A ‘new generation’ 2 Series Gran Coupe has arrived with a major facelift, updated cabin, new tech and reworked powertrains.
2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe
The concept of a four-door coupe is an interesting one. Certainly adding the title ‘Gran Coupe’ to a model designation elevates it to a higher plane, above a boring old regular ‘sedan’. The power of words, it seems.
Certainly, that’s the case here with the heavily updated 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe, which takes the German brand’s 1 Series hatchback platform, and reimagines it as a good-looking, four-door sedan with a swoopy roof line.
BMW says it’s a new-generation 2 Series Gran Coupe (F74 internal code), but in reality it’s a heavily revised and updated version of its F44 predecessor first launched in Australia in 2020.
BMW Australia sold 6610 of the F44 2 Series Gran Coupe since launching in 2020. A decent number, and one it will hope to replicate, or even exceed, with this new generation that brings an updated exterior, a redesigned interior, tweaked powertrains including new transmission, and reworked chassis.
Externally, the new BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is slightly longer (20mm) and taller (25mm) than the outgoing model, and features a new kidney grille design as well as new head- and tail-light designs.
The range-topping M235 features a different grille design with horizontal slats (as opposed to the 218’s vertical slats) and quad-exhaust pipes out back where the 218 (and soon to arrive 220) feature hidden exhaust tips. The M235 also features a black roof and an integrated rear spoiler.
Pricing starts at $59,900 (before on-road costs) for the BMW 218 Gran Coupe, making it $5300 more affordable than the outgoing model’s 220i M Sport variant that previously served as the entry point into the range. It also slots into the brand’s broader line-up as the second-most affordable BMW on offer in Australia.
However, comparing apples with apples, the new mid-spec BMW 220 Gran Coupe will be priced from $62,900 (plus ORCs), some $2300 more affordable than the outgoing model.
The new BMW M235 xDrive flips the equation, priced from $86,600 (plus ORCs), some $2800 more expensive than the equivalent outgoing model.
The key difference between the two models at launch, other than some equipment enhancements, comes under the bonnet.
The BMW 218 Gran Coupe is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine making 115kW and 230Nm. It’s mated to a new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission sending drive to the front wheels.
The performance-focused M235 Gran Coupe ups the ante, with its 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged petrol good for 233kW (up 8kW over the outgoing model) and 400Nm. Drive is sent to all four wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic.
Both models receive a healthy dose of new equipment and technologies. Highlights for this update include a new 10.7-inch infotainment touchscreen running BMW’s new OS9 software. There are new Matrix LED headlights with automatic high beam, artificial leather seat upholstery, heated front seats, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control, side exit warning, and high-gloss black exterior trim elements. Additionally, the M235 also scores new front seats with lumbar support with massage function, a heated steering wheel, and a black-painted roof.
BMW has opted for a sporty vibe with this new 2 Series Gran Coupe. That’s obvious externally, where the entire front fascia has been redesigned to look more aggressive than before. Whereas the older model’s grille and front end treatment looked like it had been pushed in, the new grille design thrusts forward in a commanding manner, looking all the racier for it.
The side profile has been softened a touch with a more pronounced Hofmeister kink complete with an embossed ‘2’, mirroring the embossing found on the larger 5 Series stablemate.
The sporty theme continues inside where plenty of nods to BMW’s M Sport division are found. The new M steering wheel feels chunky in hand, reassuringly so, while the faux leather and suede front seats are beautifully supportive.
Materials throughout are top-notch and the attention to detail belies the 2 Series Gran Coupe’s positioning as an entrée into the brand. Highlights include the dash, resplendent with M tri-colour contrast stitching, and the illuminated (backlit) aluminium panels that house the air vents.
A new centre console treads the minimalist path with a stubby gear selector, a smattering of buttons for parking and drive modes, and a pair of cupholders.
The centrepiece is the new curved single frame screen that houses the 2 Series’s infotainment display and digital instrument cluster.
It’s trickled down from the broader BMW range and looks mighty impressive. We had no dramas connecting to Apple CarPlay wirelessly, which remained stable throughout our time behind the wheel across both the 218 and M235 variants.
But the new screen also houses all of the Gran Coupe’s vital functions including climate controls, helpfully on perm-display along the bottom of the screen.
Beyond that, the array of apps and personalisation options living inside can be bewildering including the so-called ‘My Drive’ modes which, as far as we can tell, don’t alter driving characteristics but rather the skin of the infotainment system to reflect your mood, including Expressive, Relax, Digital Art and Theatre.
There is a Sport mode as well that adds some extra gruffness to the soundtrack, heft to the steering, and sharpness to throttle response.
The 2 Series Gran Coupe isn’t a big car, and that’s felt most in the second row where space is at a premium. There’s a good amount of leg and knee room, but that’s only down to the sculpted seatbacks up front. And thanks to that swoopy roof line, head room, even for a someone of my 173cm stature, isn’t the last word in comfort.
BMW says the boot can hold 430 litres, and the second-row seats can be folded individually to liberate more – undisclosed – space. And there is no spare tyre, the 2 Series Gran Coupe fitted only with a puncture repair and inflation kit.
Safety technologies fitted to both 2 Series Gran Coupe variants include autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go functionality, lane-departure warning and lane-change assist, rear cross-traffic alert, side exit warning and speed sign recognition.
The M235 variant alone ups the safety tech ante with the addition of lane-keep assist, lane-centring assist, front cross-traffic alert and collision evasion assist.
