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![New BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe [F44] (2020 - 2023) review](https://ssl.caranddriving.com/f2/images/used/big/bmw2seriesgrancoupe2021to2023.jpg)
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Back in 2020 with this first generation 2 Series Gran Coupe F44 model, BMW belatedly joined the market for compact four-door coupes that previously Mercedes had almost to itself with their CLA. It shared nearly all its engineering with the 1 Series hatch, which meant it was front-driven. But it was very much more aspirational.
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History
Looking for a car from the 2020-2023 era that's compact, premium, very fashionable and just a little bit dynamic? BMW hoped it had your number with this model, the MK1 F44 version of its 2 Series Gran Coupe
You might well be a little unfamiliar with BMW's 'Gran Coupe' formula, even though it's been around since 2012. That was when the Munich maker launched its 6 Series Gran Coupe, basically a four-door coupe based on a 3-box saloon shape for executives wanting something a little more fashionable. Following that model, BMW made 4 Series and 8 Series Gran Coupe models. But strangely in this century's second decade, never attempted a smaller take on the four-door coupe concept that would have taken on the car that most tend to think of when it comes to a more compact interpretation of this kind of design, the very profitable Mercedes CLA. This 2 Series Gran Coupe model though, was that car.
The '2 Series' tag gives off mixed messages these days because it can mean lots of different things in BMW's model hierarchy. At the time of this car's launch in 2020, it was still being used for the brand's ageing 'F22'-series rear-driven Coupe and Convertible models, cars that were due for imminent replacement by another rear-driven design. More relevant to what we're looking at here though, was the fact that at the time of this F44 design's launch, the '2 Series' moniker was also being used by the company's 'Active Tourer' and 'Gran Tourer' compact MPVs, which had a front-driven 'FAAR' platform shared with the MINI Hatch - which was in turn donated to BMW's 1 Series. Which was engineering used in its entirety by this 2 Series Gran Coupe. A 1 Series dressed to the nines for an evening out? That's about what we have here. This car sold until late 2024, when it was replaced by a second generation F74-era model.
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What you get
You'll buy this car because of the way it looks - no question. Like most four-door coupes, this one is distinguished by frameless side windows and a swept-back silhouette which makes the car look a fraction more compact than it actually is. And it offers plenty of overtaking presence. The large corner air intakes hint at performance potential, while the slightly angled full-LED headlamps draw attention to the familiar BMW kidney grille, which extends almost the full width between those lights and features bars contoured with eye-catching vertical indentation. The rear isn't perhaps, quite as eye-catching, but the full-LED L-shaped tail lamps (another classic BMW design cue) have distinctive night time illumination.
Is this a proper coupe? This frameless door certainly makes it feel like one. But the slightly lower-slung driving position that genre might lead you to expect doesn't really materialise once inside. Instead, cabin architecture from the 1 Series hatch was carried over virtually unaltered. Still, that's not necessarily an issue because it's very nice indeed. No, it doesn't have the space age feel of a Mercedes CLA with all its twinkling lights and screens. Or the knurled classy coolness of a sporty Audi A3 Saloon. But as a quality compromise between these two approaches, this cabin takes some beating. Soft-touch surfaces and the solid feel of all the fixtures and fittings is matched on plusher models by things like contrast stitching and intricate 'Extended lighting' door panel strips.
There's plenty of luxury segment technology too, particularly if you get a car whose original owner paid more for the 'Live Cockpit Professional' package, which matches a 10.25-inch virtual instrument binnacle screen with a classy centre-dash iDrive monitor of the same size. There's some clever stuff incorporated into this extra-cost set-up, including what BMW calls an 'Intelligent Personal Assistant', which is there to answer questions you can voice to the car as you drive it. Even the lesser 'Live Cockpit Plus' media package gives you quite a lot, including 'Apple CarPlay' and 'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. As usual with a coupe, rearward vision is somewhat compromised by the sloping roof and angled rear screen, so you'll need the standard parking sensors. But finding the ideal driving position is easy, the seats are very comfortable and there's plenty of interior storage space.
