infotainment interfaces, and a 4-year/50,000-mile warranty with complimentary scheduled service. That’s an 8. The 2023 Coupe gets the edge, however, with better standard features that include a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 14.9-inch touchscreen, adaptive cruise control, tri-zone climate control, and a better sound system.
Which BMW 2-Series should I buy?
It comes down to body style and backseat needs. If backseats matter, the Gran Coupe is roomier and it’s also the most affordable BMW at $37,595, including a $995 destination fee. It’s the starter BMW, to grow into your family, whether that be humans or BMWs.
The 230i Coupe is only a bit more at $38,395.
The Gran Coupe comes standard with an 8.8-inch touchscreen and 5.1-inch instrument cluster, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, navigation, and a one-year satellite radio subscription. It also has two USB ports, a wifi hotspot, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and power front seats in synthetic leather upholstery.
Options include a 12.3-inch digital cockpit display, a 10.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, and a head-up display. We’d consider the Premium package for its heated front seats and heated steering wheel.
How much is a fully loaded 2023 BMW 2-Series?
The M240i coupe with all-wheel drive tops the lineup at $50,895. Only you can determine if the extra cylinders, 19-inch wheels, rear differential, adaptive suspension, moonroof, rear spoiler, and other M Sport bits are worth $10,500 more than the 230i. We think so.
2023 BMW 2-Series Fuel Economy
The 2023 M240i is worth the 3-mpg penalty over the 230i coupe or Gran Coupe.
Is the BMW 2-Series good on gas?
The fuel economy in the 2-Series doesn’t vary too much from the 230i Coupe’s EPA rating of 26 mpg city, 35 highway, 29 combined. All variants rate at a 3.
All-wheel drive lowers it to 24/34/28 mpg, same as the 228i Gran Coupe with front-wheel drive. The AWD variants of the Gran Coupe come in at 24/33/27 mpg.
The M240i Coupe gets 23/32/26 mpg with rear- or all-wheel drive. The inline-6 is well worth it.
