FIRST DRIVE
The interior is quiet and comfortable—even the
optional sport seats. BMW clearly prioritized
front-seat comfort, as those passengers get
the lion’s share of available interior space.This ain’t your ordinary turbo-four engine.
It’s the most powerful one BMW makes.2020 BMW M235i xDrive Gran Coupe
BASE PRICE $46,495VEHICLE LAYOUT 5-pass, 4-door sedanFront-engine, AWD,ENGINE 2.0L/301-hp/332-lb-ft
turbocharged DOHC
16-valve I-4
TRANSMISSION 8-speed automatic
CURB WEIGHT 3,600 lb (mfr)
WHEELBASE 105.1 in
L x W x H 178.5 x 70.9 x 55.9 in
0-60 MPH 4.6 sec (mfr est)
EPA CITY/HWY/COMB
FUEL ECON 23/32/26 mpg
ENERGY CONSUMPTION,
CITY/HWY147/105 kW-hr/
100 miles
CO2 EMISSIONS, COMB 0.74 lb/mile
ON SALE IN U.S. CurrentlyIt certainly has power. At 301 horse-
power and 332 lb-ft of torque, it’s the
most powerful four-cylinder engine
BMW makes. The company says the
M235i xDrive Gran Coupe will hit 60
mph from a standstill in 4.6 seconds
using launch control. Shunting as much
as half the engine’s output to the rear axle
prevents torque steer, aiding the illusion
of rear-drive dynamics.
Comfort driving mode does betray
noticeable turbo lag at low engine speeds,
so if you’re not brake torquing or using
launch control, there’s going to be a
moment’s hesitation and a surge when
you just mash the throttle. Sport mode
tightens everything a bit too much for
everyday driving, but slotting the shifter
into its S position is a nice compromise.
Sport mode and S position combined are
for when you really want to drive like turn
signals were never invented.
As a plain sedan, the 2 Series Gran
Coupe is likewise compromised. The
rear doors have the smallest aperture of
any door hinged at the front, making it
a squeeze to get in and out. There’s just
enough room for an average-sized adult
in the back seat if the front passengers are
average in height and the rear passengers
don’t move their heads out of the carve-
outs in the ceiling. The rear driver-side
passenger sits on one of the buckles for
the deployable center seat belt, which
won’t see much use owing to lack of space.
Further back, the short trunklid is more
mail slot than parcel dump. One full-size
suitcase will fit, and you can probably
cram some smaller bags around it. Blame
the serious case of “X6 butt,” coupled
with the decision to keep it a traditional
trunk and not a hatchback like the larger
4 Series. For something trying hard not
to be a crossover, there’s an awful lot of
crossover styling in it, from that back end
all the way up to the familiar X2’s nose.
BMW continues to update its iDrive
infotainment system, which is too layered
now. Still, it boasts over-the-air updates
and the ability to buy software features—
such as automatic high-beams—through
the system long after you’ve left the lot.
Even better, BMW no longer charges for
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto; those
are now standard. As a cherry on top, the
optional head-up display will show navi-
gation instructions from your connected
phone, not just from the built-in system.
A sedan built on a crossover platform
and styled like a crossover is going to
struggle with its identity, but you know
what? That’s fine. Most people don’t use
the rear seats very often, and no one buys
a sedan to haul furniture. Most people
don’t track their daily driver, either.
The M235i xDrive Gran Coupe will
make the average driver feel like a hero
while keeping them out of too much
trouble. Is it an M product the way the
M2 Competition Coupe is? Not at all, but
look how many of those BMW sells. The
people who want the full-on M car will
buy it. This is for all the other people who
want a fast daily. They’ll love it. Q