The 2 Series, BMW's compact sedan, was first released in 2014 and became highly popular in Europe. In Korea, sales are somewhat lower than the mid-size 3 Series and the executive 5 Series, but its consumer base is solid thanks to the coupe design that slopes down toward the rear and BMW's signature lively driving performance.
The 2 Series returned last year as the "2 Series Gran Coupe (4-door)" with added convenience features. I test-drove the BMW 228 xDrive M Sport for about 80 km in the greater Seoul area.
The first impression was sharp. The black "kidney grille" symbolizing BMW on the front, the bumper that protrudes more toward the bottom, and the low body all signal a sports sedan.
While the previous model emphasized the form of a sedan, this 2 Series Gran Coupe, with a longer overall length and taller height, gives a stronger sense of a sleek coupe design. Overall length and height are 4,545 mm and 1,445 mm, up 20 mm and 25 mm from the previous model, respectively. Overall width remains the same at 1,800 mm.
Sitting in the driver's seat, the low driving position was evident. The M Sport-specific seat provided firm back support, and the "illuminated air vent" with lighting added to the air outlet and the BMW curved display enhanced the premium feel.
By minimizing climate control buttons and placing a toggle-type shift lever and a wireless charging pad in front of the glove box, the sense of space was further increased. However, with a wheelbase of 2,670 mm that is somewhat shorter than class rivals and a low roofline, the second row felt a bit uncomfortable. When this reporter, 172 cm tall, sat down, there was about a fist's width of space in front of the knees, and the head touched the roof.
Driving performance was strong. At low speeds, the steering wheel turned lightly. As speed increased, immediate acceleration combined with a hefty exhaust note, and the steering wheel grew heavier. Despite the small body, it felt planted to the road even at high speeds.
Switching to Sport mode and pressing the accelerator deeply, it darted forward sharply. There is also a booster function to the left of the paddle shifter; activating it immediately raised output and the car surged ahead with greater force. It snapped the neck back.
The BMW TwinPower Turbo 4-cylinder gasoline engine installed in the 2 Series Gran Coupe produces a maximum output of 245 horsepower, with maximum torque of 40.8 kg·m that dictates initial acceleration.
The suspension was set on the firm side, but it did not feel particularly uncomfortable when going over speed bumps or driving on rutted dirt roads. Consumers who prefer sports car-level stiffness might find it a bit lacking.
The 2 Series Gran Coupe features Adaptive M Suspension. This suspension analyzes the road surface and adjusts the dampers. In particular, even when going up and down higher speed bumps somewhat quickly, it adjusted well enough that the underbody did not scrape. However, some body roll was felt in corners.
The 2 Series Gran Coupe lets you choose among Personal, Sport, and Efficient modes for driving. Personal is the default. Turning on Efficient mode minimizes operation of climate control such as the heater to improve fuel economy. As a result, the remaining range increases. It showed 417 km in Sport mode, and when switched to Efficient mode, the range increased to 430 km.
A BMW Korea official said, "It analyzes remaining range in real time depending on the mode." After various tests including hard acceleration, the observed fuel economy at the end of the drive was 8.1 km/L (official 11.7 km/L).
Advanced driver-assistance systems also appear to be a strength of this vehicle. It is equipped with the "Driving Assistant Professional" function that helps automatically keep and change lanes, and its operation felt natural to the point of being barely noticeable.
In addition, there is an automatic parking function that works with the press of a single button, and a reversing assistant that automatically backs up along a path for up to 50 meters.
The automatic parking function activates when you press the button combining P and a camera and approach a parking space. It is useful for beginners who are not adept at parking.
Prices for the 2 Series Gran Coupe are 220 49.9 million won, 228 xDrive 57 million won, and M235 xDrive 64 million won.