Test Car Specifications
Model: 2022 BMW 220i M Sport Coupe
Price: £36,710
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power: 184hp
Torque: 300Nm
Emissions: 144g/km
Economy/Range: 44.1mpg
0-62mph: 7.5 seconds
Top speed: 146mph
Boot space: 390 litres
Styling
The 2 Series Coupe is arguably one of BMW's best-looking modern models, having avoided falling into the trap of simply fitting a bigger grille. Instead, there's a smart, modern design that incorporates bits of classic BMW styling with a more contemporary muscle-car vibe. While this base-spec 220i M Sport doesn't have the muscularity of the M240i xDrive, it's still a stocky, good-looking beast, but one with all the class of a BMW executive coupe such as the larger, yet closely related 4 Series.
Interior
To create the rear-drive 2 Series Coupe, BMW had to pinch the underpinnings from the larger 4 Series Coupe and adapt them for the smaller car. That approach has been reflected inside, where the 2 Series Coupe gets exactly the same dashboard as the 3 and 4 Series models, complete with touchscreen infotainment system and digital instrument display. As you'd expect from BMW, quality is impeccable, with great materials and really sturdy construction evident everywhere you look. The technology is good, too, with clear, sharp displays that respond rapidly to inputs. And because BMW still uses the iDrive rotary control system (for now), once you've learned your way around the system, you can operate most things with barely a glance away from the road.
Practicality
Few customers will buy the 2 Series Coupe for its practicality – that’s what the Active Tourer and Gran Coupe models are for – but as long as you don’t need the rear seats, the Coupe can still prove quite useful. The boot, for example, measures 390 litres, which is more than you get from a VW Golf, and while the back seats aren’t that useful for adult passengers, they do work as a pretty capacious parcel shelf.
Performance
BMW 2 Series Coupe customers get a choice of four different engines, with three petrol options joined by a single diesel. This, the 220i, is the cheapest of the four and also the least powerful. The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine produces 184hp and 300Nm of torque, all of which goes to the rear wheels via the eight-speed automatic gearbox. That combination gives the car a 0-62mph time of 7.5 seconds and a top speed of 146mph, which is ample performance, but extracting it leaves the car feeling a little breathless. We suspect the slightly more powerful 230i might be a better bet. Still, at least the 220i is fairly efficient when you don't have the hammer down, returning over 40mpg with relative ease.
Ride & Handling
The 2 Series Coupe is supposed to be the most driver-orientated car in BMW’s small car range, and it certainly lives up to that billing. With the driver and passenger sitting low in the car and the long nose stretching out in front, the car feels agile and nimble and light on its feet. In that BMW way, it feels as though the whole car pivots around the driver’s hips, and that makes it enormously good fun to drive. That, combined with balanced control weights and a natural, intuitive feel, makes the 2 Series one of the best in the business. Of course, that handling comes at the cost of comfort – the 2 Series Coupe feels a little stiffer than some of the other 2 Series models – but it isn’t catastrophic. It doesn’t jar or jiggle too much.
Value
This 220i M Sport Coupe is the cheapest 2 Series Coupe you can buy, with prices starting at just under £37,000. That pays for everything you really need, including front and rear parking sensors, part-leather upholstery and heated front seats. Climate control is standard, too, along with the latest BMW touchscreen infotainment technology. And if you want any more toys to play with, BMW will gladly sell you a host of optional extras, including posh leather and some extra technology.
Verdict
The 2 Series Coupe is among the best two-door coupes you can buy, and every version is brilliant to drive. It lacks a bit of punch, and the mid-range 230i model may prove more enticing, but even this base-spec version makes up for its shortcomings with solid value for money and reasonable economy.
