The 228i starts at a base price of $38,095 including the $2,095 destination fee. Standard equipment at this price includes the six-speed manual transmission (the automatic is a $1,600 option), power windows and locks, pushbutton start, dual-zone air conditioning, tilt/telescoping steering wheel, dynamic cruise control, automatic bi-xenon headlights, fog lights, heated power exterior mirrors, trip computer, manually-adjustable leatherette seating, heated front seats, six-speaker AM/FM/CD audio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, alarm system, and all the requisite safety gear including traction and stability control, ABS brakes and eight airbags. Thanks to its solid structure and available collision warning and city braking system, the 2 Series also earned a coveted IIHS (Insurance Institute of Highway Safety) Top Safety Pick+ ranking.
  2014 BMW 228i. Click image to enlarge |
On the subject of available equipment, like all BMWs the 2 Series can quickly escalate in price once you start adding on desirable options, many of which come bundled in packages. On top of the Adaptive M Suspension my test car was loaded up with an additional $9,445 worth of packages and stand-alone options that included navigation system, sunroof, rear view camera, auto-dimming exterior mirrors, park distance control, heated steering wheel (all part of a $3,650 Premium Enhanced Package), Harmon Kardon premium audio with satellite radio, universal remote, “Comfort Access” proximity entry, adaptive headlights with highbeam assist (all part of a $2,200 Executive Package), Dakota leather upholstery, Valencia Orange metallic paint, speed limit information, and BMW online services with extended telephony, concierge services and real-time traffic services.
Loaded up then, the BMW 228i can easily push into the high $40,000 range, which is a lofty step up from other small sport coupes such as the Scion FR-S and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. That said, over my week with the BMW I found it to be quicker, more comfortable, more practical, better equipped and (not surprisingly) much more refined than either of those two cars.
But did I find it as engaging as as my old 2002? Well, I didn’t actually have to pop open the hood and fix anything during the week I had the 228i, so in that sense it certainly wasn’t as hands-on as my old 2002. In terms of driving engagement, however, I’d have to say that it’s far closer to the spirit of the 2002 than the current 3 Series or 4 Series cars are. If what you want is the most liveable and engaging small rear-wheel-drive coupe out there, it’s tough to argue against the 228i, and that’s pretty much exactly the logic that led me to a 17-year relationship with the original 2 Series. So yeah, I had a hard time returning the keys to this one, and I’ll chalk that up as a win for BMW.
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Pricing: 2014 BMW 228i
Base price: $36,000
Options: $10,295 (Adaptive M Suspension, Premium Enhanced Package, Executive Package, ConnectedDrive Services Package, Dakota Leather, Metallic Paint, Speed Limit Information)
Freight: $2,095
A/C tax: $100
Price as tested: $48,490
Competitors:
Audi A3
BMW M235i
Hyundai Genesis Coupe
Lexus IS 250
Mercedes Benz CLA 250
Scion FR-S
Volkswagen Golf GTI
Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)