Both models are fitted with a 360-degree view camera and reverse assist, which remembers the last 50 metres of travel and, when activated, will reverse the car back out for up to 50 metres – ideal for tight spots such as garages or long, twisting driveways.
The previous-generation 2 Series Gran Coupe carried a five-star ANCAP safety rating issued in 2019. As per ANCAP’s testing protocols, that rating is due to expire this year.
So how does the new 2 Series Gran Coupe drive? That’s the $60,000 (or $59,900) question, and while our time behind the wheel of both the 218 and M235 was short, we did get an indication of what to expect.
The BMW 218 Gran Coupe and its 115kW/230Nm 1.5-litre turbo-three might not set the world alight in terms of straight-line speed (the 0–100km/h claim is a middling 8.6 seconds), but out in the real world it is perfectly fine.
Acceleration is linear and predictable, and the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, new for this update, is excellent. There’s not a hint of hesitancy or lag from the transmission. Instead, the 218 simply moves away nicely and in an unflustered manner along to a suitably gruff and pleasing soundtrack endemic to three-cylinder engines.
BMW says its engineers have tuned the chassis and suspension to offer a more engaging yet comfortable time behind the wheel. Certainly, both can be true.
Revised suspension geometry and frequency-selective dampers are being trumpeted by BMW as ‘adaptive’ dampers. However, they are not. Instead, they continuously monitor the road conditions and adjust damping rates accordingly.
Additionally, there are no driver-selectable suspension modes.
That said, ride comfort remains excellent, the dampers do a good job of ironing out lumps and bumps and absorbing impacts, while at the same time offering just enough firmness with good feedback through the wheel without straying into uncomfortable territory.
Tackling some winding rural roads with wet-weather caution highlighted the solid and well-sorted nature of the entry-level 2 Series Gran Coupe, which hid its front-wheel-drive platform well. Torque steer? Nope. Poised and balanced? Yep.
It’s frugal on fuel too, returning an indicated 6.8 litres per 100 kilometres against BMW’s claim of 6.3L/100km. However, the BMW 218 Gran Coupe needs 95-octane unleaded as a minimum.
| Key details | 2025 BMW 218 Gran Coupe | 2025 BMW M235 xDrive Gran Coupe |
| Engine | 1.5-litre turbocharged three-cylinder | 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder |
| Power | 115kW @ 4900–6500rpm | 233kW @ 5750–6500rpm |
| Torque | 230Nm @1500–4600rpm | 400Nm @ 2000–4500rpm |
| Drive type | Front-wheel drive | All-wheel drive |
| Transmission | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic | 7-speed dual-clutch automatic |
| Length | 4546mm | 4546mm |
| Width | 1800mm | 1800mm |
| Height | 1445mm | 1445mm |
| Wheelbase | 2670mm | 2670mm |
Swapping into the M235 Gran Coupe brought with it a feisty powertrain and all-wheel-drive underpinnings that elevate the swoopy sedan into ‘hot’ sedan territory.
The turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine is good for a healthy 233kW and 400Nm, enough to propel the M235 from 0–100km/h in just 4.9 seconds. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT) apportions those outputs to all four wheels, and again we experienced zero issues with that DCT which proved slick, intuitive and razor sharp in its application.
Acceleration from standstill is as you’d expect from a sub-5-second car – rapid, linear, fun. And while we didn’t have the opportunity to test its corner-carving chops on BMW’s short launch program, we did get to sample the M235 on the highway and in an urban environment. And the news here is good.
As it is in the 218, ride comfort here is good, no surprise really as the M235 wears the same newly-tinkered-with suspension set-up. If anything, I found the M235 a smidge more comfortable (although still with a firm edge) than the 218.
BMW claims the M235 will use 7.7L/100km of 98-octane unleaded petrol on a combined cycle. Our short drive, spent exclusively on the highway with just a short stint in urban traffic, returned an indicated 8.1L/100km. BMW claims a 6.4L/100km number for highway driving.
Australia’s highways on a product launch are no place to test the M235’s true mettle, and for that we will have to wait until we cycle BMW’s hot sedan through the Drive garage for a week.
But early signs are promising. Certainly, it feels quick off the mark, and despite its inherent performance focus, remains compliant and comfortable on the road.
BMW has done its best to keep ownership costs at a reasonable level. You’re still paying premium German prices, but the brand’s five-year/80,000km Service Inclusive pack at $2369 covers all the basics such as oil, brake fluid, spark plugs and an assortment of filters. Alternatively, BMW’s Service Inclusive Plus pack at $3782 adds replacement brake pads and discs front and rear, as well as replacement windscreen wipers.
The BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is covered by the brand’s five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty.
BMW’s upgrades to what is one of the most accessible models in its line-up have certainly added some menace to what was previously, let’s face it, a rather frumpy-looking swoopy sedan. But a new exterior design working in tandem with an overhaul of the cabin, along with new technology and comprehensive reworking of the chassis and powertrains, has resulted in an altogether more compelling package.
As far as four-door ‘coupes’ go, the loftily titled BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe is a good one. One that will no doubt appeal to buyers who value the BMW badge but aren’t necessarily enamoured with its twin-under-the-skin 1 Series hatchback, or the proliferation of small SUVs gracing our roads.
It’s a niche car, undoubtedly, but for those buyers who like to defy prevailing trends, the 2 Series Gran Coupe represents one of the most affordable ways to land a BMW in your driveway.
The post 2025 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe review: Australian first drive appeared first on Drive.