74 MOTORTREND.COM SEPTEMBER 2020Series Gran Coupe is the
smallest sedan in the German
automaker’s lineup. As
BMW’s newest entry-level
car, the 2 Series Gran Coupe
has been tasked with luring
new consumers—particularly
younger ones—into the brand.
That means the 2 Series Gran
Coupe must compete with
other luxury-badged subcom-
pact cars and fully loaded
mainstream models priced
around $30,000 to $40,000,
making its job that much
tougher.
You won’t mistake the
2 Series Gran Coupe for
anything else—even in acrowded parking lot. The
exterior design was a point
of contention during its
2019 Los Angeles Auto Show
debut and remains the baby
Bimmer’s most controversial
aspect well into 2020.
Like other BMW Gran
Coupe models, the 2 Series
Gran Coupe has a swoopy
roofline. The compact dimen-
sions and low-slung profile
result in an oddly short
decklid that suggests there
might be a liftgate out back.
(There is not.) You also get an
X2-like mug complete with
oversized kidney grilles that
look like they could shred you
to pieces.
In a surprise move, BMW
gave the 2 Series Gran
Coupe a generous list of
standard equipment. That
includes LED headlights,
Apple CarPlay integration
(Android Auto is promised
in late 2020), 10-way power
adjustable front seats, and the
Active Driving Assistant suite,
which bundles together lane
departure warning, blind-spot
monitor, rear cross-traffic
alert, forward collision
warning, and front automatic
emergency braking.
Our long-termer also came
with extras such as embedded
navigation, tasty chocolate
brown two-tone leather
upholstery, two 10.3-inch
displays, 18-inch wheels, andW
hat is it? Who’s going
to buy this thing?
Why does it exist?
Those are just some of the
questions people asked (from
a safe distance) about the
2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran
Coupe. With the Mercedes-
Benz CLA-Class as its only
direct luxury-class competitor,
the 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran
Coupe is a niche model. For
that reason, we don’t blame
consumers for asking so many
questions about this oddball
sedan or not knowing BMW
even offers such a model.
Slotting below the legendary
3 Series, the 2020 BMW 2adaptive LED headlights.
You can also get adaptive
cruise control, an automatic
self-parking system, and a
16-speaker Harman Kardon
surround sound system, but
our example didn’t come with
those features.
The 2020 BMW 2 Series
Gran Coupe is the first
FWD-based BMW sedan in
the U.S., sharing the same
UKL2 platform as the X1, X2,
and Mini’s Countryman cross-
over. Although all 2 Series
Gran Coupe models in the
U.S. have all-wheel drive, the
car operates mainly in front-
drive mode, sending up to 50
percent of torque to the rear“Will we warm up to the oddball
2 Series Gran Coupe? Only one way
to find out.” Stefan OgbacEPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ
23/30/26 mpgArrival: 2020 BMW 228i xDrive Gran Coupe
Base Price $38,495 As Tested $48,495SPECS Vehicle Layout Front-engine, AWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan
Engine 2.0L/228-hp/258-lb-ft turbo DOHC 16-valve I-4
Transmission 8-speed automatic Curb Weight 3,550 (mfr)
0-60 MPH 6.0 sec (mfr est) EPA City/Hwy/Comb Fuel Econ
23/33/27 mpg Energy Cons, City/Hwy 147/102 kW-hr/100 miles
CO2 Emissions, Comb 0.73 lb/mile
Length 178.5”Height 55.9”Width 70.9” Wheelbase 105.1”MT GARAGE