Topic: 2020 BMW 2 Series Gran Coupe First Drive Review

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[KD]

I'm all for saving the sedan but this thing is simply butt ugly!  It just looks wrong to me from every angle.  In fact I see some Nissan Versa dna on the side profile. 

[chignectohead]

This is just a long wheelbase MINI in disguise, with no room in back. Same platform. To quote from a real review:
" A wide range of adjustments in the seat and steering wheel means that, unlike in the tiny rear seat, anybody can get comfortable here."

Cars are now so low slung that apparently 1.5 inches less than 15 feet is now dubbed a "subcompact" by the author, and on the inside this one certainly seems to be. No doubt a Civic would handily have more interior room. The X2 which arrived to great fanfare and no ground clearance has seen its sales sink in 2019 by 25% compared to the 2018 figures which are for only 10 months due to March intro. Another MINI revamp, the X2 proves that not all "SUV"s sell - especially these ginned up MINIs.

I don't get these cheapo transverse-engined Mercedes and BMWs. The first CLA I drove I decided was a complete joke back in 2014, and this 2 Series Gran fake Coupe probably is as well. Oh, they say, MB version 2 of the CLA and A hatch is SO much better - I say it bloody well should be for the prices asked, and apologies should be handed out for version 1.

I suppose people with noodles for brains buy these things for $50K or more and sigh over the badge. Oh, and C/D says" "overall grip leaves something to be desired and the M235i understeers more than expected." Well kudos all around, I'd say. Well done!

[ChaosphereIX]

This thing is depressing all over. A vehicle made of pure marketing fairy dust. Sad sad sad.

FWD isn't bad if you do it right. Fhe engine might even be good. The grand coupe or Crosstour body can never be saved though, sorry. It just seems some marketing guys blindly made a vehicle to check some boxes and capture some emerging market share or something equally stupid, and never even drove one when they were done.

BMW, ultimate driving machine. Yeah right.

[2JDM]

Ugly ugly ugly. I really hope they don't screw up the coupe.



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[CanuckS2K]

With that grill, at first glance I thought it was a Kia.

[OliverD]

Ugly ugly ugly. I really hope they don't screw up the coupe.

The coupe is at least still going to be RWD though it wouldn't shock me if it has xDrive standard in Canada.

There's nothing inherently wrong with competing in this market. The new CLA seems to be a great product. But like Shane said, this thing looks like a Kia. There's really nothing that attractive about it and it certainly doesn't look like a BMW. It's also not particularly cheap, although it does undercut the 3-series by almost $7k. To me the CLA at the same price is a lot more appealing. Or save some money and get the A250 hatch.

[whaddaiknow]

With that grill, at first glance I thought it was a Kia.

^^
Ditto. I immediately thought Kia Rio.

[dirtyjeffer]

With that grill, at first glance I thought it was a Kia.

^^
Ditto. I immediately thought Kia Rio.

well thank you...i'm honored to drive a low cost BMW alternative. 

[Slow_lane]

With that grill, at first glance I thought it was a Kia.

^^
Ditto. I immediately thought Kia Rio.

Absolutely!  First thing I thought was Kia. I will park my Forte beside the 1st one  I see.

Looks like another miss like an Acura ILX.

Funny how models get bigger and bigger and then they develop a smaller model to address the gap left behind.  Every maker does it

[Hannibalsmith]

If I'm BMW, and I see the Audi A3 sedan and MB A class sedan selling, why wouldn't I launch this?

[OliverD]

If I'm BMW, and I see the Audi A3 sedan and MB A class sedan selling, why wouldn't I launch this?

Absolutely. If only they had made it look good.

[DriverJeff]

Wow, tough crowd here.  While it's certainly not the prettiest BMW, the marque has generally suffered in its styling all-round lately, so I'm not sure we should be shocked by how this car looks.  I'm not sure the photos (or the white paint colour) do this thing many favours either.  The black one that was on display at the CIAS looked pretty decent.  I suspect 228i's will look decidedly Kia-esque, however. 

So the rear seat is small... it's small on all these things. Have you tried to shove anything larger than a garden gnome into the back of a 2-series coupe?  Good luck. 

Yes, it's a shared-platform Mini, but Mini doesn't build a sporty sedan, so maybe this is the better option? 

[OliverD]

As someone who owns a car on this platform, I don't really think it is the issue.

Sedans of this size almost always look a bit awkwardly proportioned. I don't think there's any question that an A4 is more elegantly proportioned than an A3, for example. But the BMW just seems exceptionally bad and/or generic.

I have no issue with the size or mission of this car. I think this car is a tough sell when compared to the new CLA which looks pretty damn good.

[ChaosphereIX]

As someone who owns a car on this platform, I don't really think it is the issue.

Sedans of this size almost always look a bit awkwardly proportioned. I don't think there's any question that an A4 is more elegantly proportioned than an A3, for example. But the BMW just seems exceptionally bad and/or generic.

I have no issue with the size or mission of this car. I think this car is a tough sell when compared to the new CLA which looks pretty damn good.

They didnt used to. Cars have become bloated with very high beltlines.

[Hammy]

Every now and then I wish my M240 had four doors (trying to cram adults in and out of the back seat) but now that I've seen what it might look like with four doors, I'm glad it only has two.  On top of that take away the Inline 6 and make it primarily or totally front wheel drive... no thanks.  Love my car just the way it is!

[dirtyjeffer]

Every now and then I wish my M235 had four doors (trying to cram adults in and out of the back seat) but now that I've seen what it might look like with four doors, I'm glad it only has two.  On top of that take away the Inline 6 and make it primarily or totally front wheel drive... no thanks.  Love my car just the way it is!

agreed...just save yourself $25k and buy a Kia Rio sedan.

[Fobroader]

Every now and then I wish my M235 had four doors (trying to cram adults in and out of the back seat) but now that I've seen what it might look like with four doors, I'm glad it only has two.  On top of that take away the Inline 6 and make it primarily or totally front wheel drive... no thanks.  Love my car just the way it is!

agreed...just save yourself $25k and buy a Kia Rio sedan.

I would sacrifice some reliability for having a manual, I6, two door sports car, but when the 4 door looks like this, you would have to be a real badge whore to pick one of these up. I agree, save your cars and get something else, a wrong wheel drive BMW is just wrong.

[tortoise]

BMWs small cars have been all downhill from here:

[quadzilla]

Recently I've been parking beside one of these and it gets my attention.