 | Positives: Looks great in the flesh, excellent driving dynamics, all-seasons traction make it a great all-around sports car, prodigious power, excellent infotaiment system. |
 | Negatives: No manual transmission option, steering lacks feedback. tight headroom in the back. |
 | Bottom Line: The BMW M240i xDrive is about as quick as it gets for a 2-Series this year, and it's rewarding and fun to drive. We just miss the stick shift. |
Driving Experience
Despite the fact that the M240i xDrive cannot be outfitted with a manual transmission, it's still a delight to drive. The lengthened wheelbase and driving modes means it's not harsh to drive in Comfort mode, and it feels poised and composed whenever you drive it. The additional of all-wheel drive is a huge plus for those who want sure-footedness all year round.
Ride Quality: The ride is firm but in Comfort mode things feel nicely dampened without being totally isolated.
Acceleration: The M240i xDrive is quick, indeed. 60 mph comes in a mindblowing 3.6 seconds, quicker than the last M2, a huge feat. The traction helps, no doubt, and the 8-speed automatic transmission helps due to its shorter gear ratios for the firs three gears.
Braking: The M Sport brakes have excellent feel and modulation, the perfect companion for the car.
Steering: There's not much feedback coming through, but it is precise and responsive.
Handling: The car has excellent balance and feels neutral in the corners. Roadholding is also very good, and the car rewards you with great cornering.
Technology
BMW's iDrive 7.0 is an excellent system that's attractive, easy to use, and provides plenty of convenience features. iDrive used to be much maligned just a handful of years ago, but it's now risen to be the best of the German automaker's tech suites.
Infotainment System: The 10.3" screen is vivid and easy to read even in bright sunlight. We love the way the menus on the home screen are so cleanly laid out. The Live Cockpit Pro, optional on our tester, is an excellent gauge cluster that throws up all of the relevant information. The head-up display is also very good and easily visible on the front windshield.
Controls: The iDrive controller actuates well, and the adjacent infotainment buttons are easy to operate without looking. The climate control and audio controls are, thankfully, still physical switches and buttons. We do miss the old BMW climate controls, but these are way better than touchscreen versions. The thermostat toggle is too small for our liking.
Styling
There was nothing wrong with the last 2-Series. In fact, we thought it was one of the better designs in the Bimmer stable. The new M240i looks longer and lower, giving it a more mature look. We can't say we're huge fans of the purple (Thunder Night) paint, but the car does look way better in person than in photos.
Front: The BMW kidney grilles eschew the new bucktoothed look of the 4-Series, in favor of wider versions. The headlights are also more angular and tapered, and the vents in the lower fascia are large triangles now, a more aggressive look than before. The hood bulge is also a nice touch.
Rear: The taillight signature is dramatic with angular LED highlights. The added width is the most noticeable here.
Profile: The car has definitely matured, and it's most noticeable from the side view. The hood is long, and the proportions work better in the new model. The addition of dark Shadowline trim provides extra sportiness.
Cabin: While the cabin is on the dark side, it goes get spruced up with textured metal and some nice contrast stitching on the very" Cobra Commander"-style front seats.
Comfort
We love BMW sport seats because of they're excellent support and elongating thigh bolster that spread out seat pressure for long-haul comfort. While the cabin is wider than before, it's still a bit cosseting inside largely due to the sloping roofline and the moonroof.
Front Seats: The front seats are on the small side, but they do have great cushioning and bolstering.
Rear Seats: The rear seats are comfy, but the legroom and headroom make them good for shorter trips only.
NVH (noise/vibration/harshness): The car is well built with no squeaks or rattles. Wind noise is non-existent even at high speeds. Only the growl of the engine is what's noticeable.
Visibility: The visibility out the front and front sides is very good, but the rake of the C-pillars makes rear side and rear visibility less than great. It is, however, better than the Toyota Supra.
Climate: The climate system works very well, and we had no trouble getting comfortable quickly. It's too bad there are no ventilated seats.
Safety
The BMW 2-Series coupe comes with plenty of safety features, which should make it a very safe car. It has not yet been tested by either the IIHS or the NHTSA, however.
IIHS Rating: Not tested.
NHTSA Rating: Not tested.
Standard Tech: The M240i xDrive comes standard with Frontal Collision Warning, Active Blind Spot Detection, Lane Departure Warning, Front and Rear Park Distance Control, and a rearview camera
Optional Tech: Our tester came with Active Cruise Control, Parking Assistant Plus, Active Park Distance Control, and a Surround View w/ 3D View.
Storage/Cargo
As you guessed, a sporty coupe isn't quite a haven for gear and cargo. There are some good interior storage spaces and a medium-sized trunk, but don't expect to
Storage Space: There's a retractable door binnacle in the front center console with storage space and cupholders. The medium-sized armrest compartment is also helpful to get small gear items tucked away.
Cargo Room: 14 cubic feet of cargo space isn't terrible, but the opening is on the narrow side. At least the load floor is very flat.
Fuel Economy
We wouldn't call the M240i xDrive a miser, but it gets a couple of mpgs better than the last model. An EPA 26 mpg combined is very good for a powerful sports car such as this. It does better than the Toyota Supra 3.0 and the Nissan Z.
Observed: 23.5 mpg.
Distance Driven: 142 miles
Audio
The premium Harmon Kardon audio system is optional and worth the money. A mere $875 gets you great bass, good clarity, and a rich sound experience. It's just too bad it doesn't come standard for the price of this car.