BMW M240i xDrive (G42) | PH Used Buying Guide

• Available for £33,500
• 3.0-litre straight-six petrol twin-turbo, all-wheel drive
• Rapid, deep-torque, four-seater
• A bit hefty for a junior sports coupe
• A few things to watch out for, but nothing too desperate
• Overall a very worthy successor to the F22 M240i  

Our buying guide this week is on the G42 BMW M240i xDrive, announced in 2021 as the replacement for the 2015-on F22 M240i and launched in the UK in March 2022. This pocket battleship coupe was an unusual but very welcome arrival at a time when SUVs and electric vehicles were hogging most of the car manufacturers’ attention and resources. You could go back practically to the start of motoring to see how energised drivers have always been by the idea of a small car with big power. The difficult part has been turning that idea into a reality that didn’t just work in a straight line but also on a bendy road. 

Historically, BMW has made a pretty good fist of this sort of thing with its M Series cars, and even though the piece of bread on which the M butter is spread has been growing larger over the years, there was still plenty of positive expectation in the air for the G42 M240i. Built at BMW’s plant in Mexico the G42 2 Series was bigger than its F22 predecessor in just about every measure bar height – length, width, wheelbase and tracks were all up. In the case of the G42 M240i those track widths were wider again than the normal G42’s. 

It was also up on weight. With a driver on board, the G42 M240i xDrive tipped the scales at 1,765kg, which was 205kg more than the F22 equivalent and 120kg more than the previous generation M4. It seemed like a big increase to baby BMW buyers who were wondering where all the lard had come from. Obviously the additional all-wheel drive gubbins played a part in that but it was still a bit of a head-scratcher. 

Anyway, it didn’t especially matter because the G42 was up on performance too.  It had the same B58 3.0-litre straight-six as the F22 but with enough extra power (369hp vs 335hp) to give it an official 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds. That was half a second quicker than the manual F22 M240i and 0.3 seconds quicker than the auto. 

If you were happy to sacrifice some rear-drive handling traits in exchange for some extra security the new M240i was super quick across the ground too thanks to its all-wheel drive and some well-considered suspension and geometry mods. BMW gave the car a light update in mid-2024 with small styling and spec changes including a new design of steering wheel and some additional tech. 

At the time of writing in February 2025, we found that used G42 M240is were starting on the UK market at £33,500, enough for a 2022 example with around 25,000 miles on it. That’s not huge depreciation over three years from the new start price of a little under £46,000, bearing in mind that most M240is wouldn’t have had that many option boxes ticked on account of them coming with more or less everything you’d want already in place. Yes, the opening price did rise as it always seems to between a new car’s announcement and its arrival, but maybe these solid values suggest that the market is agreeing with the views of more than one road tester which were that the G42 M240i was a bit of a performance bargain.

Engine: 2,998cc straight six 24v twin-turbo petrol
Transmission: 8-speed auto, all-wheel drive
Power (hp): 369@5,500-6,500rpm
Torque (lb ft): 369@1,900-5,000rpm
0-62mph (secs): 4.3
Top speed (mph): 155
Weight (kg): 1,765
MPG (official combined): 32.1-34.4 
CO2 (g/km): 185
Wheels (in): 19
Tyres: 225/40 (f), 255/35 (r)
On sale: 2021 –
Price new (2022): £45,795
Price now: from £33,500

Note for reference: car weight and power data is hard to pin down with absolute certainty. For consistency, we use the same source for all our guides. We hope the data we use is right more often than it’s wrong. Our advice is to treat it as relative rather than definitive.

Power-wise, with 369hp at a spinny 5,500rpm the M240i’s B58 was on a par with the original M2 and twice as powerful as the regular G42 220i Coupe. It wasn’t as powerful as the late lamented S55-engined M2 Comp, and nor did it sound quite as good, but few buyers found themselves disappointed by the M240i’s performance. There was no shortage of drive from low rpm and it really started to haul at 4,000rpm. 

Unlike the F22 M240i, the G42 offered no manual gearbox option. Still, its ZF 8-speed Steptronic Sport gearbox with Sport Plus, Sprint (which put the box into the lowest useable gear when you pulled the left-hand paddle for at least a second) and Launch Control modes was pretty good as long as you weren’t expecting it to drop down into a lower gear at high revs even if you wanted it to for extra engine braking, because it wouldn’t. 

There again, you might think that any perceived reluctance to jump down into a lower gear at high revs wasn’t that much of an imposition when the full 369lb ft wedge of maximum torque was available from just 1,900rpm. Even though it was a torque converter box rather than a dual-clutcher, automatic shifting in the normal course of events was fast.  Many owners preferred to work the box manually however in order to sidestep the redundant gear-shuffling. 

As noted earlier, the official 0-62mph was 4.3 seconds. Unofficial YouTubers reckon they’ve done the 0-60 run in 3.7 seconds. 0-60 does take less time than 0-62 but it wouldn’t usually account for as much as 0.6sec. We’ve got no reason to disagree with them but we’ll let you make your own call on it. Whatever numbers you believe, they’re all impressive. We breezily talk of V8s, V12s and even V16s nowadays, but for those of us who are fiscally limited to inline fours there’ll always be some budget-stretching allure in the growling thrunge of a meaty straight-six. Well, for as long as they’re still making them anyway. 

