Shropshire Star

UK Drive: BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe is a compact take on the premium saloon

The 2 Series Gran Coupe is one of the latest additions to BMW’s range of saloons, but what’s it like to drive? Jack Evans finds out.

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BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe

What is it?

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s ride is quite firm

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In a motoring world seemingly obsessed with niche-busting models, here’s another one – the BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe. Essentially a four-door version of the two-door 2 Series (which in itself is a coupe version of the five-door 1 Series), it takes its place as the smallest Gran Coupe model in BMW’s line-up.

Somewhat sleeker and more dynamic in appearance than the 1 Series upon which it is based, the 2 Series GC is yet another proposition in the smaller end of the new car spectrum.

But what’s it like to drive and are those sweeping looks worth it? We’ve been behind the wheel to find out.

What’s new?

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
LED headlights give the 2 Series a distinct ‘face’

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As we’ve already mentioned, the 2 Series GC shares its underpinnings with the standard 1 Series and, as a result, retains that car’s list of engines as well as its front-wheel-drive layout. However, it’s ever so slightly longer than the 1 Series, which helps to add to its sleek, stretched-out design. All of this does come at the expense of interior headroom, mind you, but that’s a common trade-off with coupe-style models.

Inside, it benefits from BMW’s latest infotainment system as well as a whole host of connectivity and assistance features – but we’ll dive into those in more detail shortly.

What’s under the bonnet?

2 Series Gran Coupe
The Gran Coupe’s looks are quite divisive

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Though there’s quite the range of engines to choose from with the 2 Series GC, today we’ve got the 220d model, which sees a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine under the bonnet sending 188bhp and 400Nm of torque to the front wheels via an eight-speed automatic gearbox. It’s a reasonably conventional setup, but it’s likely to be one which will find favour with many.

Not least because of its efficiency, in fact. BMW claims up to 53.4mpg combined and, during our time with the car, we were going above and beyond this on longer journeys. Emissions figures are also reasonable for a car of this size and type at 134g/km CO2.

There’s no option to have BMW’s all-wheel-drive xDrive system fitted on this engine type, either. For that, you’ll need to bump up to the higher-powered M235i model.

What’s it like to drive?

2 Series Gran Coupe
The 2 Series is nicely composed in the bends

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You expect a car like the 2 Series Gran Coupe to be comfortable, refined and easy to live with over long journeys and, for the most part, it achieves each of these traits well. The ride is a touch too firm for this tester, but it does result in excellent body control when cornering and isn’t too much of a concern when at a cruise on the motorway. Both road and wind noise are contained well too, and though there’s some noise intrusion into the cabin made by the engine when accelerating hard, during regular drives it remains hushed.

The steering is excellent too, and the engine itself is punchy and muscular in the way it puts the power down. It feels brisker than the initial figures suggest, too. The eight-speed gearbox tying it all together is one of the best in the business, responding well to acceleration inputs and leaving little delay when pulling away from a dead stop.

How does it look?

2 Series Gran Coupe
The sleek design does have a negative impact on headroom

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Well it’s different, isn’t it? Certainly against the 1 Series or standard 2 Series, this Gran Coupe looks like a distinctly new proposition. Of course, looks are down to the individual, but the GC’s quirky design took some getting used to. The back of the car is a particular talking point, and whether or not it’s a successfully designed area is down to you.

But there are plenty of nice touches. The bright blue brake calipers on our car helped to brighten up an otherwise quite dark exterior, while the large alloy wheels give it a distinctly premium air.

What’s it like inside?

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
The interior is well appointed and solidly built

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The interior of the 2 Series Gran Coupe represents an excellent blend of the old and the new. We like the traditional orange backlights for the buttons, for instance, while all of the leather used throughout the cabin has a robust, old-school feel to it. In contrast, the main screen – which now uses BMW’s latest operating software – is simple and easy to use, with the rotary controller to the left of you being tactile and precise. We’re still not huge fans of BMW’s digital dashboard design – it still seems too cluttered now just as it did when it was first revealed on the new Z4 – but it’s sharp and gives the forward area of the cabin a cutting-edge feel.

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
The 2 Series Gran Coupe’s boot is impressively large

As we’ve mentioned, headroom in the back of the car isn’t the best as a result of the sloping roofline. Though there’s plenty of legroom, taller passengers will find their heads competing for space with the roof if they’re sitting in the back. The boot is actually larger than the one you’ll find in the 1 Series too, though because of the narrower opening it’s a good degree harder to access.

What’s the spec like?

BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
Apple CarPlay comes as standard

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Our car was finished in tip-top M Sport specification, which brings a full sport styling package, larger alloy wheels and a full sport suspension setup too. Though priced from £33,340 as standard, our test car’s price was bumped up to £37,825 thanks to a few choice options. M Sport Plus (£2,200) adds an upgraded M braking system, an upgraded sound system and various high-gloss exterior trim pieces, among other touches.

The Technology Pack (£1,500) brought features such as adaptive LED headlights and a head-up display, alongside wireless charging. It’s this second pack that we see as the most worthwhile, adding genuinely useful kit for not a whole lot more money.

Verdict

BMW’s 2 Series Gran Coupe might be another exercise in niche-filling, but you can’t say that it hasn’t been a well-executed one. Those drivers who find the 1 Series too, well, ordinary and the standard 2 Series Coupe too cramped could well find themselves swayed by the in-the-middle Gran Coupe.

With its decent on-road manners, excellent economy and good build quality, we couldn’t fault them for doing so either. It might be there to fill a gap no one might have seen in the first place, but the 2 Series Gran Coupe is well-rounded enough to appeal as a genuine prospect in BMW’s current crop of cars.

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