The BMW 2 Series range is complicated and incredibly diverse, so let's clear things up a bit. There's the 2 Series Active Tourer, which is a sort of hatchback-cum-MPV; the 2 Series Gran Coupe, which is a front-wheel-drive (for the most part) four-door saloon and this: the 2 Series Coupe. Intended to be a sharper, sportier option in the BMW range, it's a rear-wheel-drive sports coupe based on the architecture of the larger 3 Series. The range-topping M240i version has already impressed us greatly, but can the entry-level 220i - the basic 2.0-litre petrol model - make such a splash?
In the metal
From every angle, the 2 Series Coupe is a good-looking thing. That's partly because BMW has ditched the enormous grilles found on the other, less exciting 2 Series models, and gone for a more understated look. Merged with the curves of the LED lights and the triangular gaps in the front bumper, it's a very modern, very clean image, which continues further back. The rear haunches are pronounced and muscular, which works with the long bonnet and short overhangs to give the car a kind of Mustang-esque aesthetic. It's stunning.
The interior is slightly less radical - even BMW admits it is taken straight from the 3 Series - but that means it's more or less perfect ergonomically and the build quality is exemplary. All the buttons feel really well engineered and they're logically laid out, but the styling is not what you'd call adventurous. Premium? Yes. Exciting? No.
Unlike the 2 Series Active Tourer, which gets the BMW Operating System 8 infotainment screen from the iX and i4 electric cars, the 2 Series Coupe has to make do with the old Operating System 7 infotainment screen, but that's no hardship. This is still one of the best systems on the market, mixing a modern and clear screen with logical menus and a choice of control systems. You can use the touch-sensitive screen to input commands, but there's also a rotary control wheel in the centre console. Learn your way around that, and you'll be able to perform most operations without taking your eyes off the road for more than a second or so, which feels much safer than staring at a touchscreen.
But while the infotainment system is sound, the digital instrument display is less impressive. There's no problem with the resolution, but the sheer amount of information it attempts to display, and the slightly odd layout make it harder to read than it should be. It's a very minor flaw, but the fact remains that Audi's Virtual Cockpit is significantly better.
The 2 Series Coupe's practicality isn't perfect, either, but it was hardly going to be a major consideration for designers intent on building the ultimate driving machine, so we shouldn't be surprised to find space at a premium, especially in the rear. Access is tricky, thanks to the two-door body and low roofline, and things don't improve much once you're in there. There are just two rear seats, and headroom is very tight in both, while legroom is only a little better. Kids might manage, but adults - and particularly taller ones - are going to find it unpleasant. Those of average height could probably cope on a short hop, but that's about as good as it gets.
If you only plan to carry one passenger, however, the 2 Series copes well. There's plenty of space in the front seats, with more than adequate headroom and comfortable chairs that offer lots of adjustment. And the boot is pretty capacious, at 390 litres. The saloon-style boot isn't the most practical shape, and the boot aperture is a bit shallow, but it's more than capable of carrying some suitcases for a long weekend away.
Driving it
BMW says this car was designed to be one of the sharpest models to drive in the entire range, and the finished article is certainly agile. We've already heaped praise on the M240i, and this 'cooking' 220i version follows suit, with incredible agility and poise, albeit with a power shortage.
At the heart of the 220i is a 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine that churns out 184hp, and as with most other models in the 2 Series Coupe range, that power is sent through an eight-speed automatic gearbox to the rear wheels. Together, all those components help to harry the 220i from 0-100km/h in 7.5 seconds.
For a car that's designed to provide the ultimate driving experience (albeit at a knockdown price), the 220i feels a little bit sluggish. There's nothing particularly wrong with the engine, which sounds surprisingly good in the mid-range and only gets raucous when it's really stretched, but it just lacks the grunt to make it feel properly sporty. There's nothing slow about this car, but in a world where a Golf GTI can do 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds, it isn't amazingly fast, either.
But while it might lack poke in a straight line, the 220i more than makes up for it in the corners. It only weighs 1.5 tonnes, and it feels nimble and light on its feet, while the trademark BMW steering gives you immense confidence in its capabilities. As is so often the case with electrically assisted steering, it lacks a little feedback, but the wheel is substantial and fluid in your hands, and the response from the front wheels is immediate.
That's true of pretty much everything in the BMW stable, but the 2 Series Coupe is among the absolute best examples. It rewards you for pitching it into corners, and that exquisite rear-drive balance makes it easy to adjust, even in the middle of a bend. That's helped by excellent body control, which almost eliminates any lean in corners.
The trade-off for all this handling magic is a slightly stiff ride, which won't be to everyone's taste. It isn't like the 2 Series Coupe slams into potholes and shudders over every speed hump, but it doesn't iron out the imperfections in the way a 7 Series might. Of course, that isn't a particularly fair comparison, and some customers will probably want the stiff ride to help remind them of the car's inherent ability. But without the performance to back it up, that stiffness feels a little misplaced. Making the car just a little softer probably wouldn't have done much damage to the handling, but might have worked wonders for the ride in a car that's going to spend more time on the motorway than the racetrack.
What you get for your money
This 220i M Sport model is the cheapest 2 Series Coupe you can buy, with Irish prices starting at just over €49,000. That money pays for 18-inch alloy wheels, glossy black exterior trim and part-Alcantara upholstery, as well as heated sports seats, navigation and two-zone climate control.
If you want more, there's a range of options including M Sport adaptive suspension and the M Sport Pro Pack, which comes with snazzy M Sport seatbelts, a rear spoiler and a Harman/Kardon surround sound system. The Technology Plus Pack might also appeal to some, with its clever reversing camera system, wireless phone charging and enhanced Bluetooth connectivity.
Summary
The 2 Series is one of the best sporty coupes on the road, and though this 220i version doesn't pack the punch of its more powerful siblings, it's still a cracking car to drive. The forthcoming 230i version might be a better all-rounder. Either way, the 220i will be perfectly adequate for most customers, and at the cheaper end of the range, it looks like strong value for money.