This particular six, the B58, has gained a slight reputation for coolant leaks. Nothing too nasty as long as you keep on top of it but definitely worth knowing about. In the M240i the gradual loss of coolant has often been from the expansion tank cap. Simply replacing the cap and its attendant seal has helped to reduce the frequency of top-ups for some owners, but other B58s have leaked in other places, like the water pump and/or the oil filter housing/heat exchanger area. It shouldn’t get to a catastrophic state unless you really can’t be bothered to check the level on (say) a monthly basis, which is surely not too much to ask. Don’t rely on the car dash telling you either because the coolant level sensor can be a bit slow to divulge the fact that there’s a problem looming.   

Exhaust flap rattle on cold startup was an issue with the F22 M240i that could usually be easily fixed by unbolting the actuator and tightening up the spring but we’re not aware of this being a problem on the G42.  Trying to get a quick and accurate snapsot on M240i xDrive servicing costs in the UK isn’t easy because BMW’s online servicing info doesn’t distinguish between different 2 Series models. They say it’s £25 a month based on a 36-month service plan but that’s a generic 2 Series price. For M models like the M2, M3 and M4 they quote £36 a month.

Our man John H will tell you that the old rear-drive, LSD-free F22 M240i could be a bit of a handful if you found yourself in the wrong combination of circumstances. In fairness, most owners managed fine with the F22 by avoiding those quite particular circumstances John was describing, and many of them enjoyed the driving challenge it presented, but if you were absolutely determined to find the boundaries of performance you would find that the F22 could pogo on challenging B-roads as the dampers heated up.

The G42 was arguably a better – or at least safer, if you were going for it – match of drivetrain and chassis. Front spring struts and engine supports that were die-cast in aluminium were brought into the new 2 Series cars from the 4 Series Coupe. The M240i’s dampers were a step up on the F22’s and the optional adaptives were a cost-effective step up on that at £500 as they enhanced the ride in Comfort mode. 

xDrive took away some of the BMW’s classic RWD back-end skiddability, but by no means all of it. The back axle with its M Sport diff was the default destination for all the engine’s power in situations where the Dynamic Stability Control decided there was no need for all-wheel drive. When rear-end slip was detected, a proportion of the power was diverted to the fronts by the electronic central clutch, but the handling remained noticeably rear-biased, interleaved as it was with the AWD bonus of extra front-end purchase and boosted security in sub-optimal conditions.

The M Sport brakes that were standard on the M240i had four-piston fixed calipers at the front and single-piston floaters at the rear. The calipers were red by default but could be blue at no extra cost. Some testers found the system to be overly servo-assisted, making town driving slightly jerky for the heavy of foot.  Others commented on it lacking in initial bite with a long pedal. Maybe that second lot had been given a test car immediately after Troy Queef had been using it. Who knows? Whatever, there was general agreement that the steering was sweet with more or less weight available at the rim of the standard Sport leather wheel through the selection of Sport or Comfort modes. 

At least one G42 M240i has suffered from a faint thumping sound at the back end that could be driver-generated by coming off and on the throttle. In the US-based example we saw, the owner’s transfer case was sent away for diagnosis and some kind of undisclosed restorative action was carried out. Whatever it was, it worked. Whether UK BMW dealers would be quite so accommodating we can’t say, but if you get this problem in your M240i there’s no harm in asking.    

Stones have been known to get caught between the brake disc and the disc guard, causing a scary noise and potential disc damage if you or the BMW service people don’t hoick it out sharpish. 

After a deal of discontented muttering about the way BMW front end styling was going it was heartening to see a more positive response to the M240i. Unfortunately this was counteracted to some extent by some grumbling about the back end. PHer dvinell thought that it looked like somebody had picked up a 4 Series by the front bumper and then dropped it on its tail. 

While we’re here at the back, the M240i was visually distinguished from the normal 220i Coupe by its trapezoidal rather than circular tailpipes. Underneath it was different too with turning vanes and splitters at the front of the underbody to deflect air in a lift-reducing manner, and electrically-controlled vertical air flaps behind the kidney grille.  

G42 2 Series Coupe bonnets and front wings were made of aluminium. M high-gloss Shadow Line trim was standard on the M240i xDrive as were 19-inch M light alloy wheels. The rear apron inlay and side skirts were in high-gloss black, with a black diffuser and a body colour bootlid spoiler. A paint brought in specially for the G42 M240i was Thundernight Purple. It sounded like the aftermath of a dodgy curry but it looked amazing, especially when it was teamed up with blue-stitched black seats in the standard Vernasca leather which was basically the same as Dakota leather only a bit finer-grained. 

LED lights were standard front and rear with an adaptive option at the front that included Selective Beam to swivel the light unit away from the eyes of dazzled oncoming drivers. Headlamp unit condensation has been experienced by quite a few M240i owners. One US owner got an ‘adaptive light malfunction’ that turned out to be a defective unit from the factory. Luckily it was under warranty as he was told that the retail replacement price was $5,000. A faulty sunroof motor was reported by one owner on the forums. More than one has noted creaking from the roof when going over even quite small bumps. Gummi Pflege rubber treatment on the seals usually fixes it.   