In the back, the headroom figure is 870mm, 40mm less than you'd get in a 1 Series but 10mm more than in a rival Mercedes CLA. The scalloped seat backs create a bit of extra space for your knees and as for legroom, well there's 670mm of it - which is the same as a CLA but here, you get a bit more space to tuck your feet beneath the seat ahead. Inside the trunk, you're provided with a reasonable 430-litres of cargo capacity (50-litres more than a 1 Series hatch but 30-litres less than that Mercedes CLA rival). The rear seat back has a versatile 40:20:40 split, so you'll be able to push long items like skis through between a couple of rear-seated folk.
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What to look for
Our owner survey revealed many satisfied users of this F44 2 Series Gran Coupe model, but inevitably, there were a few issues reported. We've come across reports of wobbly steering racks, leaking cam covers, issues with suspension, rattly bodywork and exhausts - and issues with oil levels. There have been issues with the white needles on the instrument dials too. In the daytime they're supposed to be as bright as the numbers on the dial but with some models, they have become faded, dim or nearly invisible. We also heard of reports of horns not working when the steering wheel is turned. And issues with the sensor failing that told you about low screen wash levels. Check for creaking sounds in the nearside rear passenger area, fixed by some dealers by removing the door card and putting in some sticky tape and silicone lubricant.
Obviously, a fully-stamped service history is vital. This car uses complex engines and only regular and appropriate maintenance will see them go the distance. Otherwise, it's just the usual things. Insist on a fully stamped-up service record and check the alloys for scratches and scuffs.
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Replacement parts
(approx prices based on a 2021 M235i xDrive Gran Coupe ex VAT - autodoc.co.uk) An air filter costs in the £19 to £63 bracket. An oil filter costs around £12-£54. Front brake pads sit in the £28-£50 bracket for a set; for rears, it's around £28-£61. Brake discs can be very expensive; fronts from £84-£157; rear discs tended to be in the £61-£122 bracket. Wiper blades are in the £8-£14 bracket.
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On the road
According to BMW, this F44 2 Series Gran Coupe will appeal to “emotional, extrovert people looking for an alternative to the traditional saloon”. Or, if you want us to read between the lines for you, people who ordinarily wouldn't necessarily prioritise the purchase of a BMW. But might well like this one. It was perhaps with these people in mind that the Munich maker decided to base this car on the primarily front-driven 'FAAR' platform it used for its little 1 Series hatch, rather than the rear-driven chassis developed for the two-door second generation 2 Series Coupe. The target market here, BMW reasoned, would have little or no interest in which end this car was driven from and the 1 Series platform was cheaper to make and easier to package.
But does it make this car dull to drive? Well that depends on your expectations. Inevitably, it's not as engaging as a rear-driven 2 series Coupe; there's nothing quite like the appealing feel of being pushed through a bend, rather than being pulled through it and if this car had that, it'd enjoy a significant unique selling point over its Mercedes CLA arch-rival. It still manages to shade that car dynamically though, thanks to precise, accurate steering and an agile willingness to change direction which can deliver quick point-to-point driving times over twisty roads. That's helped by an engineering balance that gets within a fraction of achieving perfect 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution, which is why the car feels so composed at speed through tight turns. In short, there's still enough here to please someone who likes their driving.
Engine-wise, there's the usual line-up of units that BMW used in this period with its compact front-driven models. Which means a 1.5-litre three cylinder petrol unit for the derivative at the foot of the range - the 140hp 218i model. This could be had with optional 7-speed dual-clutch auto transmission. Further up the line-up lie three 2.0-litre models, the popular 150hp 218d diesel (which could be had in manual or 8-speed auto forms); and the two top variants, the 190hp 220d diesel. And the 306hp M235i petrol performance model, which was only offered with the 8-speed auto and got BMW's xDrive AWD system, along with a torsen limited slip differential.
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Overall
It's surprising that it took BMW so long to bring us this car. By the time of its launch in 2020, its arch-rival, the Mercedes CLA, had after all been around since 2013, demonstrating the very real global demand for a compact saloon with a trendy coupe-like vibe. Whether you prefer BMW's take on this concept will be purely down to personal preference. It didn't bring anything particularly new to this profitable sub-segment, but it had the required technology, style and sheer swagger to make the necessary impact.
So how to summarise? Well, if you were already thinking of buying an F40-era 1 Series hatch, we'd encourage you to also consider this F44 Gran Coupe because it's essentially the same car without much of a practicality downside and a considerably more stylish feel. That in a nutshell sums up what this kind of car is all about. Late to this party BMW it may have been, but here, the brand came ready to make an impact.
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