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The diesel-powered version of the 2 Series Gran Coupé tries – and ultimately fails – to hide the fact that it's front-wheel drive. But for the target audience, we suspect it won't be an issue

What is it?

It's not long since the idea of a front-wheel-drive BMW would have been regarded as heresy, not least within the company itself. But now the lower reaches of the family are rapidly filling out with models that pull rather than push.

The 2 Series Gran Coupé follows on from the BMW X1, BMW X2 and 1 Series hatchback, sitting on the same FAAR natively front-wheel drive platform and powered by a range of transversely mounted four-cylinder engines, with the 220d set to be the sole diesel offering at launch.

It slots in beneath the 3 Series as BMW's baby saloon for Europe, with a coupé-inspired rear end, four doors and more leg room than the 2 Series coupé, which stays on a rear-wheel drive platform.

While the range-topping M235i delivers its 302hp through a part-time four-wheel drive system, the 220d and entry-level 218i will be front drive only. The 220d's engine is a transverse version of the twin-turbo engine that we've already seen in the 320d and 520d, making 187bhp and 295lb ft of torque. Here, it's able to manage 0-62mph in 7.6sec via an eight-speed automatic - the diesel's only gearbox option.

3 Bmw 2 series gran coupe 220d 2020 fd hero rear

What's it like?

A sports commentator would describe what we've got here as being a game of two halves. Driven at an everyday pace, the 220d Gran Coupé feels familiar, delivering a good impression of a more traditional rear-driven BMW. It feels respectably agile and willing to turn, steering is close in terms of both weight and response to that of a 3 Series and performance is respectably brisk.

The diesel engine thrums a little more than we remember it doing in the outstanding 320d, but it is still acceptably quiet under all but the hardest use. Part-throttle acceleration is impressively strong, the engine delivering solid shove without seeming to break sweat as the automatic ’box shifts deftly to keep the motor in the muscle of its mid-range. Taking manual control through the steering wheel paddles confirms that there is no point in taking the engine beyond the 4000rpm where it delivers peak power, although it will pull cleanly to the limiter.

The base chassis settings are soft, with the Gran Coupé picking up a fair amount of vertical motion over rougher surfaces. The test cars we drove in Portugal were in non-representative spec, wearing optional adaptive dampers that won't be offered here; in Sport mode, these increase discipline without adding harshness, but we will have to wait to see how firm the standard setup is. Cruising refinement is good, with the cabin staying well insulated at what would be a rapid motorway cruise and little wind noise despite frameless doors.  

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It's when pressed harder that the 220d starts to struggle. On sodden road surfaces, the Gran Coupé's front-wheel drive soon becomes obvious. While BMW is rightly proud of the 2 Series' battery of understeer-fighting systems, including quick-acting traction control derived from the system fitted to the BMW i3, these can only do so much. Hard acceleration at lower speeds have the driven wheels battling for traction, and although there is rarely any sense of torque corrupting the steering, even modest exuberance produces strong and obvious intervention as the stability control battles to stop the front from running wide. BMW'ss rear-drivers would doubtless have struggled for grip in the same conditions, but the fight would have been a more amusing one. 

Of course, for many potential buyers, the on-the-limit handling of a diesel 2 Series Gran Coupé will be a peripheral concern, and there is still plenty to like about this compact saloon. The cabin feels impressively well finished and equipped for the price point, with much of the switchgear and componentry shared with models far higher up the range. The driving position has lots of adjustment and, although tight on head room, rear seat space is still reasonable, given the car's dinky overall dimensions.

10 Bmw 2 series gran coupe 220d 2020 fd dashboard

Should I buy one?

BMW reckons that the entry-level 218i will be the most popular version of the Gran Coupé – probably a realistic assessment of the relative importance given to the car's sleek looks (and badge) over ultimate driving manners. Yet the 220d does still make a solid case for itself, thanks to what remains one of the best four-cylinder diesel engines on the market.

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This is a car able to deliver both a 0-62mph time under eight seconds and gentle use fuel economy in the high-50s; that remains an impressive combination of talents. The tougher question is how it will compare with the Mercedes CLA 220d, which we reckon is one of the highlights of its range and is certainly a more elegant proposition.

 

BMW 220d Gran Coupé​ specification

Where Lisbon, Portugal Price £33,855 On sale March Engine 4 cyls, 1995cc, diesel Power 187bhp at 4000rpm Torque 295lb ft at 1750-2500rpm Gearbox 8-spd automatic Kerb weight 1505kg Top speed 146mph 0-62mph 7.5sec Fuel economy 53.3-57.6mpg CO2 110g/km Rivals Mercedes-Benz CLA 220d, Audi A3 saloon TDI

 

2 Bmw 2 series gran coupe 220d 2020 fd hero side

Mike Duff

Mike Duff
Title: Contributing editor

Mike has been writing about cars for more than 25 years, having defected from radio journalism to follow his passion. He has been a contributor to Autocar since 2004, and is a former editor of the Autocar website. 

Mike joined Autocar full-time in 2007, first as features editor before taking the reins at autocar.co.uk. Being in charge of the video strategy at the time saw him create our long running “will it drift?” series. For which he apologies.

He specialises in adventurous drive stories, many in unlikely places. He once drove to Serbia to visit the Zastava factory, took a £1500 Mercedes W124 E-Class to Berlin to meet some of its taxi siblings and did Scotland’s North Coast 500 in a Porsche Boxster during a winter storm. He also seems to be a hypercar magnet, having driven such exotics as the Koenigsegg One:1, Lamborghini SCV12, Lotus Evija and Pagani Huayra R.

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Comments
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rsmith 27 February 2020

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It looks so under wheeled. Quite a pig to look at.

Gerhard 25 February 2020

What on earth is BMW thinking

What on earth is BMW thinking?! This thing is horrendously ugly and completely out of proportion! It looks like a rejected KIA design! Those of us who know the marque's history and can see how good the recent 4-series GC styling is can only shake their heads at such ugly products as this 2GC... 

Stick to the Active Tourer concepts, CUVs and the 'normal' hatchbacks for the UKL2-platformed stuff and leave the sporty products if you can't make proper designs on them.

Whatever styling rot set in with the 'PAV' ideas and the 5GT needs to be cut out of the company sharpish.

Gerhard 25 February 2020

What on earth is BMW thinking

What on earth is BMW thinking?! This thing is horrendously ugly and completely out of proportion! It looks like a rejected KIA design! Those of us who know the marque's history and can see how good the recent 4-series GC styling is can only shake their heads at such ugly products as this 2GC... 

Stick to the Active Tourer concepts, CUVs and the 'normal' hatchbacks for the UKL2-platformed stuff and leave the sporty products if you can't make proper designs on them.

Whatever styling rot set in with the 'PAV' ideas and the 5GT needs to be cut out of the company sharpish.