Four doors, four seats, with lots of style from BMW 2 series Gran Coupe

The new BMW 2 series Gran Coupe is a four-door saloon but with the svelte style of a sports coupe.

I suppose its nearest direct rival would be the Mercedes CLA. I have been road testing the new BMW 218i M Sport Gran Coupe and after a week behind the wheel in some pretty awful weather this October I came away quite impressed.

Prices kick off at a whisker over €45,000 with a host of options that can easily bang another €10,000 on that if you are tempted by the BMW car configurator.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS.

Thankfully this new 2 series avoids some of the more radical and indeed controversial stylising elements found on some other models in the BMW range. The new 2 Series Gran Coupe is a smart-looking car indeed.  It really does look very well with the traditional virtues of BMW’s latest styling.

BEHIND THE WHEEL.

The cabin of the new 2 Series Gran Coupe is typically BMW, very well thought out. The dashboard is a model of ergonomic excellence. Clear, concise and uncluttered with an easy to interpret digital instrument display. I much prefer this to their new huge new glass panel display featured in some other models. 

The centrally mounted touchscreen can also be accessed via the rotary controller and this set-up is simply excellent. It avoids the need to be poking at a touchscreen when driving something I consider distracting. The graphics and functionality are top class too and there are a row of quick-access buttons for the climate control system.

 Great praise must go to BMW here as this whole design really is ergonomically just perfect. The driving position is excellent and the seats proved comfortable and supportive. Standard kit is reasonably good but as you would expect nowhere near as good as offered by say Korean or Japanese manufacturers. The options list is long and quickly adds up. For example, leather trim adds €1,601.98 to the price, metallic paint €828.00 and so on.

Given its compact dimensions accommodation is good. Remember this is not a big car really yet it will seat four adults in reasonable comfort. The sloping rear roofline and limited rear legroom will make it a squeeze for taller folk though. The boot will take two standard holiday suitcases and other small bags. MORE BELOW PICTURE.

PERFORMANCE.

The 218i is actually powered by a 3-cylinder 1.5 litre petrol turbo with drive going to the front wheels via a seven-speed auto gearbox. Despite this being the M Sport version there are no shift paddles on the steering wheel which is a pity as the only way to manually shift gears for more driver involvement is via the gearshift lever on the centre console. Performance is good but by no means exciting but the 3-cylinder engine actually emits quite a nice sound when you rev it a bit. The new 2 Series M Sport proved very frugal burning just 5.8 litres per 100km. Overall then a good and acceptable blend of performance and economy.

ROAD BEHAVIOUR.

The front wheel drive 2 Series Gran Coupe corners flatly with little body roll, and grip is superb whether on wet or dry roads. The suspension system is tuned in such a way that it offers the ideal combination between sporting handling and a comfortable ride. 

The steering is nicely weighted and overall the new 2 Series Gran Coupe proves to be a dynamic and rewarding car to drive.

VERDICT.

In driving terms it really is a rewarding car to hustle along a twisty road and that is the very area that gives the new BMW 2 Series M Sport Gran Coupe an advantage over most of its rivals. As tested including options the BMW 218i M Sport costs €51,784.