Is This the Best BMW Coupe?

This one is for enthusiasts who say modern sports coupes have become too big, too heavy, too expensive and too powerful. For those folks, BMW offers the 2 Series – not to be confused with the bizarre front-wheel drive 2 Series Gran Coupe (actually a four-door sedan) – the smallest and lightest of BMW’s coupe lineup.

When we pulled this 2022 BMW 230i M Sport onto our scales, it weighed the same as a 2011 BMW M3 Competition Coupe that we tested more than a decade ago. In addition, this modern two-door measures just 3.0 inches from this E92 M3 in every dimension. But does the 2022 BMW 230i M Sport drive like the contemporary, old-school BMW that enthusiasts crave?

In fact, our test car was a 2022 230i with the M Sport package, a $3,250 option that adds sport suspension, dark exterior trim, a sport steering wheel, variable sport steering, and two-tone 19-inch wheels. It also featured BMW’s driving dynamics package including M Sport brakes and a rear differential. The $2,650 Premium Package added a sizable sunroof (the sunroof is optional — you can get the premium equipment without it for $800 less), a head-up display, curve-adaptive LED headlights, auto high beams , heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

The proportions here are classic small sports cars: a long bonnet, a stocky rear end and a stance that’s wider and lower than that of the decades-old M3. There’s a subtle gold eyeliner in the headlights that adds a bit of sparkle. A wrinkled, rising character line along the profile gives the 2 Series an aggressive look, as does a small trunk spoiler.

This is the less powerful of today’s 2 Series models (there’s also an M240i xDrive with a turbocharged straight-six), it’s fitted with BMW’s turbocharged 2.0-litre I-4, rear-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite the modest powerplant, the 2 Series’ hood has an angular power bulge that looks like a direct nod to the E92 M3’s swollen lid.

Under the hood, the 2.0-liter Turbo Four develops 255 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. In our testing, it was good for a bit of wheel spin and a chirp as the car shifted into second gear en route to a 5.3-second 0-60 mph time. We didn’t notice any of the rear-end wobble that’s present in a Toyota GR Supra 2.0 for the same powertrain combo. The 230i M Sport completed the quarter mile in 13.9 seconds at 100.7 mph.

BMW’s M Sport brakes pulled the 230i down from 60 mph in a respectable 112 feet with consistent power, good bite from the tires and little nose-dive. As for our figure eight and skidpad numbers, the car recorded a 25.5 second lap of the former with 0.71g (average) and pulled 0.92g (average) on the latter.

It’s worth noting that the BMW 230i has no direct competition, as no other luxury automaker in this segment builds a 2+2 rear-wheel drive coupe. The closest you can get is a Ford Mustang EcoBoost, which records the same 0-60 and quarter-mile times (albeit at a lower trap speed) but shorter stopping distances and quicker eight-laps.

As for this 2011 M3 Competition with a 4.0-liter V-8? The new two-door with half the cylinders isn’t as far off as you might expect. The M3 hit 60mph in 4.4 seconds, ran the quarter mile in 12.8 seconds at 110.9mph, completed the number eight in 25.1 at 0.74g – all within a second of the 230i – and stopped from 60 mph in 110 feet. Not bad for an entry-level 2 Series.

The first thing that struck us after climbing into the cockpit of the 2022 BMW 230i M Sport was the exaggerated girth of the manufacturer’s M Sport steering wheel. Coupled with the new 2 Series’ extra width, the car feels bigger and more staid than its predecessor. The optional sunroof on our example interfered with headroom; a 6ft 1in driver barely fit. However, two average-sized adult female passengers said they had “more than enough room” in the back, which is anything but a given on a 2+2.

The engine is a high-revving little torque monster that gives this chassis a lot of power. As previously mentioned, there’s enough grunt to spin the wheels off the line and enough to induce a dose of power oversteer too.

Even the 2-Series four-cylinder passes the all-important and utterly arbitrary floor-it-for-fun test that any high-performance car must pass. And with fuel savings of 26/35 mpg city/highway, you won’t go broke feeding it. The engine also sounds growling and purposeful, although in Sport mode without the help of an active exhaust, the extra noise tells you that at least some of the engine note is coming through the speakers.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: ZF makes the best conventional automatic transmissions out there. The car shifts no slower than one with a typical dual-clutch transmission, and its buttery smooth torque-conversion goodness is fantastic when slinking through traffic.

The shift paddles, on the other hand, are unsatisfactory. Your physical action feels more like changing channels than changing gears; We prefer paddles that feel like mechanical switches, not buttons. And no, BMW has not yet offered the latest 2 Series with a manual transmission.

However, if you head into the canyons, the 2022 BMW 230i M Sport is what you’re looking for. The brake pedal is gentle for the first inch of pedal travel, then bites hard for weight transfer before corner entry. Handling is balanced and responsive; Understeer wasn’t a problem thanks to the help of the M Sport differential and less weight on the nose than a six-cylinder M240i. We’ve found that we can initiate rotation in almost any corner with confidence.

This example is ridden on the stiff side, in case that bothers you. The taut springs of the M sports suspension ensured that the car briefly lost its grip after a particularly large bump. Other significant impacts on the road also do not go unnoticed. Plus, the 19-inch wheels contribute to a tire-noise-filled cabin when driving on imperfect pavement; 18s are available with the M Sport – just not with the Dynamic Handling Bits.

While the cockpit is occasionally noisy, it’s still a comfortable place to sit. Of course, the materials do not correspond to the luxury of the Alpina B8, but they are appropriate for the price. Meanwhile, BMW’s sharp and responsive 10.3-inch touchscreen sees displays a generation ahead of other small luxury car displays. iDrive is relatively intuitive and we like having a dial between the front seats.

You’re right – modern sports coupes have gotten big and heavy and expensive and fast. The BMW M440i we tested previously weighed nearly 4,000 pounds, cost nearly $70,000, and hit 60 mph in 4.0 seconds. Thankfully, BMW still makes a light, simple two-door with RWD that handles beautifully and gets a smile whenever you step on the gas—and it does so for less than $50,000. Yes, this is for all of us who appreciate such things.

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