The M240i has a beautifully put together cabin spacious enough to make it a genuine adult four-seater. As mentioned a minute ago leather upholstery was standard. Both front seats were heated and there was electric ‘easy-entry’ adjustment for the rear compartment. Cushioned knee pads on the centre console were standard on this model as were M seatbelts.

The dash – transferred over from the 3 Series – looked good in the M240i though not everyone was convinced by the form-over-function fussiness of the digital dash facing the driver. Still, that driver was more or less perfectly placed to enjoy more edifying sights such as the horizon approaching at an unfeasible speed. Handily front collision warning was part of the M240i’s spec, along with speed limit info with a ‘no overtaking on this bit of road’ indicator, lane departure warning and cruise control. On the options list were rear collision prevention, reversing assistant and, for the first time on a 2 Series, a head-up display. 

The Comfort Pack gave you a heated steering wheel and an optional Digital Key that let you not only lock or unlock the car but also start it with your iPhone, assuming you had one of course. Some owners have had bother with this ‘Comfort Access’ not being all that consistent in its responses, such that they would often end up plipping the fob in the terribly old-fashioned way. In the best IT Crowd fashion, turning it off and then on again would often fix it. One owner noticed that his radio and dash would stay on for upwards of 20 minutes after exiting but not locking the car. It did the same if either door was opened even if the key wasn’t present. 

The 390-litre boot was 20 litres up on the F22’s and a medium-sized suitcase bigger than the Audi RS3’s. Its loading lip was 35mm lower than the F22’s. A Technology Plus Package included a Drive Recorder function that you could use to capture footage of scenic drives or to document potentially nasty driving situations. Deep integration of Amazon Alexa was possible when it was installed via the My BMW app. 

Tyre pressure malfunction warnings have come up and turned out to be false alarms. Android Auto would randomly disconnect from the phone and then automatically reconnect several times within a few minutes. This seemingly happened less often if you took the phone out of your pocket and put it in the tray where the wireless charger would be, or if the phone was charging via the USB-C point in the armrest. That has been glitchy for some, the USB-C point we mean not the armrest which has been pretty reliable.

Some cars have said that the driver’s door was open when it wasn’t, illuminating the dash warning and interior lights and keeping the window cracked open. Restarting iDrive by pressing and holding the volume control button on the centre console for 30 seconds would normally mend it, but not always permanently. There was a recall in February 2023 to put right ECU software that would allow the windows and sunroof to be closed when the digital key was removed from the vehicle. 

An iDrive 8 rattle behind the driver’s side dash and steering wheel creak have affected some cars, and rear parcel shelves could clatter for Britain when the audio was cranked up. That’s something that has afflicted some 3 Series cars too. One cold-climate owner resolved his rear-end rattle by tearing apart the offending area and shoving some foam under the shelf vent. That same owner’s car had various clicks, ticks and cracks from the dash trim so he also got stuck into that too, ripping it all apart and adding foam. In the interests of balance, quite a few other owners responded to that story by saying they’d had no such issues with their cars. 

We found a January 2023 recall for 2023MY 2 Series Coupes (including the M240i xDrive) in connection with rear compartment seat backrest cover panels for the side airbags that might break during deployment of those bags, and another one in July 2021 for seatbelt locking retractors that were deactivating early before the webbing had fully retracted. 

The M240i xDrive makes for a superb year-round tool on UK roads. It will give you almost as much pleasure on a cart track as it will on a race track. Obviously that’s a ridiculous statement but there’s method in our madness. Some have complained about the gradual watering down of BMW’s original M ethos, but if your personal definition of M-ness is a brilliant mix of big power in a compact and wieldy chassis then this car absolutely fits the bill. 

There have been a few M240i xDrive teething troubles, but they’ve largely been confined to the odd audible annoyance overlaid by the tediously increasingly normal collection of electrical annoyances. Find us a complicated modern car that doesn’t have those. We’ve not even bothered to mention the battery management issues reported by some owners because it just seems to be par for the course nowadays and it’s getting boring writing about it in every buying guide. 

The important thing to be aware of when looking at an M240i xDrive as your next car is that when it was new it was in the same financial ballpark as a VW Golf R Mk8 or a Mercedes-AMG CLA35. Isn’t this big-hearted BMW at least as special as those two? The Audi RS3 8Y that we talked about a week or two back is more special, we would say, but it’s also a lot more expensive. As a used proposition starting at just over £35k the M240i xDrive has got to be worthy of serious consideration. 

The most affordable M240i xDrive on PH Classifieds as of February 2025 was this 28,000-mile 2022 example in a fetching combination of Brooklyn Grey and Cognac Vernasca leather, yours for £35,524. Here’s one from the same year and similar mileage but in the new Thundernight Purple paint scheme at a nice round £36k. There were a couple more TP cars in PH Classifieds, one at £38,500 and the other £39,000. The lowest mileage and most expensive M240i was this ’23 car with just 2,600 miles on it at £43,877.